Life Changes 1939-1940

I was there.

Oskar Tojzner’s life changed when the war broke out on 1 September 1939. The Red Army took over Dabrowica and the atmosphere in school wasn't as it used to be.

The threat from Nazi Germany was constantly present and Oskar and his brothers started planning to escape eastward.

Oskar Tojzner (1923-2019), Poland (current Ukraine)

Oskar Tojzner (1923-2019), Poland (current Ukraine)

Consider here how life became different for Oskar and his family when the Red Army invaded Dąbrowica.

The War Breaks Out

Oskar talks about the outbreak of war.

When the Second World War broke out on 1 September 1939, Poland was divided between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Many big changes happened in conjunction with the Red Army taking over Dąbrowica. Listen to Oskar when he talks about the outbreak of war and life under the Soviet occupation.

1) Listen to Oskar as he talks about the outbreak of war and life under the Soviet occupation.  Answer the questions.

  • 1a. What changed in the schools and how were Oskar and the Jewish students in the area affected?

  • 1b. How did Oskar and the other students react to what was happening? What did they do and what was the main reason that they acted in that way?

The Threat from Nazi Germany

Oskar talks about the threat from Nazi Germany.

The Second World War broke out on 1 September 1939. Germany and the Soviet Union invaded Poland.

2) Think about the threat from Nazi Germany. Answer the questions.

  • 2a. How could Oskar and others in Dąbrowica know what had happened to the Jews in the German-occupied part of Poland?

  • 2b. Why were military exercises arranged for the town’s adolescents?

  • 2c. What was Oskar’s reasoning over his family’s opportunity to flee and the consequences they faced if they didn’t?

The Outbreak of WWII

A slideshow about the outbreak of WWII.

3) Watch the slideshow about how life changed in Dąbrowica when the war broke out. Then answer the question.

  • 3a. When the war broke out, a wave of refugees fled to the east even though this part of Poland was occupied by the Soviet Union. Why do you think people chose to act this way?

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My Childhood 1923-1939

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