[Page 437]

I worked at Skrent [labor camp] from autumn 1942 to spring 1943. On the same day that Greger murdered Moshe Graf, from Bełżec, they took me to the city camp and handed my over to the supervisor of the horses and wagons.

It was in the month of June 1944. The commandant of the camp was then [Franz] Bartetzko, S.S. Oberscharführer [senior squad leader] (former commandant of the camp in Trawniki). Sunday morning I hitched up the touring wagon and Bartetzko went on a tour with his comrades. Returning, he was furious with me because his white gloves were spotted with the dye from the reins. He beat me fiercely on my head and face.

I became convinced that Bartetzko had not forgiven me for the offense with the gloves; that he was looking for the appropriate opportunity, that I would pay with my head.

I decided to escape from the camp. I was outside the camp with the horses a few times, but there were always Jews with me. I made an assessment that if I escaped, the Jews traveling with me [outside the ghetto] would pay with their lives. And Bartetzko was still looking at me.

Once I was outside of the camp, accompanied only by a Ukrainian guard. Under the pretext that I wanted to go to the kiosk to buy cigarettes I asked that meanwhile he go further with the horses. I did not return to the horses.

I spent several days with a Polish acquaintance. Being sure that the Germans already had stopped searching for me, I left the city and went in the direction of the village of Zarzecze.

A Polish acquaintance connected me with the partisans.

I fought in the ranks of the partisans for a month and took part in all of their actions. There I met a larger

[Page 438]

number of Jews. I will provide the names of those in the partisan ranks, which remain in my memory:

1. Chaim (Heniek) Hershman from Yanow. He was shot in his residence in Lublin after the liberation.
2. Mordekhai Bursztyn.
3. Avraham Bursztyn.
4. Yekl Bursztyn (all three from Studzianki).
5. Balek Berman, from the village of Studzianki.
6. Yosef Elbaum, from the village of Olbięcin.
7. Pintele (Pseudonym “Mruwka”) from the village of Trzydnik.
8. Met, from the village of Grojec, fell on the battlefield near Zaklików.
9. Szpiewak, from Modliborzyce.
10. Yosl, from Modliborzyce.
11. Leibl Brener, from Krasnik.
12. Hirshele Broner, from Krasnik, then 11 years old.
13. Daniel Datus from Krasnik.
14. Hirsh Datus from Krasnik.
15. Shmuel Wajsbrat from Krasnik, fell in Polish military in the battle for Warsaw.
16. Avraham Fogel from the village of Węglinek.
17. Avraham from the village of Otrocz.
18. Lis from Turobin.
19. The Rubinsztajn brothers, brought to the Krasnik camp from the Dęblin [Demblin] camp.
20. Shimek from the village of Szastarka, fell when ripping out the train rail in the Lifer forest.
21. Yosele Karfer, from the village of Zarzecze.

[Page 448]

Line Number	Owner	Name of the Street
1	Judenrat	Bagno 1
2	Ahron Fridman	Bagno 2
3	Leyzer Sztajngas	Bagno 4
4	Leyzer Szajnbrun	Bagno 6
5	Itsik–Meir Powranznik	Bagno 8
6	Zlata Hershzon and Meir Kaufman	Bagno 10
7	Nekhamia Czeszla	Bucznicza 1
8	Dovid Monat, Eidlsztajn Berek, Moshek Cwajg, Wolberger Chaim	Bucznicza 3
9	Dwoyra Goldner, Tsodek Lewinzon	Bucznicza 4
10	Binyamin Wagner	Bucznicza 6
11	Chaya and A. Najzer	Bucznicza 7
12	Yankl Grinwald	Bucznicza 9
13	Yisroel Zalc and others	Bucznicza 11
14	Avraham Wincberg and others	Bucznicza 13
15	Chaim Lichtsztajn and others	Bucznicza 15
16	Yosl Zalcman	Dzika 1
17	Rafal Szabaszon	Dzika 2
18	Khona Lerner	Dzika 2a
19	Beyla Erlichzon	Dzika 4
20	Shimeon Grosman and others	Dzika 4a
21	Ferlic Feder	Dzika 4b
22	Avraham Brand	Dzika 5
23	Yehiel Sztajnman and others	Dzika 6b
24	Sura–Chana Elfer	Dzika 6b
25	Sura–Chana Elfer	Dzika 6c
26	Gold Krumholc	Dzika 6d
27	Avraham Baumblit and others	Dzika 8
28	Yehezkiel Twardogura	Dzika 9
29	Brayndl Blejhelfeder and others	Dzika 10
30	Chana Taubenfeder	Dzika 11
31	Avraham Rost	Dzika 17
32	Chana Rotwerger	Dzika 19
33	Etl Szlisel	Gensza 3
34	Avigdor Bermazon and others	Gensza 7
35	Icik Gutholc and others	Glowna 4
36	Ishaye Erlichzon and others	Glowna 4
37	Dovid Zajonc	Glowna 8
38	Ishaye–Leib Erlichzon	Glowna 18
39	Yankl Pelc and others	Glowna 20
40	Yankl Kon and others	Glowna 22
41	Yisroel Rozenbusz	Glowna 23
42	Leah Milechman	Graniczna 1
43	Mindl Lederfejn	Graniczna 2
44	Zelman Grauer	Graniczna 6
45	Yosl Szumacher	Graniczna 7
46	Rywka Minc	Graniczna 12
47	Sime Sznejkloc	Grodzka 1
48	Leib Milechman	Grodzka 2
49	Shlomo Rozbruch	Grodzka 5
50	Ester Gradel	Grodzka 6
51	Moshek Bron	Grodzka 7
52	Yosl Eidelsztajn and others	Grodzka 8
53	Shaya and Chaya Rozenbusz, etc.	Grodzka 9
54	Chaya Hener and others	Grodzka 10
55	Dovid Brawer and others	Grodzka 13
56	Tsemekh Wigdor and others	Gory 31
57	Gold Wizenberg and others	Gory 31
58	Icik Glajzer	Krakowska 2
59	Layzer–Ishaye Kohen	Krakowska 4
60	Ishaya Erlichzon	Krakowska 6
61	Ester Herszenhorn	Krakowska 8
62	Zakhariash Wajnsztak	Krakowska 10
63	Hersh Erlichzon	Lubelska 2
64	Hersh Zajdenfeld	Lubelska 4
65	Mayrene Michlman	Lubelska 5
66	Noakh Klufeld	Lubelska 6
67	Yisroel Zigelwaks	Lubelska 7
68	Binyamin Erlichzon	Lubelska 9
69	Moshek Rochman	Lubelska 10
70	Shmuel Fuks	Lubelska 11
71	Layzer Botner	Lubelska 15

[Page 449]

Line Number	Owner	Name of the Street
72	Avraham Mandelblat	Lubelska 17
73	Yehiel Brawer	Lubelska 22
74	Yeshayahu Rozenkranc	Lubelska 24
75	Dan Rozenkranc	Lubelska 26
76	Moshek Eidelsztajn	Lubelska 31
77	Dwoyra Perelzon	Lubelska 39
78	Mordekhai Rozenbusz	Narutowicza 2
79	Meir Wajnberg	Narutowicza 2a
80	Shlomo Perelzon	Narutowicza 3
81	Binyamin Grinapel	Narutowicza 4
82	Shmuel Grosman	Narutowicza 5
83	Ester Hershzon	Narutowicza 6
84	Hersh Raset	Narutowicza 7
85	Leah Kleszewski	Narutowicza 8
86	Leib Furtal	Narutowicza 9
87	Yosl Felzinszwalb	Narutowicza 10
88	Chaim Frajtag	Narutowicza 10a
89	Yisroel Karper	Narutowicza 12
90	Sholem Erlich	Narutowicza 14
91	Yankl Fridman	Narutowicza 15
92	Layzer Ribitwer	Narutowicza 16
93	Layzer Ribitwer	Narutowicza 20
94	Moshek Majwels	Narutowicza 23
95	Meir Rajcher	Narutowicza 27
96	Mordekhai Michlman	Narutowicza 30
97	Hersh Sznajklac	Narutowicza 32
98	Leib Genenwurcl	Narutowicza 34
99	Moshek Kaftan	Narutowicza 35
100	Chaim Milechman	Narutowicza 36
101	Melekh Golomb	Narutowicza 38
102	Gabrial Treger	Narutowicza 39
103	Ester Rapaport	Narutowicza 45
104	Dovid Zajanc	Narutowicza 47
105	Layzer Hahenbaum	Narutowicza 53
106	Moshek Ender	Narutowicza 57
107	Mordekhai Halpern	Narutowicza 59
108	Leib Rizenfeld	Narutowicza 71
109	Avraham Szif	Narutowicza 73
110	Hersh Brofman	Narutowicza 77
111	Falga Bergman	Niecala 2
112	Basia Hershzon	Niecala 2
113	Yosl Bek	Niecala 5
114	Shmerl Wajnberg	Niecala 7
115	Mendl Bruk	Niecala 8
116	Meir Sztajnkricer	Niecala 9
117	Yosl Lamhit	Niecala 10
118	Berl Szer	Niecala 14
119	Avraham Feldhendler	Niecala 16
120	Yehiel Erlichzon	Niecala 18
121	Moshek Faching	Niecala 20
122	Chaim Lindenbaum	Abazszna 2
123	Leib Kwelman	Abazszna 3
124	Khasriel Markewicz	Ogrodowa 3
125	Dovid Wizenberg	Okopowa 5
126	Yisroel Goldfeld	Oleina 3
127	Wasersztrum Chana	Oleina 5
128	Chana Eidelsztajn	Oleina 6
129	Shmuel Eizman	Oleina 7
130	Leib Teper	Oleina 9
131	Erlichzon Yankl	Oleina 14
132	Layzer Szwerdszaft	Oleina 16
133	Khatskal Twardogura	Oleina 18
134	Avraham Geldman	Wiktoria 5
135	Icik Eidelsztajn	Wiktoria 33
136	Hersh Stanbok	Podwalna 3
137	Chaim Erlichzon	Podwalna 5
138	Moshek Gutfrajnd	Podwalna 11
139	Yitzhak–Leib Klajnman	Podwalna 17
140	Gdelia Rozenbaum	Podwalna 18
141	Zalman Lederfajn	Podwalna 20
142	Binyamin Najzer	Podwalna 22
143	Tankhn Lamhut	Podwalna 28
144	Dovid Haus	Podwalna 30
145	Mendl Lamhut	Podwalna 36
146	Perl Rozenfarb	Rotuszowa 1
147	Monis Rozenwaser	Rotuszowa 2
148	Yankl Broner	Rotuszowa 3
149	Mordekhai Kahan	Ribna 3
150	Wolf Juchtleder	Ribna 4
151	Chaim–Yisroel Anger	Ribna 5
152	Leib Gerenrajch	Ribna 6
153	Leib Juchtleder	Ribna 7
154	Yankl Wajsbrot	Ricerska 1
155	Fishl Rabinowicz	Rinek 2
156	Shlomo Perelzon	Rinek 5
157	Moshek Gerenrajch	Rinek 6

[Page 450]

Line Number	Owner	Name of the Street
158	Tsipora Lerner	Rinek 7
159	There is no 159.
160	Mendl Wajsbrot	Rinek 9
161	Shmuel Niwerer	Rinek 10
162	Layzer–Wolf Herszenhorn	Rinek 11
163	Moshek Nudelman	Rinek 12
164	Yakub Goldwaser	Rinek 13
165	Yosl Bek	Rinek 14
166	Shprintsa Borensztajn	Rinek 12a
167	Mendl Muszel	Rinek 15
168	Meir Zilberberg	Rinek 16
169	Leib Rozenfeld	Rinek 17
170	Avraham Diament	Rinek 18
171	Avraham Dawidzon	Rinek 19
172	Moshek Ferenrajch	Rinek 20
173	Yankl Kohen	Rinek 21
174	Yankl Szajnbrum	Rinek 23
175	Avraham Dawidzon	Rinek 25
176	Sonya Krumholc	Rinek 26
177	Rywka Goldsztajn	Szevska 1
178	Zelik Herszenzon	Szevska 3
179	Niama Karman	Szevska 3a
180	Shmuel Najzer	Szevska 4
181	Yisroel Edelman	Szevska 5
182	Miriam Herszon	Szevska 10
183	Ruchl Fuks	Szevska 20
184	Borukh Hechtman	Szevska 22
185	Grina Goldfeld	Szkolna 1
186	Mordekhai Markowicz	Szkolna 2
187	Yeshaya Bach	Szkolna 4
188	Dovid Zilber	Szkolna 5
189	Itsik Teper	Szkolna 5a
190	Shmuel Majsner	Szkolna 6
191	Hersh Hochrad	Szkolna 7
192	Yankl Kacenberg	Szkolna 8
193	Avraham Dawidzon	Szkolna 9
194	Leib Fajngold	Szkolna 10
195	Leib Giszpenc	Szkolna 11
196	Yochoved Wajdenbaum	Szkolna 12
197	Hersh Pilpus	Szkolna 14
198	Yerukhim Kawa	Szkolna 16
199	Sheva Sukman	Szkolna 18
200	Meir Erenberg	Szkolna 22
201	Chaim Botner	Szkolna 20
202	Basia Herszenhut	Szkolna 26
203	Shmuel Mener	Szkolna 30
204	Meir Zilberfajn	Szkolna 32
205	Ela Lederfajn	Szkolna 34
206	Tsvia Grosman	Szkolna 36
207	Hersh Zailer	Szkolna 38
208	Moshek Fafier	Szkolna 40
209	Melekh Wacholder	Szkolna 42
210	Shimeon Lachter	Szkolna 44
211	Nakhman Griner	Szkolna 46
212	Simkha Goldman	Walowa 7
213	Yankl Winer	Walowa 9
214	Dovid Rajzman	Walowa 13
215	Yankl Ruti	Wesola 1
216	Avraham Lewinzon	Wesola 2
217	Meir Pintele	Wesola 4
218	Chava Wajsbrot	Wesola 5
219	Shmuel Gutfrajnd	Wesola 6
220	Simkha Rajnberg	Wesola 8
221	Dovid Brener	Wesola 10
222	Chaya Briks	Wesola 11
223	Ahron Majzels	Wesola 12
224	Chana Berman	Wesola 13
225	Meir Sztajnkricer	Wesola 14
226	Zelman Lamhut	Wesola 16
227	Simkha Waserman	Wesola 17
228	Leib Lamhut	Wesola 18
229	Chava Fersik	Wesola 20
230	Ezra Herzenzon	Wesola 21
231	Shlomo Ejger	Wesola 22
232	Leib Hochsztajn	Wesola 24
233	Avraham Fajer	Wesola 26
234	Itsik Rechtman	Wesola 28
235	Yosl Binsztok	Wierzbowa 2
236	Itsik Rozenbusz	Wierzbowa 4
237	Golda Bladi	Wierzbowa 6
238	Mordekhai Goldberg	Wierzbowa 7
239	Musia Wajsman	Wierzbowa 12
240	Moshek Zilberberg	Wierzbowa 18
241	Chaya Kniper	Wierzbowa 20
242	Yosl–Benek Milechman	Wierzbowa 22
243	Yudl Bochoin	Wierzbowa 24

 <.p> [Page 451]

We, the Krasnikers in France – 200 families – were important witnesses during the Second World War. The larger number of men – still young, under the age of 30 – were almost all militarily capable. Most had wives and children, each was employed in his trade; the majority were workers at that time; others worked independently and, as was the way, in the trades of our generation: tailors, quilters, carpenters, shoemakers and others. Almost all belonged to the landsmanschaft (society).*

*[Translator's note: a landsmanschaft is an organization formed by people from the same city or town. A landsman is a person from the city or town. Landsleit is the plural of landsman.]

Life was not easy at that time. We earned little; there were many “dead seasons.” For the most part, we were foreigners – and this made our life difficult because of the laws regarding those from outside the country and it often was necessary to change our papers to be legal and able to work. Many did work illegally, in very bad conditions. Yet each survived in his own way according to his abilities and his world outlook: they waited and hoped for better times.

Meanwhile, no better times arrived. What did come – the Second World War. True, it did not arrive unexpectedly; it was prepared gradually until it broke out on the 1^st of September 1939.

Understand that it is not my task here to analyze the reasons for the war, who caused such a world-wide catastrophe to break out and tens of millions of people to perish, among them our parents, sisters, brothers, wives and children.

How did the Krasnik landsleit in France behave during the war years? As is known to us, many Krasnikers signed up to defend France, even before the official declaration of war by France and England against Hitler Germany. Our landsleit mobilized as soon as the French War Ministry opened its registration bureaus. This included our very sympathetic and energetic Max Rozencwajg, Zelik Gorfinkl, Max Zilberberg, the writer of these lines and others. Many Krasnik landsleit were located in almost all of the military barracks for foreign citizens in the French army.

It is impossible to enumerate here all of those who were later sent to military camps that prepared them as foreign legionnaires. I only know that many of them did not return because they fell in battle against Hitler's troops, gave their young lives as was the case with our dear comrade Max Rozencwajg. He was barely 33 years old when he heroically fell in the struggle of the French army against the Hitler hordes.

Many other of our friends lived through the hell of the prison camps in Germany, with long years of hunger and forced labor, as was the case of Zelig* Gorfinkl who was severely wounded in a fight with Hitler's troops and was awarded a medal by the French government.

*[Translator's note: this name is spelled as both Zelik and Zelig.]

Many comrades and friends in the French army who were lucky enough to return from the foreign war were later deported by the same deadly enemies, the Hitler murderers. Only a few had the luck to return from the horrible hell – the concentration camps – Leibtshe Tafel, Leibl Wajsmel, the Zilberfajn sisters. The other

[Page 452]

dozen disappeared so young forever. Only memorial meetings remember their names with reverence.

But with this we have not yet ended the chapter that is entitled the struggle against Hitlerism, or as we called it in France: Resistance. Our landsleit took a direct role as partisans with weapons in their hands, including the very young Wolf Wajsbrot, Perelzon and the writer of these lines. It is worthwhile particularly to remember Comrade Wajsbrot who so heroically fought and took revenge for our annihilated people. He was one of the 23 sentenced to death by the Hitler leadership and the Petain government, which carried it out.

In 1944, the “trial of the 23” was well known throughout France and even outside its borders. Among them was our young comrade Wolf, then, of course, a 17 or 18-year old young man. I had the luck of being free and seeing in Paris the red posters [Affiche Rouge] pasted all over France from which shone down his energetic and beaming face. Despite the horrible torture by the Gestapo that he had endured, he did not break for even a minute. To their accusation that he carried out an assassination attempt against the Hilter bandits and train transport, he proudly answered, “Yes!”

From the start, Perelzon took part in the Resistance as a contact with the higher leadership. After long work in this area, she fell into the paws of the Gestapo. Yet they could not get one word from her about what she knew. She was held for many months in the cellars of the jails and tortured. She later was deported to various concentration camps in Germany and there she provided much help as a nurse (this was her profession), to those deported who were with her. Despite all of her suffering, she had the good fortune to return and be a living witness to our great tragedy.

*

Of course, it is uncomfortable for me to write about myself. Normally, this would be for another to do. I will only relate several facts about how with weapons in my hands I fought against our worst and cruelest enemy.

During the month of October 1942 it happened that I took part in a partisan action on Rue des Grands-Degrés in the 5^th arrondissement in Paris. A small café was located there; the owner was Swiss, but a terrible collaborator [of the Germans]. German soldiers and officers gathered there. The owner also was a neighbor of our [fallen] heroic Helen Kra, who was often insulted by him.

We decided to attack the café. We were three men: Marcel (Charl Mitsfliker), Zissel (Janek Kerbel) and the writer of these lines (I then called myself Andre).

First of all we observed the spot. Marcel even entered to drink a small glass in order to take a good look at how it appeared inside. True, he was received with a certain suspicion by the owner. However, he served him and he safely exited from there. The next morning we carried out the action with success. The explosion was so strong that the windowpanes in the surrounding streets were broken into pieces. The Germans shot to the right and to the left. The owner, who did not receive his punishment that evening, received it at a later time.

The same month of October we carried out a second action of a larger scope. There was a garage on the Rue Chateau-des-Rentiers in the 13^th arrondissement of which the Germans were the absolute owners and we decided “to create order” there.

[Page 453]

As always, we had to become well acquainted with the location, conditions and environment. There was a white fence, always guarded by a German soldier. We had to pay attention to when the guard changed to be able to place the bomb. We did not stay too long; our action was carried out successfully the next morning. However, when I left to take the Metro (underground train), I met a police guard along the way who searched me thoroughly and did not find anything – I was told to go.

On the first days of November 1942 I took part in several other actions. This time there were two of us: Shaul and me. There was an assembly point for giant military trucks at the Place des Invalides. We had the assignment to lay explosive material in the motors so that the autos could not move from the spot and would block the way.

We came closer and noticed how the soldiers in black uniforms were walking around the trucks. There were many of them in a large area. We made use of the moment when they were very busy and laid the explosive material. We were not seen and walked 100 meters to the Ségur Metro station from where we heard the explosions. We felt a lightening of our spirit; we had somewhat prevented the provision of war material to the Hitlerist army.

The same week in November, I took part in carrying out an action against the Hotel Imperator on Rue Beaubourg in the 4^th arrondissement in Paris. German officers resided there, but approaching the hotel was not one of the easier things. This building also was enclosed by a white fence and guarded by a German patrol. We had to observe the moment of the changing of the guard to have a real chance at laying a bomb of 30 centimeters [almost 12 inches].

There were three of us: Zissel, Bertran and me. Bertran, a chemistry student, held the material. He was in contact with Comrade Zilber, the fabricator of the explosive material. We met in the 5^th arrondissement and immediately separated, not walking together. It was around 6:30 at night. We went on foot because it was safer. We arrived at the spot at around 7 in the evening. Comrade Bertran was supposed to place the bomb, but we saw that it was impossible to do that evening. We decided to do in the morning. I took the “goods” home with me because I lived the closest.

We met the next morning not far from the spot where we were to carry out the action. But I took upon myself the task of carrying it out. I cut a piece of wick in my room so that the explosion would take place more quickly. When we arrived there was a guard as always. We walked around a little until the time the guard changed. I lit the wick with a cigarette and had to get rid of the material quickly because the explosion could happen [with the bomb] in my hand. An explosion was heard two minutes later that caused a shudder in the entire neighborhood. Afterwards we met at Maubert-Mutualite and established with joy that we were fine and that there were a few less Hitlerists.

A few days later we had the opportunity to carry out an action at Rue d'Abbeville in the 9^th arrondissement. There also was a hotel for German officers there. We carried out the action with success and breathed easier, knowing that we had done something to bring closer the liberation of France.

In the month of December 1942 we decided to carry out an action on Boulevard Diderot, not far from the Reuilly barracks where a factory, which worked for the German army, was located. There was a guard of two German soldiers. Two other armed soldiers from the Reuilly barracks came every hour to replace them.

[Page 454]

We waited for them and for the moment when they would arrive at the designated spot and I threw a small grenade at them. We later met and with joy we could confirm that we still were alive and there were two fewer Hitlerists.

A few days later we went “to create a small bit of order” at the Place de la Concorde. There were “important” Hitlerists with their luxury automobiles. There were three of us: Jan Lemberger, Wolf Wajsbrot (then Pierre) and me. We moved closer with our bottle of explosive material. We again had to place the material in the motor. I remember that it then seemed to me that I had not placed it well; I returned and arranged the bottle as it needed to be. We barely made the few dozen meters to the Metro Concorde when the exploding bottle and the automobiles began to boom.

In January 1943 I happened to take part in an action against a hotel for German officers at Rue des Sainte-Peres in the 7^th arrondissement. We were three men: Pierre (Wolf Wajsbrot), the later heroic Jewish son who was sentenced to death in the trial of the 23 for his attempted assassinations, and the famous leader of the Manouchian-Rayman group. The action made an impression at that time. The hotel was so damaged that it was boarded up for a long time. And for us – another nest of Hitlerist bandits less.

I had the opportunity to take part in another action as at the hotel, where German officers were staying, at Rue Tronchet near Madeleine. I successfully placed a bomb of 30 centimeters that had the appropriate result.

The same month I had the chance to take part in an action of a large scope at the Château de Vincennes. Every morning large units of German soldiers would leave the château that at that time had been transformed into barracks by the German occupation regime for exercises in the Vincennes forest. We had to observe their route exactly and to divide and measure their steps with a chronometer, to calculate exactly the spot at which to lay the bomb. When we knew all of this, we carried out the plan. We were three: The [female] Comrade Lisia (Anka Richtiger), Comrade Zissel (Janek Kerbel) and me. I remember that when the explosion was heard along with the cries of the Germans (like slaughtered cattle) it made a good impression on us, knowing that there were a fewer Hitlerist murderers of Jews and other humans.

A few days later I took part in an action of a still greater scope at the Metro Dupleix, Rue Desaix. There was a German soldiers' home there in which they came to eat before going to sleep. Later they took a truck, placed seats on it and drove to the barracks.

We observed for a longer time that the same thing occurred each evening. We were three people: Marcel, Zissel and me. When their vehicle drove out of the alley onto Boulevard de Grenelle, we had to throw a bomb at them. And thus it was. Zissel threw the bomb. We had to cover him. When we withdrew we only heard the rasping of Germans like dying dogs.

This was on a beautiful winter day in Paris, Sunday the 21^st of February 1943. On this day Comrade Zissel (Janek Kerbel) and I had a meeting in order to observe a large hotel at Rue Pecquay where German officers resided. We held the meeting in a small alley near Notre Dame. We decided to stroll on foot to make use of the beautiful weather and thus also to have the opportunity to see better what was happening around us. Approaching the hotel, we saw two armed German soldiers and a French

[Page 455]

policeman. All three were standing and talking among themselves. We again passed by and again noticed the same thing. Our observation had to serve to work out a plan of how to carry out the action against the hotel and the German officers and how to withdraw after the attack. According to the plan, Janek had to throw the grenade into the hotel and I had to clear the way through the guards. We decided to carry out the action on Tuesday, the 23^rd of February at 6:45 in the morning because they ate their breakfast at that hour and actually would be there.

However, we believed that there was too much time until Tuesday the 23^rd and decided meanwhile to carry out a second action of the same size. The same evening we actually met at the Gare de Lyon (Lyon train station) and watched the German troops carefully. The more we looked at these murderers on whose conscience there were so many innocent Jewish children, the stronger was the ignition of the hate in our hearts. We said goodbye and decided to meet the next day, Monday the 22^nd of February, in the evening. These were long hours of extraordinary tension. I waited impatiently for the designated time. I felt joy and pride that we had been entrusted with important work.

We met on Monday at seven o'clock in the evening at Rue Cardinal Lemoine in the Latin Quarter and took the road to the Gare de Lyon. Then we were Zissel, Comrade Nicole (Birenbaum), Bertran and me. I went with Nicole and Zissel with Bertran. Bertran was supposed to make the last observation. Comrade Nicole carried the material; Zissel and I were supposed to carry everything out. We decided that I would throw the grenade and Zissel would stand guard – if someone ran after us after throwing the grenade, he would shoot.

We had been near the Gare de Lyon for a long time, but spitefully none of the “honored guests” appeared. Comrade Bertran nervously went back and forth. We oriented ourselves; in a group of four we would stand out and, therefore, we sent away Bertran and Nicole. Giles [possibly the French spelling of Zissel] and I remained. A large group of German soldiers with all of their gear appeared at 15 minutes after nine in the evening to take the train. Without thinking for long, I took out all of my gathered rage at their accursed heads for their horrible crimes. The giant explosion shook the area. When we withdrew, we noticed that many café owners opened their doors in fear, stuck out their heads to see what had happened. But they immediately boarded up their doors.

We left the danger zone and returned home safely. The next day we learned that the majority of the group of German soldiers was killed. Before separating we agreed to meet the next morning at 6 at the Metro Maubert – Mutualité [station] and get off at the Metro Madeleine [station]. We arrived on the spot at 6:30. To my great astonishment an unknown young woman with a pair of large grey eyes, a long rosy face, very slim and elegant, approached Zissel there. I looked for another minute in the darkness, recognized the woman as Comrade Lusia [spelled Lisia above] (Anke Richtiger), Comrade Zissel's wife. She brought us the material and remained standing at the Rue Tronchet. Zissel and I left for the designated spot. Arriving at the hotel at Rue Pecquay, we saw the two German soldier guards strolling in the middle of the street. I whispered to Zissel that we should walk through the street again and if we saw them again in the same position, we would open fire. And that is how it was. We saw them at the same spot. We opened fire. They fell. Zissel threw the grenade at the hotel. We began to run – I to the left and Zissel to the right. Running 50 meters, I heard two shots. A bit of fire went through my right leg and I fell.

[Page 456]

I wanted to get up but I could not move. I tried again to stand on my feet; it was impossible, as if I was paralyzed. Well, I thought: now you are lost. I drew my revolver to defend myself, perhaps for the last time. However, it was empty around me; no one approached. I made a superhuman effort. I stood up and barely dragged myself to Rue Tronchet where Comrade Lusia was supposed to be waiting for us. I met her there. In a weak voice, I told her that I had been wounded in the leg. We saw a man in the distance. We could not remain here any longer. Lusia whispered to me: “Go into the Metro.” Not thinking about what would happen to me, I gave her the revolver and sneaked into the Metro. The blood was pouring from my leg; I was covered in a deadly sweat. I felt as if my strength was leaving me. My head spun; I might faint.

I truly do not know how I made my way to a friend, Madame Kal (today Karsaksak) at around eight o'clock. I knocked with a special signal. When she opened, I fell. My strength had been completely exhausted. My friend made a bandage for me and left to find a doctor who was a member of our movement.

On the same day I made contact with Comrade Marcus through Comrade Nicole. In the evening, Comrade Marcus and Comrade Dovid Wilner carried me up to my illegal apartment.

Thus occurred two actions that were carried out during an interval of nine hours.

My activities did not end with this. I, like all of my fighting comrades, was [like] a soldier in uniform until the liberation. We were always armed – both with weapons and with full consciousness that we were doing good and necessary work to free France from the Hitlerist hordes, taking revenge for all of the suffering of our Jewish people, including my slaughtered family in France, in Belgium, in Poland and in Krasnik. It is impossible for me to enumerate all of the names of my fighting comrades: Anka Richtiger. Taybl Kleszczelski, Helen Kra, Michel Rayman, Markus (Meir List), Willy [Salomon Wolf] Szapiro, Szlama Grywacz, Shimeon Sztrofman and others.

And now – some descriptions of “Black Thursday” (the 16^th of July, 1942) and about the tragic fate of those closest to me:

At that time I lived in conspiracy; I had to come home secretly because I was one of the first who had been called on the 14^th of May 1941, to the first Jewish camps, Pithivers or Beaune-la-Rolande – and I did not appear. It was then still relatively easy to hide because at that time all foreign citizens from various nationalities were called. However they did not detain those who were stateless.

Zamek Wajsbrot, my brother-in-law, was stateless and was freed by the police after an examination of his papers. I then was with my sister and brother-in-law and their two children Michel and Fernand. When the police came to search for me and asked my wife, Chayale, why I had not appeared, she answered that she did not know where I was and I had left her long ago. This situation lasted a few months. I later came home.

I tried to find a place of refuge on the eve of the 16^th of July 1942, “Black Thursday,” as it is recorded in history.* But I was unsuccessful, particularly for my family of four people. In addition our youngest little son, Maxim, was sick with the measles and a high fever. We decided to remain in our little room.

*[Translator's note: On the 16^th and 17^th of July 1942, the Rafle du Vélodrome d'Hiver took place at the direction of the Germans. The roundup of 13,152 Jews living in Paris and its suburbs and their internment at the Vélodrome d'Hiver – the Winter Velodrome – was carried out by the French police. Some of the Jews were held at Drancy, Pithiviers and Beaune-la-Rolande. They were later sent to Auschwitz where they were murdered.]

We did not sleep on the night of the 15^th to the 16^th and waited with heavily beating hearts for the sad end. Finally, waiting until morning,

[Page 457]

we heard a ring in the tower very early. We could observe what was happening in the courtyard from our window and we saw how several policemen had attacked like wild animals and were asking about Jewish tenants and they immediately went to the apartments where we and our Jewish neighbor and friend Davidowicz lived.

There were no extra minutes to think. I grabbed my pack of clothing and quickly ran up to the attic. In great haste, I even forgot to take the key from outside. I do not know if they saw as they came to the exact designated address (and it was not worthwhile to search), only to take Jews according to a list. It did not occur to them to open the door to the attic and search there. They went to our door; others went to our neighbor's door and began to knock. When my wife did not answer, they began to knock harder and threaten that they would break open the door if it were not opened.

Our small Maxim began to cry with fear and his older sister Roza shook with fear and agitation, but she stifled her cries. My wife stood near the door in great fear and did not know what to do – to open [the door] or not? We had decided not to open the door if someone came for me.

I, again in the attic, had great moral suffering. Why had I run away? I heard constantly enraged voices, further crying by my dear children, mainly by Maxim and how Roza, the older one, patted and kissed him.

Perhaps it irritated the police even more and they began to tear open the door. My wife opened it in the last minute. The policemen barged in like wild animals and ordered my wife and children to get dressed and go with them. My Chayale answered that she could not go because her child was sick, had the measles and a high temperature. The police shouted, threatened, but Chayale declared with determination that she would not go with a sick child, with her small daughter and without means of survival. The men left her – and now she did not move from the spot.

When the policemen saw they would not be able to do anything here, they turned and left and two policemen remained. After 25-30 minutes, they returned and said:

– Madame, we were with the commissar and he said that you can remain at home until your child is better.

I was very surprised and full of joy when Chayale quietly and carefully came up to me in the attic and called me back to the apartment. I admired her attitude and her categorical refusal to the police [request] that she go with them. My Maxim ran to me, kissed and hugged me, Roza laughed and cried with joy.

We did not try to look around and ate breakfast and decided to call a doctor for a certificate that the child is sick and must lie in bed. He must not move because he had to remain under medical supervision for a longer time. I returned to the attic to remove the things I had left. I immediately heard heavy steps and I understood my disaster. To our misfortune my feeling was not wrong. It was the police. They demanded that my wife pack some belongings and go with them. My wife refused; they began to drag her. The children began to weep; my wife opened a window and began to shout. The policemen stuffed a handkerchief in her mouth and dragged her down the stairs. They also took the children. They took the sick child to the hospital and my wife and little daughter Roza were interned in the police warehouse.

Immediately after the deadly silence, I descended from

[Page 458]

the attic in turmoil; I ran after my family, but the house watchman, his wife and a few other neighbors tried to hold me back and calm me. They explained that I must not turn myself into the police voluntarily because I would be better able to help my family if I were free.

I immediately went to my friend who lived not far from us. It was there that I collapsed completely. I remained a few days and then went to my sister Chanatshe and Zalman Wajsbrot. I found their room closed. I went to the house watchwoman and she told me the sad truth. My sister and her children were taken and my brother-in-law Zalman succeeded in escaping. He was hiding in the same house in an attic room with the bosses with whom he worked. The room was small, narrow and stifling. There was a small bed. There were three people. I told my brother-in-law he should leave there and go with me – what I will have, he will have, because we could not remain there. Everyone in the house would soon know that they were hiding there and the danger there was worse than elsewhere. With the best of intentions, I could no longer remain there because I was too easily recognized in the house. I said goodbye to them and promised to send someone to learn what was happening. The next morning I did send my [female] friend to learn how my brother-in-law and his bosses were. Coming back she told me that the police had come and they violently dragged them out of the attic room and sent them to the Vélodrome d'Hiver that was later turned into a concentration camp.

The following is told in the book Paris a Shtot fun Front [Paris a City on the Front] about the Vélodrome d'Hiver:

The author, an insurgent leader, was in contact with two partisan girls, assistants. The girls succeeded, thanks to various plans, in entering the fenced in sports place that had been transformed into a transit camp. They also succeeded in leaving. The girls were shocked. The Vélodrome d'Hiver was a hell. Thousands of people of all ages weakened by the heat were on seats, on the cement floor, in the arena. The air was suffocating. Physical needs were carried out on the spot. There was no food, no drinks. Abandoned children without parents; desperate parents without children. There were more than 25,000 Jews there. The situation there was terrible. If the internees were not freed it would be horrible – there would be victims during the course of days. Pregnant women would miscarry; the sick would die; children would perish.

The brutal pursuit of the Jewish population lasted for four days. Thirty thousand people had been imprisoned in the [overheated] building since “Black Thursday.” Then a selection occurred. The internees and the children immediately were transported to Drancy. There the men were separated from the women and everything they possessed was stolen from them. They were sent in soiled freight cars in an unknown direction.

Families with children up to age 16 were brought into the barracks of Pithiviers and Beaune-la-Rolande from which the foreign Jews had earlier been deported and were now almost empty. It is estimated that about 9,000 people took the three to four thousand earlier spots. An unbelievable number of worms and insects began to swarm in the barracks and spread infectious diseases, particularly dysentery, with vehement speed. Heartbreaking scenes took place there. The armed gendarmes showed “heroic deeds” in dragging small children from their maternal arms. Mothers went insane and ambulances took them away to hospitals. When the tragic moment arrived

[Page 459]

to separate mothers and small children, the gendarmes used their rifle butts against the unfortunate ones who defended themselves with their nails. Even nursing children were torn from their mothers' breast. The crying and screaming was without end.

The unfortunate parents and the older children were packed into freight cars and taken away. The tiny, crying, teeny children, about 5,000 of them, remained alone and abandoned. The sick women took care of them. The teeny children were numbered and left to rot on lice-infected straw, in dirt. All of the unfortunate and innocent ones in Drancy later were placed in soiled freight cars and sent in the same direction as their parents. Everyone was swallowed up by Moloch.

That is how the situation looked on “Bloody Thursday” 1942. I looked for information about our Krasnik landsleit and later learned that we had paid a dear price. One hundred and two men, entire families (dozens of people) were exterminated during those days and later. Only the monument at the Paris cemetery recalls their memory.

After my wife was sent away, I received a card from her that she threw out of the vehicle when she was sent to the Vélodrome d'Hiver and the camp at Beaune le Rolande. She wrote that she could have been the first to be sent to the camp, but she constantly pushed back the departure. She did not know what had happened to our Maxim. They had taken him to the hospital for contagious diseases. She told me in which hospital he was located.

I tried to send a package of food and things through a French neighbor. He gave the package [to the hospital], but he was not allowed to enter. The police guard took the package and he was not sure if the child received it.

I later learned that my daughter Roza was torn from her mother and was sent to the Drancy camp. Through a house watchwoman I sent a package of clothing, shoes and food and asked her to take my daughter out of there because Roza was not then 10 years old. However, the attempt to remove the child was unsuccessful.

Later I received a card from my child and among other things she wrote about hunger, torn clothing and shoes. She also wrote that she was being sent away and she had a feeling that something unfortunate again would happen on her birthday.

Roza turned 10 years old on the 18^th of September. The misfortune did happen. Roza was sent away on her 10^th birthday in an unknown direction.

I remained alive. I drew strength from the Maccabees, from Hirsh Lekert [Bundist and socialist activist], from Naftali Botwin [communist labor activist]. I learned from them to drive away the fear and the dread and to stand against the enemy. Years passed and the bloody monster was driven out and killed through the courageous struggle.

And when the world woke up and the snake in the hole was driven out we also took part and lived to see the revenge.

  Krasnik, Poland     Yizkor Book Project     JewishGen Home Page

Copyright © 1999-2024 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 10 Sep 2016 by MGH