Hanna Ramras - January 26, 2008
Life Before the War II
And uh, at the other end, in Aussig, there was my mom waiting for me on the platform and I was very, very happy to be together with her and uh, I always begged, "Please, let me stay. I really don't want to go back," but back I went. This went on for a couple of years until in 1938 I remember one night a very loud explosion in Bratislava. I don't know what that was but the German presence could be felt already. There were submarines and ships--German ships--going up and down the River Danube and um, I think it had something to do with that presence. The orphanage was closed and I was sent back to my mother to Aussig. In Aussig this was already partitioned--it was taken over by, by the Germans and--but I went to school until one day it was decided that the Jewish children could not remain in school and we were told, "Stay home." I remember my mom going with me to part of the educational system there and asking, "Is there nowhere where I can send my child? I mean, she can't just stay home and not learn or study." And they said, "We'll let you know if there are any changes but in the mean time that's what's on the program."
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