Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

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Ruth Federman - February 13, 2008

How did she discover Winton, do you know?

Not Winton. There was a organization--ah, that's a story Hugo didn't tell you, I suppose. And you don't know, you didn't interview my cousin in Canada.

No, not yet. Who is it?

He says that he didn't come as a Kindertransport but that's not true. He came alone, he didn't came with children, but his mother was a, a, how do you say pedagogue?

Teacher.

Teacher.

Pedagogue.

She had the first--how do you call the kindergarten? Montess...

Montessori.

Hm? Montessori in Prague, yes? And she used to--she was very good to me, she used to take me--she used to during the summer she went for--with children to ski and during the summer to ???. I always went with her. She was like a second mother to me. Now, when this organization started, somebody knew about her. She couldn't do, she didn't have the kindergarten anymore and all kind of lessons she was giving and, and, the gymnastics, it was out, yes? But she have two flats--two apartments. And one of the apartments, she gave to the organization to, to put the children who came out of Prague, that they could stay there 'til before they leave. But she said, "The condition that you take my two children if I decide to send them." Now, she sent them really--I don't know if a transport or by themself they went. I will give you the address of my cousin and the telephone and the e--mail but I haven't got it now with me. Uh, they left before me. And my mother, heard from her about the organization.

I see.

And she went there, I suppose with my drawings because the drawings are in the, in the movie. You can see them in the movie.

I'll watch it again. So, did she tell you anything about sending you to England--sending you away? Did you...

Of course, but it was a adventure for us to go to England or to go to Palestine. And to Palestine, she has a--had a sister, yes, which was family. And she said you will stay there one year and then I come there or you come back.