Jack Gun - August 12, 1999
German Invasion
Do you remember hearing any talk of Hitler in the house?
I don't. But I do remember when the, when the Germans came in the second time, in '41. By then I was already seven. I do remember the fear I had, the fear inside of me. And I attribute that to, that I must have overheard them talking about the Germans and what the Germans were doing. So this is what I attribute that fear when I heard that the German soldiers are marching in and with their tanks. And before that there was naturally uh, bombardment. And sitting and being afraid to go out. And I'm sure that my parents wouldn't let me out, but looking out through the window, you know, sort of through the blinds or whatever. And uh, just looking and being very afraid.
Was the town bombarded?
Yes, yes. It was bombarded.
In '41. And you took shelter w...what...
Uh, we took shelter in a, in the basement, or, uh...
There was--it didn't sound like there were any instructions on what to do?
No, no. No instructions of go to shelters or have any special bunkers to get in.
So you--you're frightened.
Definitely.
That's the, is that the dominant feeling you remember?
That's my dominant feeling, of being in fear constantly.
How long? The whole war?
Definitely. From then on. From then on 'til we were liberated. My constant--my dominant feeling was fear.
The Germans came back in 1941.
Correct.
And they marched into, into Rozhishche.
Right.
Do you remember watching them march in, do you remember seeing them?
Mm-hm. Mm-hm.
And you were frightened.
Mm-hm.
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