European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

They managed somehow to leave the ghetto in Niemenczyn, they were hiding a few kilometers from us next to Drzwiniany.

But what was Sonia is going to do?

Sonia and Janusz could mind the cows.

Janusz, he was my mum`s cousin`s son, who was sent by his aunt in summer to Orwidów

because she also was worring about this boy, that maybe he could start doing something dangerous in Vilnius.

Sonia and Janusz will wake up early in the morning and hike to the forests to those grazing lands

and come back late in the evening.

It doesn`t matter how hot it is going to be, but cows cannot be brought home at noon so Sonia needs to hide far away.

And everything was ok for two, three weeks.

Next to the entry to Orwidów there was a cross.

Everyone who came to Orwidów had to pass this cross.

Natka wanted the kids, Marysia and Sonia, to decorate the cross for the May religious holiday.

It was not the best idea, but it was done like that – Marysia even did not know what her religion was and what her nationality was.

Marysia was from Mrs. Melania.

One day, it was a very hot day in June, I went together with Stefan to the mill in Hamernia.

We spent a lot of time there as it took long to grind the grains.

We came back home and everyone was in a horrible mood.

What happened?

During our absence we had a visit of Lithuanians and Germans

and they did not search through the whole house but questioned all residents.