Healing the Enemy: The Harrowing and Inspiring Story of Dr. Elliott Konis

In a story that defies comprehension, Dr. Elliott Konis, a Polish Jew, was forced to work as a doctor for Nazi soldiers during World War II. His tale of survival, resilience, and ultimate pursuit of justice has now been unveiled by his sons, Allen and Leonard Konis, through a significant donation to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

A Life of Hope Turned Tragedy
Born in 1911 in Vilna, Poland (modern-day Vilnius, Lithuania), Dr. Konis had just begun his career as a physician when the Nazis invaded in 1941. He and his family were confined to the Vilna ghetto, where starvation, disease, and systematic murder became their daily reality. When the ghetto was liquidated in 1943, his first wife, Hanna Asgud, a nurse, was among those sent to their deaths.

Despite his own suffering—including beatings, a fractured skull, and starvation—Dr. Konis was spared solely because his medical skills were useful to the Nazis. Forced to treat wounded German soldiers, he witnessed their humanity as individuals while grappling with the brutality they represented.

“He described many German soldiers as conscripts,” his son Allen Konis explained, “not necessarily in agreement with Nazi doctrine, but forced to participate under threat to their own families.” Yet, this acknowledgment did little to soften the anguish of his losses or the torment of treating the oppressors of his people.

Survival Against the Odds
Dr. Konis survived multiple concentration camps, including Dachau’s sub-camp Allach, where he was miraculously reunited with his elder brother in 1945. Liberation marked the beginning of a new chapter, but the scars of war lingered. Working for the United Nations’ refugee relief agency, he treated over 2,000 displaced survivors at Heidenheim Displaced Persons Camp in Germany. His dedication to healing others, even after enduring such cruelty, exemplified his strength and resolve.

Justice for the Fallen
In 1965, Dr. Konis was summoned to testify against Nazi war criminals, including Helmut Schnabel, commandant of the Vaivara concentration camp. His testimony helped secure Schnabel’s conviction and life sentence. This pursuit of justice was not just for himself but for the countless lives lost during the Holocaust.

A Legacy Preserved in Fragile Documents
Decades after his death in 1984, his sons Allen and Leonard Konis uncovered a treasure trove of wartime documents, including identity cards, letters, photographs, and medical records. They recently donated this rare collection to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to ensure the world never forgets.

“This is a rare story,” said Robert Tanen, the museum’s southeast regional director. “A Jewish victim was spared to save Nazi soldiers, and his collection sheds light on the complex layers of survival and moral conflict during the Holocaust.”

Bittersweet Resilience
Though he rebuilt his life in New York as a family doctor and remarried, Dr. Konis carried the weight of his trauma. “He was fairly positive,” Allen Konis reflected, “but there was also bitterness. He swore he would never buy a German car.”

In an era when antisemitism is again on the rise and Holocaust denial persists, the Konis family’s donation stands as a testament to the truth and the resilience of the Jewish people. “We’re so glad to be able to help preserve this history,” said Leonard Konis, “so that anyone who wants to deny the Holocaust can’t.”

Dr. Konis’s story is not just one of survival—it is a powerful reminder of the human spirit’s capacity to endure, heal, and fight for justice, even in the face of unimaginable suffering.

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This article is based on reporting by Lois K. Solomon, South Florida Sun Sentinel.