European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

they both escaped from the Soviet Union

and they spoke Russian, especially at home in Vilnius.

The next thing was the child talked about her grandma and grandpa

so again we created a story that Irena was my cousin and escaped from Warsaw.

She was not my cousin, but she escaped from Warsaw.

It was true she worked in a hospital, was a nurse and had night shifts.

And that she lived in Vilnius with white Russians -

we only changed aunts into grandma and grandpa,

who spoke Russian at home, the child could see her mother very seldom

and that is the reason why Irena wants to have this child in a different place.

And the child came, little, angry, crying, almost three year old as it was November, and she was born in December,

her name was Miriam but she was called Maryśka.

I do not know if people believed this story or not.

But after a while Maryśka was liked by most people, especially by Melania.

Melania used to walk with her to the village.