A special mention to Marlena in Hazel Class who has been so inspired by the Y5/6 WWII topic that she visited a care home in the area to interview a Polish resident who has first hand experience of living in a concentration camp as a young boy. Marlena communicated in Polish and has translated the interview herself into English. She says that it was really emotional speaking to someone who had actually been through such a terrible time and that she was amazed at how well the gentleman remembered the details as he is now over 90 years old. Read on for an extract from this extraordinary meeting.
What were your personal experiences of World War II?
As a child, I was too young to fight against the Germans. I remember bombing taking place every day and my house was destroyed. My family ran away to a different part of Warsaw. We had to travel through the sewers to escape. At 17 years old I was captured and in October 1944, I was sent to a concentration camp in Germany. I was released on 2nd May 1945 by soldiers from the British Empire. My sister died in that place.
Did you lose anyone else special to you?
My uncle, his wife and two daughters went to Siberia and were never seen again. Everybody at this time lost many people from their family.
What happened to you after the war?
I emigrated to Canada and was then sent to England, where I worked in a factory and later married an English woman.