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It was a labor camp, smaller than Auschwitz. They organized a transport of just women, mostly young ones. Well, because we were going to work there, in an ammunition factory.
I operated a machine which made bullet shells. This machine had to operate constantly. If it had been empty, it would have broken down. And that’s what I often did, I let it run empty. When someone let me know that the German foreman was coming, I’d put something in there. Of course, this was forbidden. I worked three shifts, at night too. But I don’t know if the Germans had any use for those bullets, I doubt it, because we all did such things. We got away with it.
The conditions in Ederan were a lot better. First of all, it wasn’t that cold, there was heating and the food was a bit better. They didn’t shave out heads. They even gave us these coarse underwear, because it was wintertime. But we didn’t wear anything on our feet, just these old twisted shoes. And they gave us coats. There was a belt on the back and the letter ‘KL’, Konzentrazions Lager. I even wore this coat for some time after the war, because I didn’t have money to buy a new one.
I operated a machine which made bullet shells. This machine had to operate constantly. If it had been empty, it would have broken down. And that’s what I often did, I let it run empty. When someone let me know that the German foreman was coming, I’d put something in there. Of course, this was forbidden. I worked three shifts, at night too. But I don’t know if the Germans had any use for those bullets, I doubt it, because we all did such things. We got away with it.
The conditions in Ederan were a lot better. First of all, it wasn’t that cold, there was heating and the food was a bit better. They didn’t shave out heads. They even gave us these coarse underwear, because it was wintertime. But we didn’t wear anything on our feet, just these old twisted shoes. And they gave us coats. There was a belt on the back and the letter ‘KL’, Konzentrazions Lager. I even wore this coat for some time after the war, because I didn’t have money to buy a new one.
Period
Location
Oederan
Germany
Interview
Helena Najberg