Eric Rosenow - August 5, 1982
Japanese Authority in the Ghetto
Okay. Do you remember something happening to any very special friends that just--that tore you apart, people that you were exceptionally close to? No? Okay.
No. May I steal a cigarette from you?
You certainly may. In fact you're going to laugh...
What...
...I liked the Brights so much that when I finished my Benson and Hedges, I just put my Brights back in that box.
Oh, is that right?
Yes.
Oh, this is not Benson and Hedges?
No, uh-uh. I ran out, but I liked the carton and I prefer the Brights so I re-load it.
Oh, okay, thank you.
Okay, you're welcome. Um, the issue of hiding probably does not apply to you...
No.
...or anyone that you know of ???
No, in Shanghai, no.
Okay.
A lot of Jewish people being punished by the Japanese authority because there was one man with the name Goya. He was a little man and he was really ruling that ghetto.
Who was he? Tell me more about him.
He was uh, uh, like a governor and he was put in charge of the Jewish people, in that ghetto. And he saw that uh, the Jewish people couldn't move out without a passport, and if he liked somebody, he gave them a passport. If he didn't, he slapped them even--he was so small he hated big tall people because he had to--he went on a chair to talk to him, and uh, he was the ruler of the ghetto, Goya. Mr. Goya, they call him. On the other hand, don't forget, you can't, you can't uh, visualize how this ghetto, this ghetto really worked. Nighttimes, we had a lot of bars where all Jewish girls were tending the bars. They were sitting with the customers and were drinking and sometimes Goya came into the bar. And some other Japanese people--soldiers--came in and they're big spenders. Some, some of the Japanese people were very friendly to the Jewish people.
What about intermarriage?
Uh, intermarriage were very, very few. I don't think there were any, any intermarriage between uh, Jewish people and, and Japanese, there were some intermarriage between Chinese and Jewish people.
Hm.
But on the other hand very, very few. There was no such thing what you asked me before that uh, you need protection. No, you didn't need...needed protection, you needed food.
Okay.
This was the most important thing.
Sure, basic survival...
Yes, yes.
...more than anything.
Wife: Hi!
Hello. One second.
[interruption in interview]
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