Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

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Simon Maroko - February 19 & 26, 1986

How were you um, you had potatoes and vegetables, correct? Was that all you were living on at that time?

I had, uh... Yes. What I had was over, was left after my parents ??? was my ??? uh. I doubt whether I could get any significant amount of food ???. I do remember one occasion which I, I wasn't to sure I mentioned last time. That uh, a lady who was at one time our maid. ??? She was born in Germany and worked with us. She came to us and she brought me some vegetables and she said that she would come back ???. Throughout all of this I believe I had every time to the services in the Great Synagogue. Morning and evening. And also went to the offices of the Jewish congregation which were um, short distance on the same block, next to the Great Synagogue, the N...New Synagogue. Uh, I did this once a month to collect my father's salary uh, relatively small part it was permitted to be taken and they gave me that. Some of it I probably sent to Westerbork to my parents and some of it I may have used for myself. Especially after already having sent from Westerbork. And this was the money that I had with me with which I could pay the young ??? who, uh. Well we purchased the uh, door handle from the, from that ???.

Did you hear when they were sent to Westerbork?

I don't know. I probably heard.

Officially you heard?

Um, not officially. Probably the Jewish Council or people who had met him in the synagogue. I remember that at one time I was picking up my father's salary there and I talked to one of the leaders of the Jewish Council and uh, and I asked them what the advice that I do, hiding or not. I didn't get any, any advice. He was no help. I, I felt really--I was on my own from now on. ???. There was one Shabbat that I was in that Great Synagogue. I remember that the chief rabbi ??? was still there and he was preaching to us among other things that we would not dare to go in hiding. And uh, my uh, belief in Jewish clergy was dealt a serious blow by that. Even at that time without knowing what would be for me not to follow the rabbis.

Did you know anyone who had gone--made the decision to go into hiding?

For example the Jewish couple the ??? came out from underground, they drove up and uh, we had been living in a ??? parents gave their weapons ???. ??? some people who just ???.