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.
