Edward Linson - November 10, 1981
Being Transferred to Monowitz
This was the work you involved in? Was there a factory there?
This is the factory for, for awhile. After awhile they took out uh, they took and uh, they killed, they--systematically. One day I was walking--I was working a few, a few hundred--come a commission from uh, Buna, from Monowitz. And they were looking at every person and, and they--I was rejected. Uh, come to me another, another Jew and he says, "I am from this neighborhood. I give you a bread." He got from--somehow he got bread. I don't know how, I cannot explain you. He says to me, "A son of my own, you will be on my place." So I went in the middle.
And then went to Auschwitz.
Yes. In Auschwitz I come in. And I was a--I don't know, I got luck. So they give me the number and a few days I was uh, transferred to Monowitz.
What did you do there?
In Monowitz, oh, we did lots of work--heavy work. We, we was working very, very hard. Loading uh, ???. Oh, now I come to this uh, this guy, Primo Levi. One day they was looking for chemists. I figured oh, the hell with 'em, uh, I'm educated person, why I shouldn't? Maybe it will be a little bit easier. So I raised my hand and uh, they took my number and uh, on the next day they call up the names and they put me on in another, another barrack and I went and we had examination. By, by uh, I forgot his name, this doctor.
Mengele?
Yes, or--no, Mengele I saw twice. From the Buna we had a doctor, so, so this, this uh, Primo Levi he start bragging. That's why I'm angry at him. If I see him, he will get from me. No kidding. He is a pig. He came in the end, maybe six months or eight months he was, that's all.
He's Italian.
Yeah. Italian Jew.
What was he bragging about?
That he's a little bit French, "Parlez vous France?" uh, uh like this uh, Rabbi Rosen, like the same way. This Rabbi Rosen I can say you inane. He, he thought nobody understand this word. He picked up a few words from the, from the Encyclopedia Britannica, if he has.
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