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308 LUBOML
ful I looked in my bedraggled clothing. Her father
was a fine and rich landowner named
Charton Korizenes. I knew him well. During all
my wanderings, I had never had such a welcome.
She pleaded with me to join her, and I accepted
her invitation. Her family, too, gave me a grand
welcome and were happy to see me. To tell the
truth, I did not know the reason for such a welcome,
nor for their joy at seeing me!
I spent three weeks with them and they treated
me very well. But a sudden German search, from
which I miraculously escaped, made me take up
my wandering-staff once again. I now began to
pass myself off as a gentile. Once, when the
Germans searched the house where I was staying,
Sidor, who was there too, motioned to me secretly
to come to his house.
When I came to him, everyone was happy to
see me. Sidor told me that since it looked as if the
Germans would lose the war and that the war
would soon end, I should stay with him until the
war was over. Naturally I agreed to this.
Meanwhile good news came to us almost
daily. This was after the defeat of the Germans at
Stalingrad, when they began to retreat. The gentiles
in our area then began to sing another tune
about the Jews and the Russians!
Soon the front approached us. It did not take
long and the Germans left our area and the Russians
came in.
I will never forget that day! It was a beautiful
morning. Even nature adorned itself. The blue
skies and the mild weather added beauty and
distinction to that day. I went out into the street
without fear and without apprehension. I could
not believe it was not a dream. I breathed in the
fresh air, feeling quietly happy just being alive.
But a question disturbed my joy: "Am I the only
survivor? Am I all alone. . . ?
A group of survivors at the monument for the murdered
Luboml Jews, ca, 1945.