Jakub Bromberg working at home

This is me, at home, working. I am repairing the overlock machine. The photo was taken in my apartment in Lodz in the 1950s by my son.

Before the war I started to work in Jakub Nojfeld’s father’s workshop. I don't know why, but when Saturday came I took the keys to the workshop and I began taking the machines apart. I wanted to familiarize myself with this, because I got the knack for mechanics. I learned everything very quickly and I didn't have to study to be a knitter. 

Starting in 1933, because there were strikes often, I became involved in the trade union of textile workers and knitters. As a young boy I was very eager. I would go out looking for strike-breakers. I would sit down on the street with others and keep guard. If, during a strike, someone was transporting goods in a cart, then we had some ink in our pockets, or gasoline, and we'd throw this stuff on the strike-breaker's cart. I quickly found myself a new job, this time work by the piece. I got 25 grosze for a dozen of boys' underwear made on the overlock. It wasn't bad, but you had to make a lot of underwear! There were also these sets, brassieres and panties together, with buttons. Later I made underwear, knickers for women, then ladies' slips, because they were popular at the time. Every woman used to wear a slip. Later I changed jobs. I changed every few months, because there were strikes. 

After the war I worked in Zalcberg's workshop on 13 Zeromskiego Street. When people went on holiday, I worked. On Sundays, when they went to the park, I was sitting and working. And that was the story. 

Centropa Collection acquired by USHMM

The Centropa archive has been acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. 

USHMM will soon offer a Special Collections page for Centropa.

Academics please note: USHMM can provide you with original language word-for-word transcripts and high resolution photographs. All publications should be credited: "From the Centropa Collection at the United States Memorial Museum in Washington, DC". Please contact collection [at] centropa.org.