Adele Sandel - [n.d.]
Arriving at Bunker
It was some snow, you said, there was snow on the ground.
It was snow on the ground.
And you didn't have boots or coats or any of that?
Are you kidding? Nothing! So the miracle. We didn't even have coats. Nobody was sick. It was like end of November, I think. We came to these people there and they were all--he took us and they came down from the bunker because that bunker was in danger because the Germans were coming. And, they come--came down into the village, these people--these friends of ours, these Jewish people--were coming there and it was ah, it was warm and on the stove was a big pot of potatoes. They had pigs and they were boiling potatoes for them. So, a hot potato--these, these people gave me a hot potato. You know I had here such good food, but that potato was the best, best piece of food I ate. I don't think maybe in my whole life. So...
How did you go in the village to these--where did you go in the village?
A Gentile, a Gentile person let us in. Those people there--those, those Jews--those three families were already laying on the floor and these hunters took us there into this house. Can you imagine? If they would find them and that he, he was hiding Jews in those villages--they had those drums constantly who hears or knows about a Jew should report because if not they will kill 'em. And they just risked their lives. God should bless them, wherever they are.
And you said the Jews were lying on a floor?
They were lying on the floor. It was night; you know they were ready to go to sleep. So, for us to--we didn't need too much space like three inches was enough, you know, so we also went there. All of a sudden, we weren't there more than an hour, somebody knocks on the door. You have to run because the Germans are coming into the village. So, we didn't even change our clothes or anything or, or got ourselves a meal or got warm or anything, we just started to run. And, we ran into another village. It was again about two hours we were running, running, running, but with all those people already, you know, because everybody had to run. We came to another village...
You mean all those people. You don't mean the Gentiles, too?
Not the Gentiles, just the Jews.
Oh, okay.
© Board of Regents University of Michigan-Dearborn