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On Sundays we would go to Aleksandrowice to the swimming pool together. That was this village just outside town, so you went on foot, there was a Jewish cemetery in that village too [the cemetery is still there]. The pool was an outdoor one, and I think that in fact it was some Jews that had built it. A ticket cost perhaps 50 groszy, the same as a ticket to the movies. These girls that we had our eye on used to go there. We wanted to flirt with them, but somehow it didn't work, because we were still upstarts, we were 13, maybe 14. Our school wasn't co-educational. Boys separately, girls separately. That's why we only knew each other a bit, by sight.
There were swimming competitions at that swimming pool in Aleksandrowice that Horowitz and I very often went to, because Bielsko had a very good swimming team - Hakoah Bielsko. [Hakoah Bielsko: Jewish Zionist sports club founded in 1912. Financed by membership subscriptions (1 zloty in 1939), the proceeds from the annual Hakoah Balls, and subsidies from the Jewish Community Organization in Bielsko. The club had several sections: athletics, football, tennis, and a swimming section including water polo. It functioned until September 1939; the club's activities were not resumed after the war. In 1953 it was officially struck off the register of Polish associations and clubs.]
I remember two Jewish girls winning the Polish championships: Dawidowicz over 100 meter breast stroke, and Kandl over 200 meter freestyle. [From 15- 17 July 1939 the Polish swimming championships were held in Bielsko. Hakoah Bielsko was the only Jewish team taking part in those championships. The club became Polish swimming champions on that occasion. Kandl won 2 gold medals, for 100 and 200 m breast stroke. Trude Dawidowicz: 3 silver medals for 100 and 400 m breast stroke, and for 100 m backstroke.] We used to go to water polo matches too - Hakoah Bielsko even played in the top league.
Horowitz even lent me a bike, because I didn't have one of my own. In the winter we used to go skiing. The tram went to Gypsy Wood, just outside Bielsko, you went a little way on foot and there are the mountains, the Beskid. And with Horowitz almost every Sunday in the winter we used to go skiing. I had my own skis, these two simple boards, nothing brand-name. As far as I remember, my parents bought me those in Dattner's sports shop on 3 Maja Street. My friends all had skis, so I begged my parents to buy me some too. But I don't think it was for any special occasion. And so we used to go to Gypsy Wood for the day skiing and come back. Yes, what I had, what my parents bought me, were those skis. What I could have. And so that was how I spent my childhood.
There were swimming competitions at that swimming pool in Aleksandrowice that Horowitz and I very often went to, because Bielsko had a very good swimming team - Hakoah Bielsko. [Hakoah Bielsko: Jewish Zionist sports club founded in 1912. Financed by membership subscriptions (1 zloty in 1939), the proceeds from the annual Hakoah Balls, and subsidies from the Jewish Community Organization in Bielsko. The club had several sections: athletics, football, tennis, and a swimming section including water polo. It functioned until September 1939; the club's activities were not resumed after the war. In 1953 it was officially struck off the register of Polish associations and clubs.]
I remember two Jewish girls winning the Polish championships: Dawidowicz over 100 meter breast stroke, and Kandl over 200 meter freestyle. [From 15- 17 July 1939 the Polish swimming championships were held in Bielsko. Hakoah Bielsko was the only Jewish team taking part in those championships. The club became Polish swimming champions on that occasion. Kandl won 2 gold medals, for 100 and 200 m breast stroke. Trude Dawidowicz: 3 silver medals for 100 and 400 m breast stroke, and for 100 m backstroke.] We used to go to water polo matches too - Hakoah Bielsko even played in the top league.
Horowitz even lent me a bike, because I didn't have one of my own. In the winter we used to go skiing. The tram went to Gypsy Wood, just outside Bielsko, you went a little way on foot and there are the mountains, the Beskid. And with Horowitz almost every Sunday in the winter we used to go skiing. I had my own skis, these two simple boards, nothing brand-name. As far as I remember, my parents bought me those in Dattner's sports shop on 3 Maja Street. My friends all had skis, so I begged my parents to buy me some too. But I don't think it was for any special occasion. And so we used to go to Gypsy Wood for the day skiing and come back. Yes, what I had, what my parents bought me, were those skis. What I could have. And so that was how I spent my childhood.
Period
Interview
Leon Glazer
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