Account of a Refugee During the 2nd World War

So I get an email from Julie talking about herto go out, and the flowers were beautiful. She
grand mother who was a refugee during the warloved the nature, the lake, the mountains. The
here in the Caux Palace where I am currentlywalks.
studying Hotel Management.Then the day of peace arrived. They were not
She goes on to say:permitted to go out not even to telephone their
There were 1600 jews coming from the Bergenson. They heard only later how everyone has
Belsen camp and they arrived towards thegone out and had a big celebration - without them.
begining of December 1944. Escaping finally withFinally, another group arrived, they went to
their life and ultimately very happy and hungryanother city nearby some of them, others to
with almost no showers. Old, young, men andPalestina (now Israel) and that is the story of her
women.grandmother's stay there.
They were put first in a big hall, and given coversHer husband was in the meantime in a hospital
and food. Then put into small rooms, lots werenearby (where they gave them more food and
packed in, as there was not much space. Theywas warmer) and her daughter worked to keep
got food and slowly, clothes to wear.clean the hotel first, then to give lessons of
But it was a cold, cold winter and they did notgymnastic to people. She cared for the children
have adequate heating in the building, and herand cleaned their rooms.
grand mother wrote they were freezing most ofHappy to escape with life, but still a difficult life leid
the time.ahead.
And they were still closed off from the rest ofThey stayed later in old people's house for the
the world. Sometimes, one of them was givennext 15 years, then went to live with their
permission to go out. One could go to Geneve,children. She met her grandmother in 1961 when
visit his son and family there.she came out of Romania.
Spring arrived, they were given more permission