Object numberM2010/001:010
DescriptionTwo-page typed testimony of Emil Teich from Przemysl recorded in the Refugee House in Oradea Mare on 9 Zara Street on 15 July 1945 by Jadwiga Sapera. The eyewitness account describes how he lost his father, mother and two sisters during the first and second actions, but he was in possession of stamps that protected him from being deported. He managed to get into the Janowski camp without the knowledge of the Gestapo, to join his brother. He worked with a group of 50 people in the cemetery, pulling apart headstones which were later used to pave streets. He then describes escaping and being hid by an Aryan acquaintance, Jozefek Bronislaw. His hiding place was discovered by the Gestapo but he managed to defend himself and at the same time kill four Gestapo. The owner of the house where the Jews were hidden was arrested then hanged and his wife was shot. Emil Teich goes on to describe the difficulty of living in hiding with no assistance, until finally the arrival of the Red Army.
Jadwiga Sapera was born Hermina Silberfeld, to Polish Jews Nathan Silberfeld and Anna (nee Hollander) on 27 November 1914 in Miskolc, Hungary. In 1918, the family returned to their home in Stary Sacz, Poland. Hermina attended a convent, which gave her a knowledge of German and Catholicism that was helpful for her survival. In 1942, Hermina attained false identification papers of a Polish-Catholic woman, Jadwiga Eleonora Jarzemiszewska. As Jadwiga she was able to find new accommodation and work, and at the end of 1942, moved to Krakow to better safeguard her secret. In 1943 she moved to Warsaw and then to Budapest, until liberation. After the war she kept the name Jadwiga and got work in Bucharest typing the testimonies of concentration camp survivors for the Association of Polish Jewish Refugees. She found out her father had died of hunger and disease, but her mother and brother survived. She was reunited with them in Poland. She lived in Katowice with her husband Jan Sapera who she met and married in 1946. They immigrated to Australia in 1958 with their three children. In the last decade of her life she re-adopted her Jewish name Hermina.
Jadwiga Sapera was born Hermina Silberfeld, to Polish Jews Nathan Silberfeld and Anna (nee Hollander) on 27 November 1914 in Miskolc, Hungary. In 1918, the family returned to their home in Stary Sacz, Poland. Hermina attended a convent, which gave her a knowledge of German and Catholicism that was helpful for her survival. In 1942, Hermina attained false identification papers of a Polish-Catholic woman, Jadwiga Eleonora Jarzemiszewska. As Jadwiga she was able to find new accommodation and work, and at the end of 1942, moved to Krakow to better safeguard her secret. In 1943 she moved to Warsaw and then to Budapest, until liberation. After the war she kept the name Jadwiga and got work in Bucharest typing the testimonies of concentration camp survivors for the Association of Polish Jewish Refugees. She found out her father had died of hunger and disease, but her mother and brother survived. She was reunited with them in Poland. She lived in Katowice with her husband Jan Sapera who she met and married in 1946. They immigrated to Australia in 1958 with their three children. In the last decade of her life she re-adopted her Jewish name Hermina.
Production date 1945
Subjecttestimonies, survivors, survivors, survival, eyewitness accounts, resistance
Object nametestimonies
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 210.00 mm
height: 300.00 mm
Language
- Polish Testimony 10
Accepted in the Refugee House in Oradea Mare on 9 Zara Street on the 15/V11/1945. With the aim of giving evidence presents himself TEICH EMIL born in 1920 in PRZEMYSL and states the following:
The first period of German occupation until the end of January 1943 I was in PRZEMYSL. I lost my family during the first and second actions: my father, mother and two sisters. During the entire period I worked for the Military and I was in possession of stamps that protected me from being deported. In December 1942 when the liquidation action occurred all the workers in the Military Institutions were relocated and among the others I also was relocated. We lived outside the city, however in the ghetto an action was being conducted. Until January 1943 I worked, but after that I escaped to LWOW without any documents. Because I had a brother in JANOWSKI camp and I did not have the opportunity to install myself in the city as I had no acquaintances, through the assistance of my brother’s friends I managed to get into the JANOWSKI camp without the knowledge of the Gestapo. In the camp I stayed for 5 months meaning until the time the group that I worked with was liquidated.
In the cemetery worked a group of around 30 people who were called either STEINGRUPPENBRIGADE or FRIEDHOFSKOMMANDO. I worked in this group pulling apart headstones and valuable rocks which later were used to pave streets. I also buried corpses which were brought from the camp and from the city. In July 1943 our group was linked to a group that arrived from the ghetto as a result of an action and a liquidation was about to ensue. My brother immediately came to my assistance prior to my undressing for the execution. He worked as the Kracow brigade (group) leader and he had an SS man as his protector. With his help my brother was able to rescue me. Two days after being rescued from this oppression I escaped from the camp.
I went to an Aryan acquaintance with whom I stayed until December 1943. My brother continued to remain in the camp but only 4 days before the camp was to be liquidated he also came to stay with me. The Aryan whose name was JOZEFEK BRONISLAW was a good person. He hid us without any self interest and hid many other persons.
On the 5th of December going on 6th our hiding place was discovered by the Gestapo. In this house around 30 Jews were hiding obviously not all in one location. They first attacked the locality of the shop where I was hiding. We were 9 persons. This hiding place had two entrances, one led to a hallway and the other onto the street, the blinds were closed. The Germans charged the door that led to the hallway. They broke the door open with automatic weapons and they shone a light inside. Not thinking too long I returned shots towards them turning one into a corpse immediately. Out of our entire group I was the only one that was armed. The Gestapo ran away from the hallway. They immediately returned however and tossed into the shop grenades. The explosion damaged the blinds. My friend was the first to escape through the damaged blinds and I ran out after he did. What happened to the rest of the people I don’t know. When I ran into the street I noticed after taking several steps that I was surrounded. I wasn’t shot at and it appeared as if they wanted to capture me alive. Not paying attention to this I began to run quickly but at the same time shooting back killing a further three Gestapo. After a certain period of time they stopped chasing me and I was a free man.
In a field far from the city I met my friend. Four days after that incident I found out about the fate of those people that remained in that shop. Some had died on the spot and the rest were taken out. This incident became quite loud in LWOW, because the owner of the house where the Jews were hidden was arrested then hanged and his wife was shot.
As to the fate of the other hidden Jews in JOZEFKA’S house I found out the following details: the Gestapo having information about a larger group of Jews being hidden there began a very detailed search of the house. They searched every hideout, every cellar. The attic which was occupied by 16 to 17 hidden persons was above the stables. The Germans came in and threw grenades to flush out those hiding. Luckily the Germans did not notice some wooden boards which were the entrance to the attic. They did not however think that they have won yet, so they surrounded the attic for two days and later they even brought in the Ukrainians to assist them. Taking advantages of the changes in the guards those hiding managed to pull out some bricks from the back wall of the attic and escaped. I did not know what had happened to my brother. Through my female Aryan acquaintance I managed to find out that he escaped with those that were hiding in the attic. Having no other choice I hid for two months in the cemetery. During the day I stayed in a tomb and at night I came out into a dark street. I had to take care of myself. I shot dead an Ukrainian policeman who was on duty. I robbed him and what I found on him was enough to keep me going till the end of the war. Having money made it now easier for me. My Aryan female acquaintance was supplying me with food and later other acquaintances were helping me.
Winter was coming nearer and it was becoming more and more impossible to stay in the tomb so I decided to change my hiding place. I walked from house to house looking for shelter and food. It was difficult. Finally in HOLOSK outside the city I came across a poor gravedigger to whom I confided my secret. I and my friend hid at his place. This poor man tempted by money accommodated us in the stable, gave us food and in this way we survived until the arrival of the Red Army.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mrs Jadwiga Sapera