Fela Baum with her son Roman Gren and her granddaughter Marysia

This is my wife Fela Baum, my son Romek Gren and his daughter Marysia.

It was taken in 1987 in my daughter Ania’s apartament on Filtrowa Street in Warsaw.

My wife didn't work after the war. She worked before, in the Soviet Union. After the war she looked after the baby, kept house, cooked and so on.

She didn't have to work, as things worked out; I never suggested that she look for a job.

I didn't spend a lot of time with the children: Ania was born in 1948 and Roman in 1951. As much as time allowed. I worked away a lot.

I think I had unpleasantness, problems at work as early as 1957. The problems involved my being summoned to a certain institution [the communist party Central Committee]

I was deputy trade minister at the time - and told that I shouldn't be working in that ministry, that I had to transfer to another job, closer to industry, and I think I moved to some other ministry.

In 1968 I wasn't working in the ministry any more, because I'd left it in 1967. I'd stopped being departmental director. It was a professional demotion.

I wouldn't say I took it as my biggest defeat, because at that time it still seemed as though there was a light at the end of the tunnel. In 1968 I was already 50-something. I retired at 64.

My wife was a real thesp, and when I still had my eyesight we used to go to the theater at least once a month. I went to the Jewish Theater once or twice, but seldom.

I usually went to the Polski [Polish] Theater, and to the Wspolczesny [Contemporary] Theater.

I used to like swimming - I can't swim well but I used to swim as well as anyone, breaststroke; I like taking a run-up and diving into the water best. I usually used to go swimming with my wife.

Photos from this interviewee