already been evacuated, including the house where Rivke lives. Night falls.
Again, carts begin to arrive with hundreds of people. It’s freezing. Among the
refugees at my place is a certain Joskowicz from Brzezińska Street 21, who
had a paint business. He arrived during the day, having packed his belongings
onto a child’s pram and crossed the border with it. Night is falling, but more
groups of people keep arriving. A Mrs Cohen comes in from Łódź, who lived
on Nowomiejska Street and dealt in shoe accessories. A very wealthy woman.
She has brought with her beds, grid irons and saucepans, and chocolate to eat.
[31] It was so crowded that there was nowhere to sleep. I had just laid down
when Gitl arrived from Łódź with Reyzl and we had to put their packages in
the shop. Bakczyn from Łódź and Landsberg from Kalisz also put their packages
there. No one else arrived till nightfall, but there was no room to move.
So when Sheyne arrived at night, she had to go to Yitzkhok’s. Bakczyn also
had to leave. I had to get up and give my bed to Gitl and Reyzl. Shmulik got
up too. Only later was I able to lie down next to Yoel and get a bit of sleep.
Sunday, 17 December. I went out early into the street and found it full
of people who had spent the night there. The frost was bitter. They say the
municipality is refusing to register the new arrivals, so they are beginning to
move on. Those who can, move into the summer huts. Getsl’s daughter Pola
arrives in the evening with her husband Mikhoel Gertler and their landlord[?]
Stanowski from Łódź, along with her aunt and their [. . .] Skorowski. They all
occupy the small room, where it’s very hot. We arrange for the women to sleep
in the large room and we men sleep in the small room. They hire someone
to guard their belongings in the storage space. When we are sleeping in the
small room, Leybl gets up at midnight on the dot and starts eating. I get up
too and feel around in the dark for something good to eat. I find some good
cakes and a little vodka and we finish them up. This gives us an appetite, so
Sieradzki, who is also sleeping at my place, installs himself comfortably with
us, and I have to sell them a bottle of spirits. [31a] Then we sleep till 7 in the
morning and get up ready to face the coming day.
Monday, 18 December. The crowd of newcomers is moving on, because
the municipality refuses to register them. In town, it’s chaotic. Everything is
very expensive: bread costs 3 zlotys, milk 1 zloty, a goose 30 zlotys, fish 5 zlotys,
eggs 7 zlotys, and so on.
Tuesday, 19 December. The golden market day before the Christian holiday.
We do a little business. We buy goods from the newcomers. The crowd is
