THE HORROR DAYS OF 1941 IN JASSY
(translated from the German)
To my children:
But now I do want to write down some things out of that dark,
sad time in Roumania when the war with Russia began and
our dear father was taken from us. Probably you have nearly
forgotten it, because it was granted us, since October 1942, to
exercise laughter and singing once again here in Switzerland, far
from those terrible happenings; but just the same, you, my dear
children, must know what happened to us and how our family
happiness was so suddenly destroyed one day.
OMINOUS CLOUDS GATHER
A few days before the outbreak of war, in the middle of June 1941,
I returned from a vacation visit to Galati (our Benni was still there
at that time) and Brasvo. Only with extreme difficulty was I enabled
to return home from Bucarest. The trains were overcrowded,
even the cars’ roofs were densely packed. It was hardly possible
to get in and out of the compartments. The air vibrated with war
rumors, everyone was talking about the soon-coming outbreak
of war, and many had seen all kinds of symptoms of it. I also had
noticed unending trains, loaded with soldiers and ammunition;
and all through the nights cars rattled over the rough pavements.
I realized what a miracle it was that I could return to you; it was
actually the last train that reached Jassy.
A HAPPY PARTY
On Wednesday I arrived home; we celebrated a thankful reunion.
You had received your report cards from school and showed them
to me with pride and joy. To reward you for the good marks, Daddy
took you to a nearby restaurant, Daniel, Miriam, and Ruthy, to eat
something good. I was too tired out from the long, irksome travel
24 | Never Again: A Holocast Remembered