Shoah Page #15

with the privies.

Oui.

How long have these two lived here?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

[Wife Replies]

15 years.

- Where'd they live before?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

[Wife Replies]

In a courtyard across the square.

[ Lanzmann ]

They've gotten rich.

- Them?

- Yes.

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

- [Wife Replies]

- Yes.

- [ Laughing Together]

[ Lanzmann ]

How did they get rich?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

They worked.

- How old is the gentleman?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

- [ Husband Replies]

- He's 70.

- He looks young and healthy.

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

[ Barbara Laughs]

Do they remember the Jews of Grabow?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

- [ Husband Replies]

Yes.

And when they were deported, too.

- They recall the deportation of the Grabow Jews?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

He says he speaks Jew well.

- He speaks Jew?

- Oui.

As a kid he played with Jews

so he speaks Jew.

[ Husband Continues]

[ Barbara ]

Mm-hmm.

First, they grouped them there,

where that restaurant is,

or in this square,

and took their gold.

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

[ Barbara ]

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

[ Barbara ]

Mm-hmm.

An elder among the Jews

collected the gold

and turned it over to the police.

That done, the Jews were put

in the Catholic church.

- A lot of gold?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

Yes, the Jews had gold...

[Wife Replies]

And some handsome candelabras.

[ Lanzmann, In French] Did the Poles know

the Jews would be killed at Chelmno?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

Yes, they knew.

- The Jews knew it, too.

- [ Lanzmann Repeats Phrase]

[ Lanzmann ] Did the Jews try to do

something about it,

to rebel, to escape?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

- [ Motorcycle Motor Gunning ]

[ Barbara ]

Tak.

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

The young tried to run away.

But the Germans caught them

and maybe killed them

even more savagely.

[ Man Continues]

In every town and village,

2 or 3 streets were closed,

and the Jews were kept under guard.

They couldn't leave there.

[ Man Continues]

Then they were locked

in the Polish church here in Grabow

and later taken to Chelmno.

BACKGROUND, THE SYNAGOGUE

[ People Chattering In Polish]

[Wife Speaking Polish]

The Germans threw children

as small as these...

- Oui?

- into the trucks by the legs.

She saw that?

- Old folks too.

- Threw kids into the trucks.

Oui.

The Poles knew the Jews

would be gassed in Chelmno?

Did this gentleman know?

- [ L anzmann j Ou/ f?

- Oui.

[ Lanzmann ]

Does he recall the Jews' deportation from Grabow?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

- [ Man Replies In Polish]

Oui.

[ Man Continues]

At that time, he worked in the mill.

- [ Lanzmann] There, opposite?

- Yes, and they saw it all.

What did he think of it?

Was it a sad sight?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

Yes, it was...

Oui.

Yes. How could you see that

without sadness?

[ Hoof beats]

- What trades were the Jews in?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

They were tanners, tradesmen,

tailors.

They sold things...

eggs, chickens, butter.

[ Man Speaking Polish]

[ Barbara, In French]

There were a lot of tailors...

- [ Man Continues ]

- tradesmen, too.

[ Man Continues]

But most were tanners.

- They had beards and side locks.

- [ Lanzmann ] Yes.

He says they weren't pretty.

[ Lanzmann ]

They weren't pretty?

- They stank, too.

- They stank?

- Oui.

- Oui?

Why did they stink?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

Because they were tanners,

and the hides stink.

[Chattering In Polish]

[ In French]

The Jewish women were beautiful.

- [Woman Speaking Polish ]

- [Women Laughing Together]

The Poles liked to make love with them.

Are Polish women glad

there are no Jewesses left?

[Woman Continues]

- [Women Laughing ]

- What'd she say?

- That the women who are her age now...

- Oui?

Also liked to make love.

So the Jewish women were competitors?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

It's crazy how the Poles

liked the little Jewesses!

Do the Poles miss the little Jewesses?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

Naturally, such beautiful women!

- Why? What made them so beautiful?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

[Women Talking At Once]

Because they did nothing.

Polish women worked.

Jewish women only thought

of their beauty and clothes.

- [ Lanzmann ] So Jewesses did no work!

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

- None at all.

- Why not?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

- They were rich.

- [Women Continue Chattering ]

The Poles had to serve them and work.

[ Lanzmann ]

I heard her use the word capital.

[ Barbara ]

The capital was in the hands of the Jews.

[ Lanzmann ]

Yes... You didn't translate that.

Ask her again. So the capital

was in the Jews' hands?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

All Poland was in the Jews' hands.

Are they glad there are

no more Jews here, or sad?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

It doesn't bother them.

As you know, Jews and Germans

ran all Polish industry before the war.

Did they like them on the whole?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

[ Man Replies ]

Not much.

Above all, they were dishonest.

- [ L enzmenn Repeats Phrase j

- O ui .

Was life in Grabow more fun

when the Jews were here?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

He'd rather not say.

Why does he call them dishonest?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

Tak.

They exploited the Poles.

That's what they lived off.

- How did they exploit them?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

By imposing their prices.

[ Chuckles ]

- Ask her if she likes her house.

- [Speaking Polish]

Yes,

but her children live

in much better houses.

In modern houses!

- They've all gone to college.

- Great! That's progress!

Her children are

the best educated in the village.

Very good, Madam!

Long live education!

Isn't this a very old house?

Yes, Jews lived here before.

So Jews used to live here.

Did she know them?

Yes.

- What was their name?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

- She doesn't know.

- What was their trade?

- Benkel, their name was.

- Ah, Benkel.

And what was their trade?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

[ Man Speaking Polish]

They had a butcher shop.

[ Lanzmann ]

A butcher shop. Why is she laughing?

Because the gentleman said it was...

a butcher shop where

you could buy cheap meat.

Beefl

- [ Lanzmann Repeats Phrase]

What does he think about

them being gassed in trucks?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

[ Man Replies]

He says he doesn't like that at all.

[ Man Continues]

If they'd gone to Israel

of their own free will,

he might have been glad.

But killing them was unpleasant.

[ Lanzmann]

Does he miss the Jews?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

Yes, because there were

some beautiful Jewesses.

For the young, it was... fine.

Are they sorry the Jews

are no longer here or pleased?

[ Barbara Speaking Polish]

How can I tell?

I never went to school.

I can only think of how I am now.

Now I'm fine.

- Is she better off?

- [ Barbara Speaking Polish]

Before the war, she picked potatoes.

Now she sells eggs,

and she's much better off.

Because the Jews are gone

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