Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

Rose Wagner - August 14, 2002

Outbreak of War

What, what did you think when the war started, that it was going to be over in a hurry or s...

No, no, I remember in 1939 when German came into ŁódźI was on Plac Wolności and they had a, a statue of Kościusko.

Mm-hm.

And, and I was hiding behind with my parents. You know, in home they had those big entrances.

Mm-hm.

So the Germans took away that, the statue. This I remember.

Do you remember when they marched in?

Yeah.

Yeah. What did you think when you saw this?

Terrible thing, terrible scare. I just don't remember a lot, you know. I, I really don't. Some people do remember.

Um, were you frightened?

Frightened is not enough.

Excited. Uh...

Fri...just frightened.

Just frightened. Terrified.

Yeah.

Hm. And what did your parents talk about when the Germans came? They--you hear them in the evening? Were they discussing leaving?

They were just discussing you know, things. My sister remembers more than I.

She was with you...

I remember...

...living there during the war, but she went back?

Oh yes, she was with me we were all, all the time. We were lucky in Auschwitz which they let us go on one side. Because she looks different. She's taller than I am and she's built. I was--I--somehow I was very skinny.


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