Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

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Anna Greenberger - August 24, 1982

There was two brothers from Hungary, they had a textile--they had two men's clothing store--very wealthy. They were also in concentration camp. I uh, but maybe just one--but they went right away after war and they got very, very wealthy. They had a sister in Poland though. And uh, he says, "They are looking for a cook. They would pay anything if somebody would cook for them Hungarian." They are--were Hungarian. I said, "Okay." I was still working by the German woman. And uh, he came and he says they want me. I made eight hundred guaranís, and thousand guaranís we paid for a room. So I didn't even make enough for--to pay the room. And if they want to pay me twelve hundred guaranís, I said, "Oh no." I said, "I'm not going for twelve hundred guaranís. If they want me, they pay me fifteen hundred guaranís, I go. If not, I'm not going." They paid. And I went from store to store to look for Alex for a job. And they didn't want him, because the Paraguayan people work for nothing. They didn't want Alex. And my mother went everyday. When, when that Nazi came to the store--because they were partners--always she told him, "Please take my son-in-law to work. Whatever you will pay him, you'll see. He's such a good worker. Please." And he says, ??? uh, he says, "I don't need him. I have Paraguayan people for nothing and a European, they live differently. ???." He said, "I don't need him." And my mother said, "Try. Please take him." Finally he says, "If he wants to work for twelve hundred guaranís a month"--I made fifteen hundred--"if he wants twelve hundred guaranís, I take him." I said, "Alex..." And he was crying every day he came. And I, I felt terrible. Here a man with professional--a young man, he was uh, twenty-nine or thirty--I--and he can't--so he--I said, "Look, you go and make twelve hundred guaranís, I make fifteen hundred guaranís." I said, "We'll manage."