Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

Mrs. Roemerfeld - 1982?

Conditions in Ghetto IV

Was there much hunger in the ghetto? How long were you in the ghetto?

Starting uh, uh, 1940 until '42. It was two years. It's a matter of this period that, you know, that half of it, m...more than half, we were in the ghetto open. And then at the end, maybe eight months--six months uh, we were in the ghetto closed and then they uh, shipped us out.

Can you describe the room or that place that you lived in, in the ghetto?

When it was closed?

Yes.

Yes, it was an upstairs in one room. Uh, it was like a three-room uh, apartment, but we only occupied one room. My mother, my brother and me.

And who occupied the other rooms?

Other people.

Other families.

Yes.

Did you have much contact with them?

Oh yes, we were one on top of the other. You couldn't help but being in contact. And people were talking, but I, you know, as a little girl I was just running out in the backyard and playing. Just like you know, it--like I say, the reality uh, it didn't hit me because I was too young.

Did you share any food or anything of that nature with other members in the--in your apartment, in your three-room apartment?

There wasn't much to share. We only had uh, I remember uh, this much for today and this much for tomorrow. You know, it wasn't much that we could help each other at this point because everything was gone. You know, the groceries were already closed. I mean, the corporate ??? that was formed when the ghetto started. And uh, that was closed and we only uh, had to wait whatever, you know, we get each day.

Where did you get the food from?

Well, that's what I cannot remember.

You don't remember that.

No.


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