In 1938 we felt that the war is coming. The town where we lived was a strategic place. They started to build a bridge in the town as a pass way for the Glitzia. An order was in town that every family must give a week of work without pay to support the war effort. I did not let my dad go and I volunteered instead of him. I was about 15 years old. To the town it was unimportant who come as long as each family had a representative. My job was to move sand from one place to anther. There was only Jews working with me. The sand was moved to big trolleys and was moved on from there. The work was very hard.

A German engineer organized the work. He gave an order to place steel stands across the bridge so later on it can be painted red and white. The Polish people did not understand that the marks were for when the German moves in they can bombard the bridge and prevent the Polish army from escaping toward Galitzia. The German engineer was a local man that lives in a village by the name of Niclai, German village in Poland. The people in the village were good people and we never had any problems with them. We always had good business relationships with them.

The war started. They explain to the population that was majority Christen and minority Jewish how to protect aginst gas attack in a very primitive ways like wet hankerchips with baking soda etc. The order how to behave during the war was even for the whole population.

In a short period of time the germans start bombing our town. When the people saw the airplanes they start saying "they are ours" we the entire family were hiding in a wheat field not too far from home till the booming was over, Then we came back home and we saw that are house was ok with no damage from the booming. In 2 weeks the German came to our area. I remember one day it was Saturday (Shabat) the people start running and screaming "Gas attack " this is the first time I felt what the word panic really mean. People were running and screaming "I smell gas" and they start putting wet hanker chips on there faces. We saw a large cloud of dust and we really believe it was gas. All of a sadden from the cloud of dust we saw about 30 German tanks moving toward the bridge, which they wanted to prevent the Polish army from running away.

Two weeks later before the Jewish New Year my dad woke me to get ready for the "slichot " prier. We went to the synagogue. In our way back we saw the Polish army moving through our town. My father said that we need to run right away because he remembered what happened in first world war. I knew that my dad know what is a war. Ones I was reading a book that my father wrote about this war. And my father also said that very soon fights would start in our town. We run away toward Lipowce that was not too far from our town. Just then we found out that there were many smart people like us from our town that decided to run away also. In this village (Lipowce) we were in the open field. And like my dad predict fights started in our town. The Polish army was able to fight for only 48 hours, and before they gave up they decided to set our town on fire. They left the main street as an escape way toward Glitzia, through the near by town named Barnov, the purpose of burning the town was to stop the pressure of the German army.

When the fights was all over we came back to our town and there was no sign to our house. We found some room in the house of a Jewish man that my sister was friendly with his son. It was a big house but it was very crowded and the situation was difficult. In our old house that was burned we had a bunker that was intact, and inside we had some flower and food the we prepared a head of time. We started to rebuild our house again from any thing we could find in the area. The time was winter and it was very very cold. After a while the Germans move to our town and took charge. The Germans wanted to make my dad in charge of the Jewish community. My dad was a known and a respectful man that was doing business and supplying flower to all the bakeries in the area. The business was always successful. Our house was considered as an open house for Jew’s and Christen as well. The relationship between the Jews and the Christens were fine. My dad was a respectable man and always kept his Jewish appearance in any place.

My dad did not agree to be the German servant and decided to run away even though he knew that if he get caught he can die. He ru away from the house for one whole week. A Jewish man Name Maier Snioar that now lives in Canada today filled my dad place. Maier knew the people in the police and knew how to deal with them. He volunteered for the job and did it well and was able to crate normal life but he could not get involve when the German comes to catch Jewish people to the work camp. Some people use to pay the German large sum of money and gave the German names of other people and by doing so saved them selves. For the German it made no different they just had to fill the number of peoples.

My dad and me were always able to run away from the German. We lived in a Polish area and at night when the dogs start barking, we knew that the Germans are coming and we run away again. We always use to say to , lets run away as long as we can. We use to live in a constant fear that every night the German are coming to get us.

Until one day when someone came from a company called Omler from Stuotgard, a company for paving roads and they offered work for certificate and a little money. If you had the work certificate they could not take you to the work camp and you were protected. I decided to work for them in paving roads. I was working in this job till 1942. I use to work each day from 4AM till 7 PM. we got some soup and the rest we brought home. The salary was very small but it was unimportant. I preferred this kind of job over being in camp.

In the Jewish holiday of Socos in 1942 we meet a man that run away from Varsha. He was our guess for the holiday, and he told us that the Germans are moving from town to town and are killing the Jews and if we want to try to escape now is the time. But we did not know where to run too. The man told us the he is trying to cross the border to Russia but there the problem was that at the border you are getting shot from both sides the Polish and the Russian.

We were debating what to do. We had connection with a local German by the name of Peltzer. He suggested that he will help us cross the border in a prisoner track pretending like we are Polish people who got caught and are on our way to work in Germany and that how we will mange some how. We were my sister Shosha 2 female cousins Mair his sister and my self. Mair who knew the local police organize our escape from the ghetto. We got to Santmuz. When we arrive there Mair went to check on the situation. He come back and told us that the ladies have a good chance of going through but for the man the situation is much more dangers because the German are checking every man to see if he is circumcise and if/when they will find out they will kill us on the spot this is why we must split. Mair sister didn't want to split from him and wanted to return back to our town. I told my sister and my cousins that if they can go without me it is ok because the situation is critical and every body who can save him/her self, must do so. But we were to scared and decided to return back to our town. The Polish people that brought us to the border claim that they promise to bring us to the border but not to bring us back, Mair invit them to a dinner and gave them some money and finally they agreed to bring us back to our town..

In our way back a man riding on a motor cycle who know about our original plan stops us and told us that tonight the German are going to come and destroy our town and he suggest that we will run to the Forrest or to some where else because there will be nothing for us to come back too. We decided to return to our town and we tried to verified if the news that we heard from the man are true by trying to find out if the Polish people are getting recruit for this operation. We tried to worn anybody we could that the people who can escape should try to do so but there was no where really to run too! I personally get tired of running away all the time and I was ready for the outcome..

On Friday night (shabat) they gave us the news that at 4 AM they will come to take us from our house. My 2 sisters Aster and Shosha run away and hide in a house of a Polish farmer that we knew from before. Me , my sister Hava my youngest brother Eliyahu and my parents stayed at home. At 4 AM we were told that we all must assemble in the main market area and we can’t take any thing with us.

On Saturday October 10, 1942 at 4:30 AM the "Act " started in our town. The Germans come with SS soldiers and dogs and move quickly from house to house. Anyone found in the house was shot right at the spot. My uncle desided not to come out and when he was found by the Polish that helped the Germans and I saw him get shot right in his head. The entire Jewish population was assembled in the market in Rynek . They didn't explain anything to us. We stood together and they told us that any one who have money in his pockets must take it all out or he will get shot. I had money but I decided not to take it out because I figure out that I am going to get killed anyhow. But I was lucky because they did not find the money in my pockets. Then we got an order to start walking. In the front were motorcycles and from both sides the Germans watched us. We walk to the city name Staszow a distance of 3 miles. We arrived at Staszow in the afternoon and after waiting in the main market for few hours they let us go and every body had to find a place to stay either in the synagogue or in the house of local Jews. We decided to live in my Ant house she was my dad sister and her family name was Isnberg. We stayed there for few weeks.

One evening the Polish farmer (where my sister Ester with her husband Zisel Nachamovits my sister Shosha and the rest of the group that was spouse to go to Germany and was hiding in the field )made a nice dinner in his house. But at the some time he invited the Polish police and they arrest the group and took them to Staszow. With them was Mair Snior that knew them. The Polish police told Mair that if by the morning the German will not show up then they will let the group go. My sister Estaer and her husband stayed with us and my sister Shosh (may rest in peace) with her boyfriend Yacob Tropler return to our town Oshek. Mair and his sister decided to run away. My sister shoshan dressed as a Polish lady and this is how she get away from the German where every night she was sleeping at a different barn of a Polish farmer. One night lightning strike the barn. The barn caught fire and it force my sister and her boy friend to come out. When the police showed up the police man shot and killed my sister boyfriend, which he knew very well from school being in the same class together. The rest of the team also stayed in the some town until we heard one day that this town also is right before the "ACT". My Uncle and aunt run away, we found out latter that they were killed by the Polish. We went to hide at a relative place that had a candle factory. We walked into the under ground basement and the families were divided to 2 groups. One group to the attic and one to the basement. Together we were about 60 people. The hiding place was prepared by Mosha Olis Aisnberg (may rest in peace) a family relative and he took care of the food, water and anything else we needed. He was shot to death in a camp name Puinok that was near Radam. They found a loaf of bread on him. We heard the story from our sister Ester that was also in the same camp.

We went into the bunker with the assumption that we will be able to join the "Shop" where they were sewing uniforms for the German army. The people that we had contact with promise us that they will be able to get us into the Shop and mix us with the legal workers. But the German changed the factory workers with new workers and we were in an uncertain situation. Are we going to be in the shop or not? Then we found out that the shop was just a dream and all the legal workers at the shop were send to a death camp. We were left in the bunker and the attic without water and oxygen. The kids were screaming, The candles stooped lighting and it was very difficult to breath. We decided to send 2 ladies at night to find out if after the "Act" there were any Jews left at the shop. But the Polish people caught them and gave them to the Nazism. In the end we got caught too and they send us to a local prison. The "Act" in Stashob started on Sunday November 8, 1942 early in the morning. We heard shooting all day like in a war and in the evening there was a dead silent. We just heard the wheels of the trolleys when the went over the unpaved road.

On Thursday November 19, 1942 they took us out from the prison in Stashov and brought us to the main market assembly area. There we saw a representative from the army industries called HASAG, that come to pick young people for work. So they chose me, my sister Ester and Hava and my dad for this work. But my dad (may rest in peace) didn't want to leave my mom and my younst brother Eliyahu that was still a child and decided to stay with them. The younger people that was chosen were send to the city of Kielce, and the rest was taken to the city of Sndomiz and the German announce that this will be a "city of Jews only". They also announce that every Jews who are hiding in the forest or in a bunker can come back to the town and he/they will be safe. Again it was one of the Nazis trick.

After a long journey in the train with no food or water we arrived at the city of Kielce where they had the factory we were send to work.

At that time in the winter I can’t remember how I received the last post card from my father that arrived from Sendomiz I recognize his hand writing. I saved this post card till I got to the camp of Bochenvald, there I lost it. I don’t remember what was written in it but I clearly remembered that I received the post card.

The Actzia in Sandmiz took place on Sunday January 10, 1943. The Jews from this town were send to the camp of Trablinca. We found that out from people who arrived in Hasag from Sandmiz.

In the factory for bams Hasag in the city of Kielce I worked till June 6, 1944 The work was very hard we had to excavate electrical tunnels in the wall and all the time I had the Polish man name Tsrnitzki stand-in on top of me and watch me at all time. I remember 2 Polish man that were in charge by the order of the Germans and they did the job like they were the German them self there name were Trsrnitzki and Kalvin. There I met for the first time with Shmol yoskibuts and we become good friends. The food was very little and included sweet soy soup that I could not use to its taste but I had no choice. At the same factory works also local people from Kielce, and they mange to get some food and to gave us a little so we were able to survive. After two weeks I was moved to an easier work. Washing bolts with acid to prevent corrosion. The acid was very dangers but the work was easy. At the same time I found out that my sister Aster was moved to a different factory. I continued to work at the some factory in different works. When the Russians got closer to the area the German put as on the train and the ride started. Where ?, no one knows. Summer treble heat in the train no food or water and we are just going and going. We got into Tchstocov to HASAG but there no body wanted us because the room was occupied by prisoners from Skartsoki. From there we traveled to a glass factory in Rodamsk but there nobody wanted us also. In Rodamsk an order was given to clear the train. They got us off some were in a place guarded by SS soldiers. We were in a desperate situation. I heard a conversation between the SS soldiers that guard us and the local SS about them killing us. At night time they brought big tracks and we climb on them. Every body think how to escape but there is no where to run. We thought this is our end. We rode all night long and all of a sudden we saw that we arrived at a cemetery. Now we were sure that this is our end and here they are going to kill us, and we started to prey "SMA ISRAEL " but the tracks kept moving. In every stop we had the felling that this time this is the end and we are going to get killed. In the end we got to the city name Posdboz near Lodge, that was full with SS soldiers. They told us that we are in the front line with the Russians and that we have to start digging tunnels against tanks. The sited us in a filed and ask for 10 volunteers. No body volunteer. The people had face in destiny and after all we were all sure that we are going to be killed anyhow. The German picked up 10 people and I was one of them. Our work was to built a camp for the whole group around 600 people. The camp was made out of barb fence and some strew in the middle and that it. In the evening they assumable the whole group and an SS man that later was the officer that destroy and demolish Ghetto Varsh talk to us in a nice tone and told us that from now on we belong to the army and we have nothing to worry about and that we will continue with the German division to the Russian front. He promise us that we will get food like soldiers and every think will be ok if we will do our work. Every morning we use to go and dig the tunnels against the tanks and the food was ok. We were there for few month. One day they assemble us and

Called our names and send us on the tracks again the people that worked at HasAG Keltz me and Shmoul was among the people and the rest were send back to work. They took us to the train. Every body receive a loaf of bread and a can of meat and they told us it spouse to less for one week. They put as on the train and we start going again. Where? No on knows. After a ride of one week we got to one place and the train stooped inside the camp. Around us we saw people walking with wooden shoes and pajamas like cloth. It was Bocnvald camp. Till then we did not know and we never heard anything about a camp. We were surrounded with people that wanted every thing we had, they told us to give it because it is going to be taken anyhow. They brought us to a big hall our head was shaved and we had to deep in a big pool filed with water and campIt was burned every place in our body. Afterword they gave us a piece of closing with a number and a card that had the ticket number stamped on it. My number was 84972 the number is your name and address and you are only known as a number. Every day we went to work after drinking a cup of coffee and having some bread. The work was to pick up a stone carrying it for few kilometers and come back with anther stone, an some other useless works. After a while we were moved to the Jewish block.. One day we were told that they are going to take us to work at the factory. We knew we have nothing to lose. They count us and every body had to tell his profession. Me and Shmoal walked together and we told them that we are steel workers. But the truth is we did not have any idea about steel. They put us on the train and again we rode for few days till we got to the town named Nidershal to an aircraft factory. In the German system every thing was always organize. Every body receive a tool box and a number that you could exchange for additional tools. I receive an electric drill which I did not know how to operate. I did not tell them that I don’t know how to operate it but I had to do work-and then I notice that the manger was ok and not a nazi (I found out later that Germans that had a connections were send there instead of to the fight zone) his name was Shroder. I explained to him that indeed I am a steel worker but I never worked on airplanes, and there for it will be better to crate a team of a new man together with one that have experience. He excepted my idea and this is how I mange. The conditions were much better and I started to get healthy again after theBochnvald camp. I had an organize room some thing that you can’t even compare to the camp. Just that it was extremely cold. We worked for 12 hours each day. One night when it was terribly cold we rolled a blanket around our body and worked. Someone told the manager about us and in the morning we receive a punishment to work anther shift with no food. A good Kapo named Auto Harman was there and he always cheer us and on the day of the punishment he use to snick us 2 by 2 for the meals, and this is how we mange with the punishment. The time went by and we didn't know what is happening outside the camp and what is happening at the war zone. One day in 1944 there was a little miss organization then the head of the work camp told us, don’t be so happy that the Russians are getting closer because we will kill you just in time. This is how we found out that the Russians are near victory and we started to have some hope. After awhile they told us we are leaving, that was at night . We took as much food as we could me and Shmol get organized together. We took few un cooked potatoes and cabbage just so we will have something to survive on. We start walking very fast with SS soldiers escorting us but we did not know where we are going. In the way we saw many German vehicles and soldiers. We saw them running away. All the time we were thinking how to escape but we did not have where too. Unfamiliar place , no food and not a friendly population=No chance. We walked for about 2 weeks. One day we heard gun shoots and we saw tanks. From one of the tanks come an officer and start screaming on the German head of our group that he don’t know what he is doing and he is walking toward the war zone. Then we tern around . we walk and we walk We had no energy left. I carry a bag of potatoes with me and I did not have the energy to carry it any longer. I wanted to give it to some one, but no body wanted them. So I continued to carry them and never through them away. One day we got to a big place for digging stones out of the ground. We stooped there for the night. Few guys found a basement with few potatoes so we had something to eat. Two guys hides away. We heard that the Americans are on there way in our direction and all of a sadden we had a big hope. The two that try to escape made it. One of them was Haim Berlinablo. In the count down of the day the German found out that two are missing, they started looking for them but could not find them. There was no time and we continued walking but we were happy because we wasted time with the screech. All that time we tried to slow the speed of our walk and gain time because we know that the Americans are very close. And that we are on our way to backBocnvald camp. We got into Bokenvaled in April 10, 1945 in the afternoon. No body count us and it was a bad sign. They brought us into a mobile house and we saw that there were almost no Jews in the camp. We asked who ever was there what’s happening and they told us that every day Jews are taking from the camp to the forest and get killed. One day after we arrive they took us to the Forrest to get killed and on the way gave each one of us one spoon of honey. We were on our way to get killed when all of a sadden we heard a loud siren and this is what save us. An order came to blow the camp of with all the people in it so nothing will be left as an evidence but the Americans were already very close and inside the camp there was an under ground operation that was able to transmit SOS signals. The Americans come and the fight started between them and the German SS soldiers while we are laying in the middle of the battle field. After 2 hours we heard silence and we say the SS soldiers taken away by the Americans who free the camp. After the camp was free in April 11 , 1945 we stayed at Bocanvald. My group started a hospital. We were relatively health. The Americans gave us food. We found doctors and nurses Jews and non Jews that were camp survivors and they operate the hospital while we help in the simple tasks. In the mean time we got organized in order to learn new working skills in a place called Ogdnorf. After a while we move from there because Ogdnrof was under Russians control to Grisnhoff and there we started to work in agriculture. We waited until we can get a license to immigrate to Israel. After six month we receive a visa with the help of Rabbi Shecter and we moved to Israel.

In memory of my dear family that was killed in the Holocaust

My father Avrham the son of Haim zav murdered at the age of 43 in Tzaamir in 1943

My mother Rachel the doughtier of Pal Ramper murdered at the age of 42 in Tzaamir in 1943

My brother Eliyahu murdered at the age of 11 in Tzaamir in 1943

My sister Shoshi murdered at the age of 21 in Oshik in 1944