I was awaken with a start from my friend, Aaron lightly touching my

shoulder “Wake up, Mehrlein” he was going around waking people up telling them that

they had to get ready for the big trip in the morning to come, we were going to be

removed from our ghetto and moved to another place none of us could sleep that night

even though we tried to have optimistic conversations in the streets we all knew deep

down in side of us that this was not going to have a good outcome, but what could we do,

we were just Jews, alone, helpless. I was one of ones who were up all night, what would

happen to us we all wanted to have some more information about the situation. When

morning came we were able to take a small bag with a small amount of items but nothing

valuable. We boarded the train cars and were on our way to our unknown destination I

had a really bad feeling about this. One of my newer neighbors asked “How old are

you?” and I lied responded “I am 16 years old” I am only really 14 years old I don’t

know were I am going and don’t know who I should trust. When we arrived a guard

demanded that we got out of the car and who ever didn’t cooperate or tried to run away

would be shot. We were told to form one line but would be sent into two separate lines.

A lot of children were struggling to stay with their families while I wandered alone, I

have no family, and my family had been killed in a fire, so I am homeless and alone.

When my turn came in line I was asked by a guard “Are you healthy?” “Yes” I

responded “Age?” “Um… 16 years old sir.” “Okay, left line” we were walking and I

noticed that the women, old and children were walking towards a large chimney shaped

building with smoke coming out “No” I thought were they really burning women old and

children in these large furnaces other soon came to realize this but know one said a word.

We were led to a large building but it looked more like a prison, we were sent to cells

and told to wait. Why wouldn’t anyone help us?