Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

Zivia Fischler - February 4, 2008

Life in England

Do you remember any-was there any bombing?

ZF: Oh, the bombing came later. I remember the bombing very well. I was in London. After that-after Ex...Exminster they just took all the kids there until-and they had to decide what to do with these children. They were-the smallest one was ??? the one I showed you here in the picture...

BS: There's one here.

ZF: Oh, well this is ???, there's another picture of ??? and this is ??? this is Malka Erlich really and that's me. And um, there was a whole 'nother-there were more children there. Some of their parents arrived and took them, you know, and they took-rented a flat an apartment or something and they had a different story to tell. We three were together most of the war.

In the same household?

ZF: In, in-not all of the war but most of the war, yes. We were-after Exminster was closed down-they closed down, the children went to their families or where ever they had to go. Like he went to Wales and...

BS: No, we went first to Dawlish, don't forget Dawlish.

ZF: Daw...yes, ah yes, that's right. Then from there we went to Dawlish. Dawlish was a house-they rented a house and we were there with one aunt, a tiny baby and uh, two elderly-an elderly couple called Mr. and Mrs. Reiser. Remember?

BS: Yes, yes...

ZF: And they took care of the children, took care of the children and we went to school.

BS: And this was very...

ZF: Different schools and so on until I think it was Dunkirk...

BS: Hmm?

ZF: Until, until they occupied France but during that time we also went back to London from time to time and I remember being in London when-during the air raid, I remember being in London during the air raid. And we went down under the stairs-that was in Golders Green...

BS: That was in Golders Green.

ZF: That was in Golders Green, yes.


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