Mrs. Roemerfeld - 1982?
Economic Life
Can you tell me about the economic status of your family before the war?
Well, that's what I was trying to tell you, that uh, uh, actually the standards of living were very poor you know, very low. But uh, considering my father was a furrier so he worked seasons and my mother had a business. So we were considered like the white collar here. But actually I wouldn't consider that being overly rich. Uh, we had a maid for the simple reason because my mother couldn't attend her children. And uh, the maid was dressing us, sending us off to school and taking care of the house. But uh, we lived a normal life and uh, I know my mother worked very hard. She got up very early. And uh, naturally I was the only girl. I was spoiled and also my brother. So uh, and the family uh, circle was very strong. Uh, my mother had four brothers in, in the same, in the same uh, town. And uh, they all--Sabbath they call came together. And uh, it was a relationship that you can hardly find in the United State. So...
What about grandparents? Did you have grandparents?
Uh, my grandmother uh, lived in the United State. And my grandfather. That is from my mother's side. My father's parents had passed away. I don't know when, but they died in one day. Both of them. And, of course, their name was Miller. And uh, as far as organizations, the Jewish uh, uh, social life was very strong in our town because of the background uh, of Ben Gurion. He was born in our hometown. So there were different uh, kinds of organizations. Shomer Ha-Tsa'ir, Betar. And uh, uh, I remember my brother try--start attending those meetings. But uh, I was too young to attend anything. So I can hardly uh, tell you much about it.
What about your father's family? Did he have any brothers or sisters that lived...
Yes...
in the town too?
...he had three sisters in the same town. And one cousin, he's uh, living in New Jersey, of the uh, you know, sisters. And I have one cousin also in New York that's from my father's sister.
Are there any cousins on your mother's side that are living too?
None at all.
Were the...
Uh, they're living here in the, in the United State, yes.
They were all living in this country.
Yes.
Now.
The rest of them were killed. There were sixteen of them.
Sixteen cousins of yours.
Yes.
That were killed in the war.
Yes. And some of them I witnessed their death.
You were with the in the camps.
Yes. [dog barks]
[interruption in interview]
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