Page 77 - Centrum Dialogu im. Marka Edelmana w Łodzi. Zofia Lubińska-Rosset - "Okruchy Pamięci".

phone, and we heard no disturbing news). From that journey I re-
member trains filled with soldiers, dim blue lights and long stops
at the train stations. Even my Mom was unaware that one of her
two brothers, Pawel, who had just been drafted into the army,
might have been in one of them.
In Lodz, at the Fabryczna station, Dad was waiting for us,
happy that we were back together in these troubled days. I remem-
ber throwing myself in his arms out of joy. I had no idea what the
word "war" meant. I was at home with my Parents again and I was
going to play with Jurek, as always. However, I soon realized that
our life would never be the same.
After a few days (or maybe the next day?) the war broke out.
At that time, I was less than 6 years old (exactly 5 years and 8
months). I could not know that I was going to hell on earth in
a few days.

Moving Out

The first tragedy that touched our family was the news of the
death of uncle Pawel, who died during the defence of Warsaw. For
me, death was then something completely incomprehensible.
I only understood that this beloved uncle, a passionate athlete,
great skier, would no longer - as he promised - teach me to ski.
I do not know whether my Parents stopped working on the
day the war started or only when the Germans entered Lodz. I re-
member that during the bombings my Mom and I would go to the
mangle in the basement, which served as a shelter in our house.
Dad, being a member of the air defence, stayed upstairs at that
time. He had regular duties and his task was, among others, sound-
ing an alarm in the event of fire. Also, in the first weeks of the

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