My father heard at that time that the Germans, wherever they occupied countries, were taking Jews to labor camps.  My family and I fled the Eastern part of Poland occupied by Russia, to Gorodok where my grandparents lived.  Later we were told that we could return home, the train however took us further eastward to Siberia.  I was 9 years old in 1942; I drove a horse and wagon and helped deliver food rations to different villages.   

 

After the family returned to Poland, we saw there was nothing left for us in Poland.  I went to Austria to an ORT school and learned carpentry.  My mother had a brother in Detroit who sponsored us.  We came to Detroit to US in 1952.  I was drafted into the US Army and served from 1953-1955 in Korea.  Interestingly, I became a US citizen in Tokyo, Japan.

 Never give up, do what you have to do to survive.  Do as your told, if you’re in a tight situation with someone bigger than you, take a step back, don’t challenge them, agree with them, and try to survive.