| Len's cousin
Across the river in the nick of time
M: That was the first days that we were sent out from our home town, and we came to the town of Ostrolenka. That was across the river, which I told you they tried to rob us there. And it was on a Sunday. Sunday morning, all of a sudden, some Jews from our home town gave a message to us. And I think one even came to us and told us, that they don't know what it's all about, but two Germans are looking for us.
You see, they knew where the refugees are, verveh [phonetic] mostly in synagogues, in schools. We were scattered around the city. And we were sitting there as homeless people. So two Germans went around in all these place, and kept on asking whether they know where we are. And we didn't know what it's all about. And we told them maybe we should go in hiding or something. Maybe we did something or what. But two Germans, an officer and a soldier, came to look for us. And of course, we were... And we lived actually, we didn't live a school, but somehow we found a place.
Oh yes, now I know what it was. You know we had mechutanim [relatives by marriage] in Ostroleka, that was Auntie Gutke's husband; he was from Ostroleka, and I believe through them we got somewhere a house, a private house so we didn't have to go to a school or to a synagogue. So, anyway, somebody came and told they knew where we are, and they told us that we should go in hiding or something. And of course, father went in right away into a neighbor's house and he stayed there. And mother and the kids were in our place.
And finally, they found us. A soldier came with an officer, and the officer told the soldier... an officer was always driven by a chauffer. He was a captain in the German army, and he was driven by a chauffer in a motorcycle, a three-wheeler, you know. That's the way they used to go, the officers. So, he was going, and he told him to stay down and he'll go up and see the people.
And he was sort of rough, you know. Because we looked out the window and we saw him coming. And he came up, and he was knocking on the door, and yelling. And we were really scared. My mother was so scared. And he came in into the house, and looked around. And as soon as he looked around, and thought everyting is fine, so anyway, he took off his coat. He was going with what you would call a raincoat. All the German officer, they had a raincoat and it was tied down with a string . It wasn't buttoned. Because that was just to make it easier for them.
And he took off the raincoat, and turned around to my mother, and said in German, "Frau Berliner, don't you recognize me?" All of a sudden..
L: You were telling us the officer knocks on your door and he comes in and he says, "You know me."
M: Yes, "You know me, you know." Anyway. And right away told mother his name, you know. And that was my father's partner, you know. You see, my father had partners in Germany, before Hitler came to power, you know. But that was dissolved when Hitler came to power, you know. And that was my father's partner. He was inducted into the army, and the first thing, he came to look us up. He was told that we were exiled from our home town. He lived just across the border, and he was told that we were exiled, so he came to look for us.
And as soon as Mom found out who he was, she right away sent me to the next door neighbor to call Father, and the he told her the reason he was yelling downstairs, because he had to show the soldier. He didn't want to tell what purpose he was going to Israel, but he told him that he's got something real important, and that why he was so rough. So, he was sorry if he scared us.
And anyway, he asked us whether we need anything, whether we want anything, and he also told us, "Don't wait one day. Get away. Get away. Don't stay." [They crossed the river to the Russian side a few hours before the border was closed.]
ML: Where did you go?
M: Well, where to go? That was Germany, don't forget. And he told us that this city will be staying with the Germans. He told us already. He said, "Please..." As a matter of fact, he offered us even an escort. He said, "If you want to, I could get you an escort, to take you out, but get away. Don't stay, because, sorry to tell you, there's no place for you."
I mean, you couldn't blame that German. He didn't because all those years he was partners with... His kids might have been , you never know. Because they were indoctrinated in the schools, you know. But he had nothing to do with that. But anyway, we went around to tell people what happened, and there was another family, actually, from our home town, that was also partner with my father. And I don't know, but I believe he looked them up too. But those were days that you were always so busy with yourself, you know. Because he asked about them too. |
