Description
Object description
Polish Jewish schoolchild in Lwów, Poland, 1939-1942; inmate of Lwów Ghetto, 1942; in hiding with mother in Lwów, Poland, 1942-1944; schoolchild in Lwów and Kraków, Poland, 1945-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Lwów and Kraków, Poland, 1930-1939: family circumstances; character of Lwów and Kraków; mother Cecylia's background; parent's marriage and attempts to emigrate to Palestine; character of family's religious beliefs; move to Kraków; relationship with father Filip; education.
REEL 2 Continues: story of case brought against teacher for anti-Semitism; lack of other anti-Semitic incidents; memories of brother Uriel; accommodation in Kraków; awareness of increasing number of refugees, 1937/1938. Aspects of German invasion of Poland, 9/1939: atmosphere whilst holidaying in Zakopane, 8/1939; story of being sent out with mother Cecylia and brother Uriel on last train to Lwów, 31/8/1939; sight of Polish Army soldiers sleeping on Lwów Railway Station. Recollections of period as schoolchild in Poland, 1939-1941: behaviour of Soviet Army troops towards children; start of arrests and deportations; father's attitude towards Soviets.
REEL 3 Continues: physical appearance of father Filip on arrival in Lwów; effects on father of his military service; father Filip's work for Soviets as carpenter; arrival of pre-war friends from German zone; brother Uriel's abilities; deportation of men registering to return to western Poland to Soviet Union; question of father Filip's possible survival if he had been deported to Soviet Union; reaction to German attack on Soviet Union, 6/1941; Soviet evacuation of Lwów before German attack, 6/1941. Recollections of period as schoolchild in Lwów, Poland, 1941-1942: deteriorating situation for Poles especially intelligentsia; threat to Jewish community from Germans, Ukrainians and Poles.
REEL 4 Continues: behaviour of Ukrainians; question of non-Jews actively pointing out Jews; ending of education; father Filip's psychological state and role of mother Cecylia; story of saving parents from selection; story of how mother Cecylia got father Filip released from Ukrainian detention camp; going into hiding when father Filip heard of pending deportations of children; disappearance of father Filip and brother Uriel and subsequent search for them, 8/1942; sight of Ukrainian wearing father Filip's coat and watch.
REEL 5 Continues: story of how brother Uriel insisted on staying with father during arrest. Recollections of period as inmate in Lwów Ghetto, Poland, 1942: move into ghetto with grandparents, autumn 1942; mother Cecylia's work outside ghetto; account of how mother Cecylia was nearly caught outside ghetto by new restrictions and her journey to warn her; mother Cecylia's contact with German civilians.
REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of period in hiding in Lwów, Poland, 1942-1944: agreement with German civil servant Irmgard Wieth to hide them in her flat; journey to flat; memories of Irmgard Wieth; character of Irmgard Wieth flat in block populated by Gestapo and Schutzstaffel (SS); story of how Irmgard Wieth obtained requisitioned Jewish flat from Schutzstaffel (SS) lover; Irmgard Wieth's obtaining identification for mother Cecylia to return to Lwów Ghetto to visit grandparents; disguise mother Cecylia assumed on visits to the Lwów Ghetto.
REEL 7 Continues: risks taken by mother Cecylia living and working in Lwów Ghetto during week and at weekends in Irmgard Wieth's flat; anxiety about mother Cecylia; establishment of tannery by Max Kohl; mother's work for Max Kohl; behaviour of max Kohl towards Jewish employees; arrest of grandfather; role as maid to Irmgard Wieth; character of Irmgard Wieth; listening to British Broadcasting Corporation; reasons for Irmgard Wieth finding companion Mrs Podoszyn for her, 1943; story of how Mr Podoszyn insisted on joining them; food situation.
REEL 8 Continues: sight of burning of Lwów Ghetto, 31/5/1943; arrival of mother Cecylia at flat; story of how grandmother attempted suicide but injured herself badly; situation in crowded flat; story of how Irmgard Wieth wanted to take Pohlmann to Germany on leave disguised as her dead son; cancellation of Irmgard Wieth's leave; character of shopping trips alone; story of narrow escape during shopping trip.
REEL 9 Continues: account of accepting an invitation to tea with high ranking Schutzstaffel (SS) officer; story of deceiving a Ukrainian militiaman who knew her; problems of keeping quiet in flat; story of narrow escape involving making potato pancakes.
REEL 10 Continues: question of increase awareness of senses; account of how Schutzstaffel (SS) lover returned to Irmgard Wieth's flat for two weeks including arrival of Schutzstaffel (SS) man; arrangements for pretending to be servants and hiding in scullery and amusing aspect to visit.
REEL 11 Continues: psychological strain on Irmgard Wieth; Irmgard Wieth's modesty about her role protecting Jews; incident of Polish caretaker being tortured by Gestapo; behaviour of mother in emergencies; effects on nerves in living in flat; contingency plan in case Germans invaded flat; evacuation of German civilians workers from Lwów, 1944.
REEL 12 Continues: mother's search for three sisters for whom she made dresses. Recollections of period in hiding in Lwów, Poland, 1944: move into hiding place under protection of Archibishop Andrey Sheptystsky; other Jews hiding there; entering convent orphanage under false identity; ignorance of Ukrainian Orthodox ritual; contact with other Jewish girl in hiding; arrival of Irmgard Wieth to check on her welfare.
REEL 13 Continues: attending church and confessions; attitude of priest; relations with Sister Anatasia; controversial reputation of Archibishop Andrey Sheptystsky and attempts to get him 'Righteous Amongst the Nations' status; problems encountered in taking examination; preparations for baptism with mother Cecylia; return of Irmgard Wieth during stall in Soviet offensive; increase of Soviet Air Force bombing raids.
REEL 14 Continues: waiting for arrival of Soviet Army troops. Recollections of period living in Lwów and Kraków, Poland, 1944-1946: arrival of Soviet force in Lwów, 7/1944; degree of knowledge of concentration camps; atmosphere in newly liberated Lwów; search for missing relatives; mother Cecylia's finding accommodation and job with Soviet authorities; continuing education; living conditions; story of getting drunk during May Day celebrations, 1/5/1945; train journey to Kraków, 7/1945; mother's reaction to unsuccessful search for father and brother; continuing to live under false names due to anti-Semitism; social life.
REEL 15 Continues: character of post-war Polish anti-Semitism; mother Cecylia's adoption of Jewish orphan, Dina Zipper; settling of Dina Zipper in orphanage in Zakopane; state of health; story of how Rabbi David Kahane aided her move to GB, 1946; role of Rabbi Solomon Schonfeld in taking Jewish children to GB.
REEL 16 Continues: Recollections of journey from Poland to GB, 1946: reluctance of Polish authorities to let Jewish children leave; memories of Rabbi Solomon Schonfeld; voyage aboard SS Ragne from Poland to GB; learning English songs; reaction to arriving in GB. Recollections of period as schoolchild in GB, 1946-1949: placing with family called Stern; continuing education; relations with other childrens' parents; arrival of mother Cecylia; relationship with mother Cecylia; contact with Irmgard Wieth.
REEL 17 Continues: Recollections of post-war relations with Irmgard Wieth: story of how mother Ceyclia managed to get Irmgard Wieth out of Soviet prison camp to GB, 1949; treatment of Irmgard Wieth as domestic in GB; Irmgard Wieth's move to New York, United States of America as housekeeper to Jewish family; Pohlmann's testifying for both Irmgard Wieth and Max Kohl to get recognition as 'Righteous Amongst the Nations'; Irmgard Wieth's return to GB.
REEL 18 Continues: how Irmgard Wieth refused to speak or write German after Second World War; trip with Irmgard Wieth to Israel to plant a tree as a 'Righteous Amongst the Nations'; attitude towards Irmgard Wieth. Reflections on Holocaust experiences: effects of experiences; question of effects on children; mother Cecylia's reaction to loss of husband Filip and son Uriel during Holocaust; importance of recording experiences.