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I was deported to Germany on the
8. September 1942, just like my sister Nadja Tschabar. At
first we were brought to the river Oder, there was an assembly
camp. We were 9 girls from Drushkowka. Three month we reaped
wheat and potatoes. We made sheaf, which I never did before. A
straw got into my nose. It started to bleed. After bringing in
the harvest, they sent us to Bücker in Rangsdorf near Berlin.
The discipline there was very strict. Guarded we went at work,
to lunch, even to the toilet. Our guard was a Georgian, who
was regarded as our leader in camp. He was an ethnic German.
Our living conditions were sickening. One day they cooked us a
barley broth. When we started eating, we noticed, that there
were maggots in the soup. We decided on striking, and nobody
went at work. The instigators were arrested, and we were
chased out to work. In the evening they gave us the same soup.
What should we do? We turned out the light and ate the maggots.
We were given enormously bad food. That we experienced. Also
the beds were awful. The mattresses and pillows were stuffed
only with sawdust.
We mustn’t talk to the German, we even mustn’t look at them
while the work. I carried out the same work like Nadja
Tschabar. Then I came to the department of technical
supervision. I sat between two old Germans and mustn’t talk to
them. They showed me the man, who was watching them.
I had a boyfriend in the camp, Tantschik, he was older than me.
He gave me mash. He and the other boys provided a grain
mixture at work, hided it in their shoes and cooked a mash in
the camp. Because of liking for me he let me come and gave me
the mash. Somebody informed against them, that they would
steal food, and they should get arrested. The boys made a hole
under the barbed wire and escaped. I didn’t notice anything. I
was taken to interrogation from the police.
Boris Kostinski was there to interpret. His attitude
towards me was so thoughtful, so respectful, and so pleasant.
I even thought: „A German and he treats you so humane; defends
you.” I felt, that he defended me. The German language I
understood hardly. But I felt, that he defended me. I
understood his words: „She has no responsibility. She is just
a child, what does she already know?” That I understand. One
let me go and I wasn’t sent to the concentration camp, thank
God!
There was no connection to the German inhabitants. I remember
that we were going through Rangsdorf and saw an apple tree
with many green fruits. We came close to it and said: „Share
an apple with each of us.” The answer was: „Not yet ripe.”
These words I kept in mind up to now. They haven’t given us an
apple.
But there were exceptions: we heard of a farm in Dabendorf,
there should be salad, white cabbage and beetroot. We went
there on a Sunday and found the farm. We ate each one portion,
the second and even the third. We came to the station, when
the suburban train was leaving. The next arrived just in 20
minutes, so we was 20 minutes to late at the camp
On the next day all of us four girls were called and brought
to trial. There were three adult women. They were from our
camp. They had sold us for an extra potato. The judgement was:
15 days arrest and each 15 minutes bathe. We had to take off
our clothes, also the underwear. Then cold jet of water came
with pressure. The beds were wooden, without any mattress. We
got one glass of water and 100 gram bread for one day. After
15 days I was covered with furuncles. I was sick-certificated
one month.
Before I came to Germany, there was a German quartered in our
home. He was already on the front. There was an empty parcel
with the reply address. I took the address with me, for any
case. At work I told the two old men: „Here I got an address.
He was quartered in our home.” One grandpa, about 80, said: „Give
it to me! I went there and talk with them.” It turned out that
the soldier was from Berlin. One had to drive to
Friedrichstraße and than with the streetcar 2 till terminal, I
think. The Grandpa went there and mad inquiries. They invited
me. He told me how to get there. When I got off, there were
detached houses all around: clean and well-groomed. Their
house was the fifth.
I this house there lived the father, the mother, the wife of
the soldier, his daughter Ingabert and his niece Bärbel. They
treated me well, gave me food. They placed me in a snow-white
and soft bed, and I slept there. I told them, that I had to be
in camp till 6 o’clock. The waked me up punctual, gave me food
again, and a few things.
When I came one day they asked me: „The situation is so bad.
Should we let us evacuate or not?” I told them: „Don’t leave,
stay at home. If you leave, everything will be robed. And when
you come back, you will have nothing yet.” From then on we
couldn’t meet each other. But it was so interesting. I forgot
the name, also the address. I gladly had met them again.
When we were freed, we all went away. Then one shot at us. I
came on a car of our army. Then I came on a farm. I putted the
cows to pasture. Then one decided to send us away. I was alone,
and on sent me to an assembly camp on the Oder, in a monastery.
There we were checked until August. It was all right, and at
the end of August I was sent back home.
We went by car to Lwow, via Rawa Russkaja, there we had a
break. The West Ukrainian chased us. There some of us had even
poisoned themselves with the food. From Lwow we went by train
to UdSSR. Finally everyone got off on his station.
After my return at home I was repatriated and registered. In
my home village Drushkowka I found a job and staid. |
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