Edward Linson - November 10, 1981
Being Taken by Germans
I was in uh, taken from uh, from Warsaw--from the factory I was uh, caught on the street. And I was taken to Poniatowa, which is uh, in the--near Majdanek. And I was uh, in this Poniatowa--on this station there was, there was uh, millions of people, I don't know, killed back and forth. And we was taken to Majdanek and we established at Majdanek at that time. I was working over there. After a while, they come--a, a few people and they took us to Auschwitz, Buna. Because I was a boy I don't, I don't uh, I don't have to, to say it. I, I was like a very healthy boy. I could, I could take this house and, and throw over. I was described as a--you read the book, you will know--I was described as a, as a real second ???, if you remember who ??? was--who tore the chains in the--how you say this? Uh, so, from that time on I was taken to this uh, camp in Buna, which, which was the hell--stopped at the hell.
Was this in Monowitz?
In Monowitz. And uh, I was singing a little bit and I was uh, stealing a little bit uh, and I, I got away to come to people--to talk to people to uh, and uh, I know the way to get around the people. For instance, in Lublin--I go back to Majdanek. The, the SS man took us out, about twenty-five people--there was two brothers. And he made a circle--a three hundred and sixty degree circle--a large circle and uh, he established himself a little place to sit down. It was a, was a something to bring water. So I went for the water and he was sitting. And he was saying, "Who will go out from this circle will ???." So he sent somebody--well listen to this--he sent somebody and after awhile he killed him. After a while he killed two brothers--was two brothers, and I come back with the water--with this pail water, and he was sitting so bright, you know, and I says, "???" and everybody was around me--the, the other prisoners support. So they meant he will knock me down, he will start trumping on me and, and then will be he will kill me, which they did. Well, he didn't. This was my character.
Someone at the door.
[interruption in interview]
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