Dorothy Kraus Memoir - Our Polish Neighbors

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Dorothy Kraus Memoir

Our Polish Neighbors
There was still another house, on the road [to the cemetery], but farther into the country. This was occupied by a Polish priest, his sister and her three children. There was one boy and two girls but no father. The family had lived there for some time and we would see the priest pass our house on his way to the village. He always went on foot, wore a long fur-lined coat and a fur hat. He made visits to the peasants but never held services in a church.

Once he stopped to talk to me. He asked if I would like to come and play with their children. He told me to ask my mother and next time he would take me with him. I was too shy to reply but I did want to go. Mother was reluctant. “What do they want with a child? Do they want to convert you?” But I nagged and nagged until she gave in. By myself I went down the road toward their house. But when I arrived there, I became frightened. I would not have have known what to say if they opened the door. So I ran back home. But someone must have noticed me for shortly thereafter the priest stopped at our house and took me with him.

I felt so strange being in the warm, peaceful house with so many rooms. It smelled good, too, even though the smell was from kapusta (cooked cabbage). The children were all blonde, with blue eyes. They looked at me strangely, not knowing how to treat me. The priest spoke to them about me. He stroked my head and called me krasavitza (pretty). They asked if I wanted something to eat. But mother instruct me never, never to eat there. Once in a while I would accept a cookie.

My visits to my new friends were curious. I sat there without speaking, just looking at them. I could not get enough of viewing them. Such handsome, clean and well-behaved children. Sometimes we'd go outside and make a snowman or throw snow balls. I could have stayed there forever. But the priest would gently take me by the hand, help me on with my coat and one of the children would walk me home. This relationship lasted a few months.

Then one day I discovered the family had left. The house had been taken over by the Germans. I felt very sad for a long time after their departure.

Editor's Notes: The location is specified by Dorothy, here, as near a Gentile cemetery. There were two Christian Cemeteries in historical Wysokie; the presence of a Polish family, and the apparent distance from the Jewish community implies Dorothy's family was living in The Suburb, on the west side of the Pulva River. krasavitza: Russian, красавица, meaning “beauty”. It seems unlikely a Polish priest would use Russian in his home.

This material is from Original Page 30 and Original Page 31

Page Last Updated: 15-Nov-2012