Trial Over a Piece of Bread

Soon, however, my husband’s need to eat became pressing. The deportees were not provided with bread, nor could it be bought even with money. Once, when he was at the train station, he saw bread being sold to those entitled to receive it. He noticed a Communist party member who, due to his high position, was entitled to a double food ration. My husband asked if he would sell him a piece of bread, while letting him keep the soup and meat portion of the ration. The Communist agreed, and for a sum of money sold him a piece of bread.

The fear my husband experienced was very understandable for, so soon after arriving at a new place of residence, he had now committed a new “crime.”An official observed the criminal activity of doing business with food rations. He immediately called over the buyer and seller, and wrote down their names for the purpose of issuing them a summons to face trial.

He awaited the day of his court appearance with great trepidation. Although I don’t remember all the details of the trial, it proceeded, relatively speaking, quite leniently, for they couldn’t accuse the seller too severely.
This happened before my arrival.

The danger of losing my home in Dnepropetrovsk

After my husband’s deportation, at the end of the month of Shevat, I spent about a month preparing suitable clothing, and setting our Dnepropetrovsk apartment in order.

It greatly affected my health when, soon after my husband’s deportation, the government sought to confiscate our apartment. Firstly, I needed a place to live and, above all, I was protecting our home in the hope that my husband would soon return and everything would be as it was before.

Obviously, as the wife of a deported “counter-revolutionary,” my legal status had been severely diminished. This upset me very much.

Fortunately, the official responsible for our building, a Jewish Communist, was indescribably friendly towards me. Risking his position and livelihood, he fearlessly took steps both legal and illegal that enabled me to keep the apartment.

Once it was confirmed that I could remain there, I took in a boarder for one of the rooms, while I stayed with Rochel in the other rooms. After accomplishing all this, I began preparing for my journey, and a week after Purim, I left [Dnepropetrovsk] to join my husband.

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