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young men fight back. Fifteen Jews were arrested for standing up to the hooligans. Jungle justice."

        September 1, 1937, Warsaw

        "In Bidgoszcz, Stok, Malkyn, Kelc, Stuczyn, Czyzew, Oszmany, Drohobicz, Bryansk and Vilna. Jews are being beaten everywhere! People are crying for help everywhere."

        [Photo:] The new cemetery. From right: Hershel Eisenstein (Blumacker), Moshe Leizer Gratch, Yisrael Dovid and Chana Milner. Seated: Chava Milner and her son, Yosef.

        This is how things were for Jews during those fateful days. I also experienced Polish hostility. I was beaten twice on the streets of Warsaw by Polish "democratic" mobs who the Western democrats yearn and grieve over. What a pity…..

        The situation in Drohitchin was no exception. The mood was very bad in town. One day, some young Poles who worked on the roads started rampaging through town. The Jews in Drohitchin stood up against them and taught the mob a good lesson. Finally, the Polish authorities arrested some Jews and took them into custody. Such was Polish "justice."

        This Hitlerian atmosphere existed in Poland even before the German storm troopers even marched into the country. The ghettos were already set up by the Poles. It's no wonder that Poland was the graveyard of European Jewry. It should be emphasized that we have nothing against the country of Poland itself. It was a good and fertile country.

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Over a period of a thousand years, dozens of generations of Jews lived there honorably and comfortably, and Drohitchin provided a true Jewish life. They could have continued to live there for hundreds of years, which would have been a blessing for the country. However, the Poles, who controlled the area, consciously and intentionally sought to impoverish the Jews, and thus brought down the most beautiful and finest Jewish community! They thereby also ruined and devastated their own lives and their own land.

[Photo:] This is what the German murderers did to the men, women and children of Drohitchin.

My last look at Drohitchin

         On November 1, 1938, I left my hometown and departed for England. Before my departure, I bade an emotional farewell to my dear parents and sister. Other Drohitchin Jews, with tears in their eyes, said, "Don't forget us! Remember us!" I cast my last glance at Drohitchin, and left with the thought that at the first opportunity, I would return to celebrate with my family and visit with my friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, however, my hopes were dashed.

        Our parents are no more, our siblings are no more. There's no one left to back to visit. In the same way as the sound of dripping water from a broken water faucet breaks the silence of the night, the dripping of tears and blood from my heart breaks the stillness of the darkness that surrounded their last cries of "Hear O Israel." May the Germans and their friends today never enjoy anything good or pleasurable! They injured us bloodily, we are constantly haunted by them, like a plague on our hearts, and will never be able to forget.

        Yes, martyrs of Drohitchin, your will and testament is engraved on my heart with blood and tears. Never will I forget you! I will forever remember you and your murderers, the Germans, may their names be obliterated!

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