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On July 7, Solomon called and told us to leave immediately, because he could already see gunfire near Kiev. He told us to be ready in two hours and a car would pick us up to take us to the pier to catch the last boat. A train was out of the question at that time. We took only the most necessary things and left. The Germans were kept away from Kiev for some time, but we left on July 7, because they were so close.
Mamma and Dad and I, mother’s sister Hanna and her husband, Solomon’s wife and their children and Rosa and her son, all fled together. Solomon’s wife also took her younger sister. We all went to Stalingrad. We went down the Dnipro to Dnepropetrovsk on the boat. That was where the first raid happened. Our boat was on the river because there was no place to moor. When the bombardment started they put planks across to the bank, and we all ran down and hid in shelters dug on the bank. Then we were put into open railcars with no roof, and we didn’t know where we were going. It was a long trip, because the track was broken and the train driver couldn’t find the way. Still, we managed to reach Stalingrad, where we stayed until August 22, 1942.
Mamma and Dad and I, mother’s sister Hanna and her husband, Solomon’s wife and their children and Rosa and her son, all fled together. Solomon’s wife also took her younger sister. We all went to Stalingrad. We went down the Dnipro to Dnepropetrovsk on the boat. That was where the first raid happened. Our boat was on the river because there was no place to moor. When the bombardment started they put planks across to the bank, and we all ran down and hid in shelters dug on the bank. Then we were put into open railcars with no roof, and we didn’t know where we were going. It was a long trip, because the track was broken and the train driver couldn’t find the way. Still, we managed to reach Stalingrad, where we stayed until August 22, 1942.
Period
Year
1941
Location
Ukraine
Interview
Roza Levenberg
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