Maurice Chandler - October 3, 1993
Returning to Parents II
You mentioned it.
We made our way to Warsaw and we went to uh, to find our--the people that were relatives of ours that we knew the address was Nowolipki 50. We went there. Their name was Neumann. And we asked them if they heard about Nasielsk and they said that, yes, our parents are in Warsaw now and they lived in such-and-such an address and uh, you know, they found them an apartment. We immediately got there and my mother welcomed us. There was a tremendous welcome. You know, she thought we were lost forever and, you know, so on and so on. So there we are.
When you left to go east, what did you--do you remember how you felt leaving the rest of the family?
Well uh, I don't know if I realized what kind of a parting that would be, you know, that it was almost forever. It wasn't--it didn't occur to me, you know, to somebody 15 years old, you know, the psychological depth doesn't exist yet. You know, it was just like a dare we all do and besides, as I mentioned, you know, I was told of this German that I took around to uh, show him a Polish competitor of ours and he found out that guy was a Catholic and he was gunning for me because he felt I fooled him. Remember, there were Polish kids always triggering us...
Right.
...so he kept asking, "Where is the stuff?" I said, "They're here...
Right, you told me.
...I'll take you to the place." And, when he found out that this was goy, he just went berserk. So, I was told that, you know, by--that he was looking for me and so on. So that also played a part in, you know, escaping.
Where was the reunion? In Warsaw?
Yes, we came back to Warsaw and I told my mother at the time that I just brought my brother back because he had very, very uh, he had a hard time, you know, being--living in Białystok and I intend to go back right away--turn around and go back. And she pleaded, you know, with us--with me, "You just rest up and everything will be fine and then we'll, you know, you can go when you get a little bit of rest and relaxation." And--which uh, was very easy to fall into. And as time progressed, you know, and a week went by, two weeks went by and so on, I started exploring what's happening, you know, in the crossover in Małkinia. And the rumor started coming back that it's tightening up. The Russians are closing that--the Germans are closing the part. Nobody can get across, you know. You know, it's been established now, so, the border and uh, naturally they are watching for spies going back and forth. People are getting shot. So, that was it. We knew I couldn't--we couldn't go back.
© Board of Regents University of Michigan-Dearborn