Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

Eva Cigler - March 17, 1982

Celle

How long did you remain in Bergen-Belsen after the, you were liberated?

Uh, we was liberated in April and... We was in May, June, end of July when they took the transport already. No, we uh, stayed in Bergen-Belsen uh, in uh, May, in June. And after that, after that they took us to Celle, away from Bergen-Belsen because they needed uh, more uh, barracks, two barracks to be empty and we were selected to go to Celle.

Celle, was that in Germany?

Germany, yeah. And uh...

[interruption in interview]

We went to Celle. And, that, that place uh, was clean already too. Uh, there was a barracks.

Was that a camp?

Uh, uh, it's a--it's wasn't no, no camp

No.

That one was a German barracks...

Oh.

before the liberation. And then we get the room. In a room was eight girls was sleeping, but we had beds already in there.

With mattresses.

With mattresses and... We could uh, if we could organize or steal something, a, a dress or something, we could wear it. We don't uh, wear uniforms.

Mm-hm.

And I don't know, we always managed to have something on. I don't know how we did it, but in that place we could go in a, in, in the--how you call it? We could go in a restaurant because the Ger...the English uh, people, the soldiers uh, they give us some uh, money and they give us four uh, two cigarettes or six cigarettes a day. And if uh, we didn't smoke that time we could sell it for the guys you know...

Oh.

in the barrack so then we make a little money and we could go in the, uh...

In the town?

In the town, yes, in a restaurant. And we could drink beer there too you know. And uh, uh, so that way we feel already something is coming, we start to be human beings again.

You felt more like...

More like a human being.


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