RE: [Cz-L] The mass exodus

Being one of those who were "repatriated" to Romania at begin May 1945 I
still remember the elation at receiving the permission to leave. I was only
12 then, but remember vividly the border checking, being frightened to the
very last if this is not a trick to send us NorthEastward instead of
Southward. I also remember the transfer of the little goods we could bring
with us onto a horse drawn farm cart, on which only we children sat, with
the parents trodding along through the woody area and the subsequent elation
when arriving in Dorohoi, from where we were transferred a week later to a
town in Southern Romania.
As you state - the question "why?" should not be asked of the thirty or more
thousands that had survived the war - ~ 19000 of the happy of us who had
been staying in Czernowits on the Popovici permits and the remaining few
thousand of survivors from the Transnistria extermination area who had
returned "home" in 1944.
My mother, for instance, never knew if my father would return safely home
from his "official" post as manager of a small food shop, because, if at the
end of the day the accounts did not balance exactly to the Kopek (a fraction
of a cent at the time), he would be already on the train NorthEastward.
Or when we children did not know if our mothers would return safely from
conscription to cut wood in the woods surrounding the town, who were still
infested with "Banderovtzis" (fascist bandits who still roamed in the
villages and woods).
We had been in that terror regime in the course of the first occupation
1940-1, and although the subsequent fascist rule during 1941-4 had
obliterated in its cruelty those memories, they returned vividly in 1944.
But, as you write, the Red Army did save us, although, as you probably
remember (those who were there at the time), ever since the capitulation of
the Romanian Army groups at Stalingrad, begin of 1943, and the steady
progress of the Red Army through the Ukraine towards Czernowitz, the
attitude of the authorities in Czernowitz had changed perceptibly, and they
even opened a Jewish school at the end of 1943 or begin of 1944 I believe (I
do not remember exactly when but I remember our exultation of meeting again
as Jewish children in a school). And, to our luck, the German forces, which
in 1944 overthrew the Horty regime in Hungary, with the devastating effect
on the many Jews there, did not execute a similar move in Romania at the
begin of 1944, and in the middle of it it was already too late from them to
act, with the Red Army at the gates of Romania.
Well, tomorrow we can proudly celebrate the eve of the 64th Yom Haatzmaut
here - who of us have dreamed in 1944 or even 1945 that this would be a
reality?
So Hag Atzmaut Sameah to the Jewish nation, who now has its own Sovereignty,
but this eve is mourning for the nearly 23000 fallen in the wars to achieve
it and to retain it, just a week after mourning the 6 millions who were
exterminated.

Mordecai

-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-50809033-30942314_at_list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-50809033-30942314_at_list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of HARDY BREIER
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2012 9:55 AM
To: CZERNOWITZ-L
Subject: [Cz-L] The mass exodus

In 1945 the Jews started leaving Czernowitz.
 By 1946 almost all were gone.
  They would have gone sooner and faster but for the Soviet
  regulations .
   And the Soviets saved our lives - no doubt.
     The Jews fled as from the bubonic plague.
  Why so ?
    Many reasons - a post war Czernowitzer jew wouldnt be asked
  such a question.
     It wasnt if you go but when.
   We waited for over a year to get the Propuska.
    Everyday you could see Army GMC trucks loading up jewish
    families for the one way drive to Tereblecea border crossing.
     An end of a period.
Hardy

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Received on 2012-04-24 05:16:36