Returning Home 1945

I was there.

When the Red Army had pushed back the German troops and taken over Oskar's home town, he wrote a letter back home. At first there was no reply but eventually the civil service replied to Oskar that his family had been exterminated.

In 1945 Oskar went back to Dabrowica. From the partisans who had been hiding close to the town he found out the horrific truth about what had happened.

 

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

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

Consider here what happened to Oskar and his family

What has happened?

Oskar talks about what happened to his family while he was gone.

1) Listen to Oskar as he talks about what happened to his family. Answer the question.

  • 1a. Towards the end of the war when Oskar was in Nizhny Tagil, he was to learn that his family in Dabrowica had been murdered. How did he find out about it?

The Family has been Exterminated – There is No One Left

Oskar talks about his return to Dabrowica.

2)  Listen to Oskar as he talks about his return to Dabrowica. Answer the questions.

  • 2a. When Oskar came to Dąbrowica, he was able to get more details about what had happened to his mother, father and siblings through some Jews who had hidden themselves in the forest. What sticks out the most for you in this story?

  • 2b. The photo of Oskar’s family is the only one that is left of the family. How did he manage to get hold of it?

The Holocaust

A slideshow about what happened to the Jews of Dąbrowica and Sarny.

3) Watch the slideshow about what happened to the Jews of Dabrowica and Sarny.

  • 3a. Discuss with a friend and make a list of all the perpetrators, collaborators, bystanders and rescuers you can find in the slideshow.

Perpetrators: those who carried out the Holocaust.
Collaborators: those who actively helped the perpetrators.
Bystanders: those who saw what was happening but who didn't intervene.
Rescuers: those who saw what was happening and intervened to save people.

Extra Material