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We were about 1,400-1,500 students in this school, my ID number was 1453, there were no nonMuslims other than me and Izi (I don’t remember his last name). Our school would manufacture the orders it received from the outside and earn money this way. We, who worked in this department in the school were considered laborers and we would be fed a full and satisfying lunch at noon. However, one day when we went to the cafeteria, they did not allow us in. When we asked the reason, the janitor at the door said: “From now on, there won’t be food for you, I don’t know the reason”. We decided with Izi not to tell anything to our families for a while. We bought a sandwich or a “simit” [crisp, ring-shaped savory roll covered in sesame seeds] as lunch. This situation continued for a while.
Then one day, our math teacher gives an oral quiz, I studied very well, I know everything inside out, but for whatever reason, he does not call on me for the oral; I raised my hand and said “My teacher, you forgot about me”. He said to me: “Aren’t you Lazar? You passed, it is o.k.”. “My teacher, how come? You did not ask me anything yet”. “For Pete’s sake, aren’t you Jewish? This is enough for you” is what he says. I went directly to the prinipal, told him about the situation, he said: “What can I do, it is out of my hands, your teacher knows better than me”.
Another day, when our history teacher was lecturing to the class he said “These Jews latched on to our necks like parasites, Jews are like this, like that”, I felt devastated. During recess, I ran out of the school, went to my father and said: “my dear father, I will not attend school any more”. “My goodness, my child, why? What happened? You are a very good student, what happened to cause you to come to this decision?” When he learned everything from the beginning, he agreed with me and my school life came to an end in this way.
Then one day, our math teacher gives an oral quiz, I studied very well, I know everything inside out, but for whatever reason, he does not call on me for the oral; I raised my hand and said “My teacher, you forgot about me”. He said to me: “Aren’t you Lazar? You passed, it is o.k.”. “My teacher, how come? You did not ask me anything yet”. “For Pete’s sake, aren’t you Jewish? This is enough for you” is what he says. I went directly to the prinipal, told him about the situation, he said: “What can I do, it is out of my hands, your teacher knows better than me”.
Another day, when our history teacher was lecturing to the class he said “These Jews latched on to our necks like parasites, Jews are like this, like that”, I felt devastated. During recess, I ran out of the school, went to my father and said: “my dear father, I will not attend school any more”. “My goodness, my child, why? What happened? You are a very good student, what happened to cause you to come to this decision?” When he learned everything from the beginning, he agreed with me and my school life came to an end in this way.
Period
Location
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Türkiye
Interview
Lazar Abuaf