Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

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Henry Dorfman - August 11 & 25, 1989

What was it like to go back to your house?

This is my house. Uh, listen...what was to go back? It broke my heart. Because we didn't live like this. It's, it's--like I say, it's not fixed up, it's not taken care. I mean, I can't understand how, how they--it's worse, it's worse that after forty years, when I, when, when I left, and when I was there in '48 and today it, it's forty years later, it, it's worse today than it was then. It's worse today.

Did you know who was living in your house in '48?

Yes. The same people. I mean uh, now, I mean, the lady is, the older, all the older people, the husband passed away. But we had uh, we had uh, a few of 'em so far and so on..

So these are the people who helped you.

No. No. These are not the people who helped me. They didn't even know.

They just took over the house.

Yes. They just, they just moved in. That's all there is to it. We were there in '48 and--what kind of a deal my father made with them. I don't even know if he sold it to them or, or he gave it to them. Because there was no sale, I mean, you know, maybe they gave him something. Maybe he gave it to them just. Maybe there were some people know where we were. I didn't--I really don't know what, uh.

When you went back this time, did they let you in the house?

Yes, yes. Oh yeah.

What did they say to you?

Oh they, what they say, they felt sorry, you know. They're glad that I come back to see it. And they felt sorry what had happened, it shouldn't have happened. And, you know, I told the, the whole story. Why, why didn't we help you more? You know, that's about it. Why didn't we do this or that. But this is all past. So what can you say? But uh, listen, they--in one way they say that, and the ne...in the next, they don't know if I'm going to throw them out of the house, you understand. Because uh, they're, they are afraid they would--a lot of 'em would not like to see me. Because they, they would be more relaxed. They think that somebody's going to take them away the house. Yeah, that's what they think.