Edith Kozlowski - August 19, 2010
Pre-War life in Radom II
What was the pre-war community like in Radom? Was it--I know they had--at the, the outbreak of the war there were 25,000 Jews living in the city.
30,000.
30,000.
Really, yeah.
Yeah.
Because, uh. [pause]. Was there 100,000 in Radom?
Husband: About 100,000.
Yeah.
100,000.
100,000 Jews.
Husband: At that time. Right now it's around 400, I think.
Yeah, yeah.
Uh, and ten percent really survived which was unusual. Radom.
Yeah that's a high number.
Yeah.
Yeah.
A high number, right.
Yeah, when you were growing up and walking to school, or working in the grocery store--or in the store, do you remember any incidences of anti-Semitism amongst just the Polish population where--did you ever have anything like that?
Actually not much because we really were in a Jewish, Jewish neighborhood.
Mm-hm.
All my friends were Jewish, and belonged to the Jewish organization. Not until the war really.
Yeah.
No.
Okay.
In fact my grandparents had some good friends that lived in the same apartment, and they were not Jewish beautiful people
Mm-hm.
But, you know. Later on we found out, it didn't take long.
No. Was there any talk of Hitler and the Nazis in your household, like uh, you know, the impending danger of war? Or...
Daddy never discussed it...
No.
Never did.
Everybody just kind of went about their business? And...
Yeah.
Husband: ??? talking all about the...
Oh a year before the war.
Yeah.
That was close already.
Yeah.
But we didn't expect what happened...
No.
We didn't expect that. In fact--well we starting the war now, I don't know.
Well we can, whatever...
No.
We can talk some more about your childhood if you want to? Are there any really fond memories that stand out of your life before the war?
Not really, except that there was great love in the family.
Mm-hm.
Especially the grandparents.
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