Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

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Abraham Mondry - June 15, 22, 29 & July 13, 1992

Uh, she was sorting clothes, was that right, when she found the cigarette case?

Yeah, cigarette box, golden cigarette box. It was eighteen carat gold. Inside was little, little rings with diamonds, women's rings.

How did you know this woman?

She, she give signals. See, they used to go work, come back, like the ??? So, she used to give signals to tell me to come down to see it.

How did you know her?

I know her from before.

From before.

So, I went down and she put it on the floor and I picked it up and hide it in my, in my sleeve. He looked away, the soldier. He didn't look. Most of 'em were a few good soldiers, you know.

Was he an SS?

There were still a few good ones.

Was he SS?

Yeah, SS.

Now, what did you do with the case, with the box?

The box I give. You see, they, they used to go, in Auschwitz they used to go to work. They work with civilians, you know, like, the civilians used to drive trucks take this in They used to give them a diamonds or bring them soup, everything. They used to bring kielbasas. They used to put it in, in a hole. Then they used to dig it and everything. We took our chance to bring it in, in camp, you know. I mean, you didn't think of what's going to be. Hey, when your stomach is hungry, you didn't think what's going to be. Your stomach is your worst enemy, you know. In a person, empty stomach, you don't even care if they catch you or no. You was never afraid. Catch you, they catch you. You know you're not going to leave anyway.