Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

Kurt Stern - February 11, 2008

Being Sent to England

Um, do you remember what your mother told you when--before you left? Or what did she...

No, I don't. I have a letter. I was very lucky--we were taken in by a non--Jewish family--Methodist--farmers in East Anglia who couldn't have children of their own but they adopted one daughter before and they took my cousin and myself. And I have a letter that was sent to them from my mother and also Ruth, my cousin--she's, by the way, is living in the States--a letter from my--our parents to this family--to this uh, non--Jewish family--Methodist...

What was their names?

...and--Mr. and Mrs. ???, Mr. and Mrs. ???. And I think they sent also a letter to us but I don't have it. I do have a letter uh, from--I don't know to whom it was sent--it's in German--but a letter just before the family were taken to ??? Terezin and there it says who should look after the children.

And what does the letter from your mother say?

Ah, what, to England?

Yeah.

She thanks them for taking us in and hope we behave ourselves and, and uh, that's all.

So...

It's in English. I don't know who spoke English. ??? but it's their writing. Evidently she must've known some English or they had help to writing the letter.

So you don't remember the farewell...

No.

...at the train station.

No.


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