Exactly one day before his death in the Theresienstadt concentration camp, the Dutch social democrat Maurits Mendels (born 1868) wrote down the credo below. Mendels was accustomed to writing in French. The poem was dedicated to the artist Jo Spier (1900-1978). The next day Spier drew Mendels being transported to the crematorium, and he noted: "An SS officer smoking a cigar was driving it. On the wagon there were 40 other dead bodies, the daily harvest of the concentration camp. It was permitted to follow the wagon up to the fence."
A mon ami Jo Sp. J 'ai essayé toujours de vivre vaillamment. En portant mes bons armes dans les premiers rangs. Y suis je vraiment reussi? Je n'ose pas le dire. Je tacherai au moins, s'il faut, de vaillamment mourir. Mieux vaut un vieux et courageux lion mourant, Qu'un vil et triste chien esclave vivant. M.
P.S Il a été rudement douloureux!
(To my friend Jo Sp[ier].
I have always tried to live a worthy life, to be in the front ranks of the good fight. Have I truly succeeded? I dare not say. I will try to die, if I must, in a dignified way. I would rather die as an old courageous lion Than live as a vile and pitiable, slavish dog. M
P.S. It has been terribly painful!)