Two days before the war-mobilization, I sent my family from Poznan, where the Endek hooligans were raging, to Koło. I remained in the city and assumed the situation would end well. On September 2^nd, I ran away from Poznan, because I was active in the anti – Hitler movement and the Volksdeutche (Poles of German origin) were raising their heads. I returned to my hometown on a freight train.

I did not find the members of my household. I was told they left for Lentshitz. Given that there were no cars I began to walk. What was happening by then on the roads is well known. Walking over bodies and corpses people looked for a hiding place. Luckily, I arrived in Lentshitz. This is where we decided to walk further in various directions. Wherever we went, we were warned the Germans were close by. After wandering for a long time, we returned to Koło. On September 12^th, 1939 the mood in town was terrible. No one wanted to believe the rumours that were reaching us. We closed ourselves into our homes and were afraid to go out on the street.

The news of the Nazi acts of terror were confirmed, we saw them every day. The worst of all was expulsions to unknown places, tearing deep rooted families away from their homes.

I also met the fate of expulsion: me and my family were taken to the building of the “Ochranka” (secret police) and from there transported further away. When I arrived at the abovementioned place, there were already a few hundred people there.

We sat at the “Ochranka” for three days and heard a lot of various things about the “future” and “concentration camps”. I knew, that in the evening, the Nazis would carry out an investigation,

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in order to determine everyone's riches. They would confiscate everyone's money and jewelry and those in possession would be punished.

I immediately shared this information with my friends. We began our own checks. People threw packs of zlotys and dollars into the burning ovens. Those who did not possess 50 zlotys (the amount we were permitted to take with us) became “rich” during the fire. A few people hid their goods in hiding places.

The searches lasted all night. When the gendarmes left the arguing began: those who hid their “treasures” could not find them and became suspicious. A commission was formed by those interned began to investigate. Everything ended peacefully without the Gendarmes getting involved.

On the morning of September 8^th, we received a notice that we will be transported that day. The gendarmes did not mention the name of the place but encouraged us: in your new home you will receive jobs, workbenches, and the opportunity to begin a new life. After this promise came a warning: whoever runs from the train or leaves the line will be shot.

Our march to the train looked like Hirshberg's picture “Exile”. We went into a few dozen train cars, freight cars. The lawyer Nayman and I, had to make sure that the orders were carried out precisely. Forty people per train car. If one of the transportees was missing, we would pay with our lives.

Before the train moved, condensed milk arrived, a gift from the Jewish community, a supplement to the food they had sent. The mayor of Koło turned to me and Nayman, since we were in charge, and told us that we and our families could ride in passenger cars. We refused not wanting benefit from pull or influence.

The train dragged on for two days and three nights from station to station. On the third day they opened the train cars and we knew the we were in Demblin. After stopping for a few hours, the train moved from its place. For some time, the train maneuvered over a bridge, going back and forth. People were panicking. After an hour we arrived at the destination.

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They gave us five minutes to leave the train. The gendarmes pushed us and beat us with whatever they had in their hands and kicked us with their feet. This was our warm welcome on this frosty day.

We arrived at Izbica -Lubelska. The local Jews did everything possible to ease our exile. We felt compassion from our fellow Jews. This was not an easy task for them: A few days before we arrived, a transport of 1,500 Jews from Lodz had arrived. The amount of people in the town doubled. The over crowdedness was unbearable. The transport from Koło numbered 1,300 souls.

In Izbica I did not see any paved streets and in winter the town was swimming in mud. The Nazis decided we would clean the streets and forced the local Judenrat to mobilize the refugees for forced labour.

I will not describe the event, drenched with blood and tears. This made the work of the burial society more difficult. This was not the worst. We received information that every day a locked train passes going from Lublin to Zamosc. Gentiles told us about a secret camp in the region of Belzhetz. Every day we heard horrifying cries and then suddenly, silent. Like at a cemetery. It was dark in town. The stormtrooper Engels had to have his victim every day. One day, as I was walking in town, I saw the abovementioned murderer stop a Jew. He tortured and beat him with brutal strength. All the Jews ran away. Suddenly I heard three shots, and then a shout from an S.S man: “Jews, you will all be shot if you don't remove the… (and then came offensive words). Since no one appeared, he entered the first house, dragged out an old Jew and two women and ordered them to clear away the victim who was lying in a pool of blood. I emerged from my hiding place and rushed to help. I shuddered when I saw, the murdered man was my young friend Yakov Kaninsky. All plans of revenge faded away.

Groups of arrested Jews were deported and we never heard from them again. One day, we found the elderly Khaim Nayman and his wife in a pool of blood. Their sin: at night they turned on a light in their dwelling.

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The hellish suffering lasted until Purim 1942.

Shimon Shvartz from Koło came to me one evening and told me the Judenrat received information that the next day the town will be surrounded and the S.S will liquidate everything. Whoever can save himself should, perhaps a few individuals will remain alive. Shimon said goodbye to us as his dark face said: tomorrow may be the end!…

After he left, I suggested to my friends and relatives that they hide. Everyone should do what's right for them. There was no remedy for the collective, 2-3 in each hiding place and each group would be responsible for on its own fate.

At night we set to work. We built double walls, dug bunkers under the floors. We lived at the end of town and our row was the last.

Lying in hiding we heard: Jews, get out! Who ever gets caught will pay with his life! A child's cry revealed a hiding place. A victorious celebratory shout told us they found their victim.

The next day we were still afraid to stick out our heads. This is how we spent 2 days and 1 night. As the second night fell, I decided to go into town to get some news. I had to fight with my family. Three families agreed I should crawl out of the hole. Among them was my brother Simkha. After consultation we decided to take a chance and someone should go to town. The task fell upon my brother Simkha.

Before he went, we visited our house and saw we had been robbed. The Poles exploited the situation and took the last of our poverty.

It is difficult to recount my brother's mission and the suspense. In the darkness, he snuck through the forest into town and luckily returned unharmed. This is where a new chapter begins.

Eight days passed after the first annihilation campaign. Those who survived began, one by one, to go out into the street. A few dozen souls from Koło remained.

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New transports of Jews arrived in town from Holland, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Germany and other occupied countries.

A new edict emerged: The Jews must deliver the following to the authorities: warm underwear, pelts, clothing. Everyone was allowed to have one suit and 2 pairs of underwear. They took everything from us, even leather valises. Disobeying the command was punishable by death.

On the second of the interim days of Passover, the Nazis, with the help of the local fire fighters, surrounded the entire town and led everyone to the new “transport”. The fire fighters discovered all the hiding places. This time, mine as well.

My wife and daughter were saved. They found arm bands on the street and pretended to be Aryans. They left town for a nearby village.

At 10 o'clock in the morning the “transport” left for an extermination camp in Belzhetz. My brother Simkha and I decided to run away. Our plan was as follows: we would unscrew the grate on the window of the train car, and at the first opportunity, jump out. When the train slowed down due to bent tracks, we jumped out, as did others.

The train guards saw us and began to shoot at the escapees. My son who was with us was killed. I cannot even describe my situation at that time…

Those who survived wandered for three days. A Gentile took pity on us and gave us a place to hide.

With the help of a peasant who was an acquaintance, I contacted my wife and daughter.

We spent three weeks in hiding, until it was no longer possible to remain in that region. The Nazis decided to exterminate every Polish Jew. In the new selection they killed Shimon Shvartz, his wife and family. The lawyer Nayman died a brutal death.

From Izbia – Lubelska we went to Kielce. Here begins another chapter of wandering.

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A short time ago they announced that Hitler's murderer Dr. Engels was arrested and they were looking for witnesses to bring a lawsuit against him. Obviously, I presented myself. I now have the opportunity through the Foreign Ministry with which I am in contact, to appear as one of the main witnesses.

My wish was to reveal the murderer and after so many years, it was fulfilled.

The train station in Koło

I would like to briefly record my torment and struggles in the death – camps, because what happened to me happened to the majority of the youth from Koło.

I was among the first three Jews from Koło who were captured by the S.S in order to cover up their brutal acts. They took us to Nelken's house, in the dwelling of the elderly Yosef Rozen, and murdered him in cold blood. We had to bury him in the courtyard and after clean the room, so there would not be any of blood stains.

“This event must remain a secret” they threatened us, “otherwise, you will be shot like dogs!”

What can one say about the deportations that has not already been told?

Perhaps my lines will perpetuate the memory of a few names of young lives from Koło who did not have the good fortune to be with us. In 1941 I worked in the Poznan camps Buchenwald and Remo, together with Moishe Yudkevitch, Hillel Levkovitch, Avrom Poznansky, Pinkhas Nashelsky, Shloyme Tarzhan and Moishe Levin. None of them survived. Epidemics, hunger, death sentences, destroyed the lives of thousands, with those mentioned among them.

Little is known about the employment of the inmates, although so much has been written about it. A group of Jews from Koło were forced to liquidate a Christian cemetery in Poznan and take the coffins to another place. The uncleanliness of the putrefied coffins stuck to our bodies, however, we thought this was easy work. The inmates faced death in the eye every day: if you do not want a bullet in your head, become a grave digger!

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My life often stood under a question mark; however, death came very close when I wanted to conceal a loaf of bread and bring it to my friends.

This is what happened. After a long illness they ordered me to work in the camp laundry. I had contact with the outside world and bought a bread. In order not to get caught with this “non-Kosher” contraband, I hid the bread in a pack of laundry and…was incited to sin. The camp overseer, a Pole, noticed it. My life hung on a thread. My request that he not tell the S.S commander, against my doubt and disbelief, helped. I was destined to live more years of suffering and torture.

The year was 1943. Valshteyn, Auschwitz. My luck was, that while standing in a row as they chose who will live and who will die, I was ordered to go “Right!”.

With me were: Gehrman and Brukshteyn and a few others from Koło. We thought this was the last fire drill.

The large inscription in the camp: “Work Brings Freedom!” promised life. Could we believe the Nazis who fooled us every day? After a bath they gave us work clothes: winter clothes and shoes with wooden soles. This was in the hot days of summer when it was very hot. We waited all day and night for a number, the stamp on our arms, the stamp of slavery.

When this was achieved (not all made it) they sent us to hard labour. Very few withstood this.

When I remember the last year of the last World War, a shiver crawls over my skin. So close to the goal yet so far from life. It is not true that apathy repressed and people were indifferent: life or death, its all the same.

The road to Mauthausen, also a sort of crematorium… the train was bombed and hundreds of lives were ended: burnt from the ignition and explosion of bombs.

Dresden. We walk barefoot in the March rains. People dropping like flies. Food – the lucky ones received potato peel, an addition to a scant amount of food, his starvation ration. We are captivated by the attacks on Germany. While sleeping we heard the steps of Allied forces coming to save us.

When the Nazis were defeated and we were freed from hell, after years of staring the angel of death in the face, we were free. There was enough food but our stomachs could not handle it.

While in Dresden, in the days following liberation, I found the Lipnavsky brothers and Kenig's daughter.

We decided to go to Koło: perhaps we will find a close one, a remnant from a house, a hint of our home.

We found… graves.