Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

Ilya Martha Kessler - November 1, 1982

Reflections on the Holocaust

Um, is there anything else you'd like to say about what happened?

I don't think so.

Do you have any ideas about what would, you know, how to prevent it or how to uh, about what caused it in the first place?

You just have to fight back always and not to be ashamed they are Jewish. And uh, and, and help Israel because that's what important. Because if something happen because we have where to go.

Okay.

And the Jews have to keep together and care for each other. That's very important. And in Europe you was, you was very religious and here you hit you and then you move to the other side and not do this anymore. Fight back. It doesn't matter what Israel do, wrong or bad, you should stay near Israel, because that's our land. You know...

Sure.

...I can't think ??? because I don't want... I don't know if that's good to say or not. Uh, my cousin, this cousin, said, "Well, the place from where I come ??? so nice, there is everything." So, I said, "You know what? They ??? kill everybody." How to say, I hate them. That's, that's... I, I hate everybody there. My girlfriend came from Hungary and she goes back--her mother is there--and she goes back almost every year. And my aunt is there, so she said to me, come with me. I said, no. If I would have so much money like a sack, I don't know where to put my money, I wouldn't go there because I hate everything, everybody there. When I came home, I, I thought I going to have a, a pistol and I going to kill ??? I hate it so much. So, that's what I said. ??? Israel. People who is in trouble like we was... Place where to go.


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