New reports on the Holocaust | 60 Minutes Full Episodes

Three women—Anka (Eva's mother), Rachel (Mark's mother), and Prrisca (Hana's mother)—concealed their pregnancies while imprisoned in Auschwitz and subsequent slave labor camps. Pregnancy was a capital offense. Their babies were born in April 1945, just weeks before the war's end, under horrific conditions, including on a 'death train' and at Mauthausen camp. Their survival was attributed to a series of improbable events, such as arriving at Mauthausen the day after the gas chambers ceased operation.

Anka lied to Dr. Josef Mengele about her pregnancy (06:16). Hana's mother gave birth on a factory floor watched by guards (08:20). Mark's mother gave birth on a 'death train' surrounded by dying people (10:00). Eva's mother went into labor upon arrival at Mauthausen, one day after the gas chambers ran out of gas (11:51, 12:05).

The Cap Arona, a former luxury cruise liner, was repurposed by the Nazis into a floating concentration camp. In May 1945, thousands of prisoners were loaded onto it and other ships in Lübeck Bay as the Nazis attempted to 'eradicate evidence' before the Allies arrived. British Typhoon fighters, unaware the ships carried prisoners, attacked them, believing they were targeting fleeing Nazi officials. This resulted in the deaths of approximately 7,000 prisoners, a catastrophic 'friendly fire' incident.

The Cap Arona was meant for 1,500 people but held 4,000-5,000 prisoners (36:08). Himmler ordered no prisoner be delivered alive to the enemy (34:22). British Typhoons attacked the Cap Arona on May 3, 1945, hitting it multiple times (40:04, 41:10). British intelligence had received warnings about prisoners on board the day before the attack, but this information was not passed to the pilots (43:07, 43:26).

Despite the unimaginable suffering and loss, the survivors of both events found ways to live meaningful lives and ensure the stories of the Holocaust were not forgotten. The 'miracle babies' reconnected decades later, forming a unique bond and marching in Mauthausen commemorations. Survivors of the Cap Arona, like Manfred Goldberg and George Schwab, became prominent figures dedicated to sharing their experiences, viewing their survival and subsequent lives as a form of 'revenge' against the Nazis' genocidal aims.

Mark's mother told him that if he became vengeful, the Nazis 'will have taken your soul' (18:33). Hana reconnected with medic Pete Peterson (19:26). The three babies met for the first time in 2010 at Mauthausen (23:30). Manfred Goldberg stated, 'I consider that part of my revenge on the Nazis. They wanted to exterminate us and here we are not only having survived, we are now great grandparents' (47:49).