Page 101 - Centrum Dialogu im. Marka Edelmana w Łodzi. Zofia Lubińska-Rosset - "Okruchy Pamięci".

Our companion harnessed to the cart the only horse left in
the stable, probably because it was lame. I do not recall if we
stopped for nights, although we probably did. I just remember that
at one point we passed a town or a village called Lotharhof (now-
adays it can only be found on very detailed maps). At one point,
we were stopped by a group of Soviet soldiers. We had no papers,
so we appeared suspicious. They checked the contents of the cart
and found the stamp album. Maybe because they were completely
drunk, or maybe they just did not know what postage stamps were,
anyway because of the pictures, mostly of Hitler's portraits, they
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made the simple association: “shpion” . Some of them wanted to
settle the matter on the spot (you know how!). Others insisted on
bringing the spy to the commanding officer. Fortunately, the latter
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prevailed. The “komandir” ridiculed his subordinates after getting
acquainted with the evidence of the crime and Dad returned with-
out losing the ill-fated stamps or the alarm clock in his jacket
pocket.

Finally, we got to Starogrod (Stargard today), where our nice
Ukrainian companion escaped with both the cart and the horse, as
well as all our belongings. There Dad found out that it was possible
to return to Lodz by train, as from time to time freight trains de-
parted inland. However, such a trip required a permit from the lo-
cal Civic Militia headquarters. Due to the lack of workforce, ob-
taining such a permit depended on getting employed for several
days. So, my Parents found a place to stay, in an abandoned laundry
room. My Dad was commissioned to work at the railway station.
After a few days, we got the expected pass, for which Dad paid all
the money he earned, which equalled buying a ticket. We soon
found out that a freight train headed to Lodz would be getting
ready for departure. However, this was not the end of our troubles.
The wagons were besieged by a crowd of people, partly like us,
returning from the camps, and partly by looters. In addition, Mom

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Shpion (Russian) – a spy
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Komandir (Russian) – a commander

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