Small Riga Ghetto

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piles of potatoes. Because they were totally rotten and by then were nothing
but stinking mush, I got myself completely filthy and gained nothing. The SS
men beat us with their rifle butts to get us into line again. Then we marched
on.
This was on 1 May 1945. The sun was shining beautifully. Suddenly a truck
full of Russian prisoners came into view and drove slowly past. I greeted them
and congratulated them on the international holiday. I could scarcely walk. So
I lagged behind till I was the last one in our row and then I threw myself into
the roadside ditch. The Scharführer came up to me, gave me a kick, and assumed
I was already dead, so he left me lying there.
When the column had disappeared, I crept out and crawled into a nearby
wood. Was I really free? I was still surrounded by enemies. I went deeper into
the wood in order to rest a little, but I couldn't sleep, for the thought of my
liberty gave me no rest. In the distance I heard voices and saw a fire. Next to
it stood three young men; they too were prisoners from the columns who had
stayed behind. They received me in a very friendly way, but they were not
really reassured until I started to speak to them in Russian. They were Russians
from the concentration camp and had already been there for several days.
They had scavenged potatoes and were cooking a Russian borscht for themselves,
using the potatoes and some grass. After the meal they left me.
I was in a desperate situation. I didn't dare to enter the nearby village because
of my clothes. Then I saw a cart in the field; on it was a farmer wearing
the sign "P" (for Pole). I went up to him and explained my situation to him in
Polish. I asked him to help me, the main thing being to get me different
clothes. He told me to meet him the same day in a large hay barn. He arrived
at the agreed-upon time with a loaf of bread and a suit. I embraced him for
joy. He told me we were surrounded in all directions by the English and the
Americans, and that the Russians were nearby too. I spent the whole night in
the hay barn and ate my loaf of bread even though I wasn't hungry at all. For
the first time, I thought about my future. I was sure I would be liberated during
the next few days. All night long I heard shooting all around me. This
meant that the retreating German army was destroying various items of military
equipment.
In the morning white flags were already hanging in the village. People were
waiting for the victors to arrive. I realized that now I could enter the village. I
waited for my liberators with impatience. They arrived very soon. When I saw
the first one I embraced him and kissed him, full of overwhelming joy.
Was I now free?