Book on the Righteous - Jevrejska opština Zemun

Righteous Among The Nations - Serbia
Stories About The Righteous
IT’S SAFEST IN ENEMY TERRITORY
“Those that helped me were good people,” wrote Ruža
Lihtner. “Fearing for their own lives they, nevertheless,
were also concerned for mine.”
Ruža was only four when she left her parental home
in Jajce and came to live with her aunt in Negotin. Her
aunt, Mira, and her husband, Milan Stevanović, an
apothecary, had no children, and Ruža was brought up
in their home as if she had been their very own. After
finishing school, she went to study at the University in
Belgrade. She had successfully completed her first year
studies at the Faculty for Yugoslav literature when her
uncle suddenly died. Ruža could not let her aunt live
alone and she returned to Negotin.
When war came in 1941, Jews and Communists were
the first to feel the terror of the occupying authorities.
The Fascist ideology was now put into practice. That
Ruža was a Jewess hadn’t seemed to bother anyone up
till then. Before long aunt Mira and Ruža were singled
out by the obligatory yellow band on their sleeves. They
were no longer allowed to walk freely round town; because
of the imposed curfew, they had to be in their
home by six in the evening. The Germans had appointed
a commissar to monitor the business in her uncle’s pharmacy.
However, her uncle’s assistants, who had stayed
on in the store, would secretly set aside part of the daily
earnings and hand it over to aunt Mira. Before, Ruža
had had many friends in Negotin and was welcomed
in any society. Life had suddenly presented Ruža the
opportunity to discover just who her true friends really
were. She was not disappointed. Her girlfriends
continued to visit her and her companionship with
Doctor Branko Milosavljević grew into mutual fondness.
In mid November 1941 Ruža was instructed to come to
the town hall for a conversation with the borough book-
keeper. Ruža was concerned what might be the reason
for this meeting since she had had no previous contacts
with him. The bookkeeper was outspoken when he told
her that imprisonment of Jews would soon commence
and that she should flee from her house immediately.
All at once Ruža felt that she was being persecuted.
She sought shelter with her neighbourhood friend.
Since nothing happened in the next few days, Ruža
returned home. When one morning Fascists suddenly
came to arrest her, going into hiding became a reality
she had to face. The pharmacy was located in the house
in which Ruža and Mira lived. Master of pharmacy,
Čeda, opened the door to their flat, and while calling
Ruža by her name, his hand kept signaling her to run
away. Clad in slippers and her aunt’s morning robe, she
ran to her neighbour’s, Slobodanka Janković – Pešelj’s,
house. Slobodanka was married and had a small child;
she, nevertheless, had no qualms when Ruža appeared
at her door and asked for help. Ruža hid in her house
for two days. Knowing that she could not have gone far,
the Fascists began to look for her round the neighbourhood.
Ruža had to leave Slobodanka’s house quickly. At
Doctor Branko’s recommendation, the midwife, Mara,
received Ruža into her house where she stayed for one
month. In the meantime, the doctor was searching for a
safer place for Ruža. As yet, nobody had come to search
for her aunt since she had converted to the Orthodox
faith when she married Ruža’s uncle. Doctor Branko
approached one of Ruža’s school friends, Slobodanka
Florojkić, who lived in a house on the edge of the town.
Slobodanka took Ruža in without a word, but Ruža was
out of luck.
Bulgarians, who rummaged all over Negotinska krajina
together with German soldiers, were looking for a place
to locate a kitchen for their soldiers. They chose the
shed and a small room in Slobodanka’s backyard. Slobodanka
was told to vacate these premises immediately
and Ruža had to leave. Doctor Branko then placed Ruža
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