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March 12, 1996, interview with survivor Freda Bucheister, B-U-C-H-E-I-S-T-E-R, maiden name Katz, K-A-T-Z. My name is Ben Nachman, N-A-C-H-M-A-N, interview being conducted in Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America, in English. Can you give me your name, please?
My name is Freda Bucheister.
And how do you spell Bucheister?
B-U-C-H-E-I-S-T-E-R.
And what was your name at birth, your maiden name?
Katz, K-A-T-Z.
When were you born?
1926, April 21st, that's a difference. April 21st, 1926.
And what is your age now?
71.
Can you tell me the city you were born in?
Jaroslaw.
And where was this located?
Galicia, in Poland.
And how do you spell the name of the city?
J-A-R-O-S-L-A-W, Jaroslaw.
Can you tell me about your parents and growing up?
My parents, well, I was still young. I was 12 or 13 years old. I was in school. They have, they were Orthodox. They have a grocery. And my father, he used to trade with cattle. What else I should tell you?
Did you have a large family?
No, was four. I and my sister and the parents.
Had your family lived in this part of the country for a long time?
All their life.
They were born there?
In Poland.
And what kind of work did your mother do? Did she help your father?
She, yes, helped in stores, she was, the grocery store.
And can you describe a Shabbat at home?
Shabbat at home, it started sun down. And my mother, she light the candles. We have challah to the table and wine. And we have, how to say it to you, Shabbat dinner. We have chicken, we have meat. My mother used to make very good challah. You don't, can't buy here.
And did you live in a house?
Yes.
You had your own house?
Yes.
Can you tell me about your house?
Well, my house was different than here. We don't have so many rooms. We have one room, one and a half room and a kitchen, that's all.
Did you have any modern conveniences in your home, such as plumbing, wiring, or electricity?
No, no, it was not, it was different.
Did you bring your water into the house?
No, I don't remember how it was. No, we bring the water in the house, I think. I don't remember to tell the truth.
Was there a large, was this a large city?
Yeah, a nice city.
Were there a lot of Jewish people in the city?
Yes, it was.
Did you live within a Jewish part of the city?
Everybody was Jewish in Poland. It's not like here. Everybody, it was Shabbat, everybody celebrate Shabbat, everybody go to the synagogue. It's different than here.
Did you have a synagogue nearby your home?
It was not far to go. It was not far to go. It's a nice synagogue.
It was not a shtiebel, was it?
No, it was a synagogue. And I don't know if it really was shtiebel or not, I don't remember.
Did you have a separation of the men and the women?
Yes.
And did you attend a school, a religious school?
I went to regular school, and in the evening I went to Beziankov, you know, to learn Yiddish and to read.
What did you study in the regular public school?
Everything, everything. What you studied here.
Were you able to finish school?
No, because they took me away.
And you did continue your Hebrew and your Yiddish learning?
Well, continue, I didn't, because the Germans came to the town, and they told us all the Jews have to leave the houses, have to go away. So we packed everything, and we're supposed to go away. But my father, he said, where I go, I am not a communist. We stay here, maybe just be quiet. So we have us packed, and my mother's sister, she born a baby in this time. And she said, well, we are ready. I go to my sister, and I help her to pack. And in the time, this time, came Gestapo, to the house, and told us to, in an hour, he don't want to see us here. If we be here, he will kill us. My mother went away, and two soldiers, they left two soldiers. Gestapo went away, and they left two soldiers. And the soldier said, if we don't leave here, we don't go away, they kill you. It was already a half hour, and we don't see the mother is not here, we start to go. And my mother was running home. She said, a neighbor, came, and told us that Gestapo was in our house.
Prior to this time, before the Germans came in to your town, how were the economic conditions?
Well, in Poland, it was a lot of poor people. Bedding people, a lot. Poland was not a rich country.
How would you describe the economic condition of your own family?
Well, that's not so bad. My sister went to school to gymnasium, and I went to school too. We have everything what we needed, bread, or we have everything what we needed.
How were you treated in school, being Jewish?
Well, it was not very well, you see. In the school, you go in the morning, it was a prayer, when everybody went to one floor. The non-Jewish was kneeling and praying, and the Jewish was standing. So right away they know which one is a Jew, which one not. It was not a nice situation. The Jews with, you know playing with Jews, and it was not a good situation.
Did you have any non-Jewish friends?
Well, non-Jewish, not so many. I went to play, I went with a Jewish girl, because non-Jewish, they don't like to play with Jews.
Did you have a large family living in this city?
Yeah, my father have three brothers and two sisters. I remember the third brother, Elie, was the name. I didn't give you the name, the third brother. And they have family, but nobody left.
Were you close with these families with the relatives?
Yes, yes. And my mother have, she have how many? Three sisters. One was in Russia, not together, separate. And the rest got, like, killed, like everybody.
Did you have any other family living other than in your city in Poland?
Yes.
Were you able to visit them?
Not too much, you know. They are coming, it's visiting from time to time. I was still young, you see. If I went, I went with my parents.
Were you helping your parents out in their business?
No, we went to school. Business, nothing, we took care of.
Was your father's business located nearby your home?
Yes.
Was it in the home?
Yes, the grocery was in the home. And the cattle, he have to go about seven kilometers or six, but not every day. This is once in a week.
How did he get to the cattle?
How he get? They bring to the town. It was a trading, you see. It was a man what he took care of. He brought to the town. Sometimes he went there, too. With horses.
Did your father do any slaughtering of the cattle?
No.
Your neighborhood then was primarily Jewish?
Yeah, almost, yeah.
When did you notice conditions start to change?
Well, in school, you see, in school everything was different. They used to say,
What did that Polish expression mean?
So the Poles tried to interrupt the business that your father was doing?
Yes.
Was this before the war began?
Before, yes. For a couple years, all the time, worse and worse, you know, started the war.
And how soon after the war began did you start to see the Germans enter your town?
Pardon me?
When the Germans invaded Poland, how long did it take for the Germans to get to your town?
Oh, not too long. Not too long. It took two, three days. They was already in town.
Was your part of where your home was, was it occupied by the Germans then from that point on, or were the Russians involved?
I don't understand what you say. The German took over Poland, and later they divided. Half took Russian and half they took. But we was by the German.
And can you tell me how conditions began to deteriorate?
The condition was very bad. The Jews cannot go in the street. If the German don't know you, a Pole, he said, Jude, Jude.
You were identified then by the Poles?
Yes, by the Poles.
Was your father able to maintain his business during this time?
No, no, everything was close.
How did you manage to earn your livelihood during this period?
It was very bad. Russia, the German came in and told us to leave the house. We went... So we didn't leave right away, but we leave later. And they went with us, the two soldiers. Went with us. We went maybe six, eight kilometers. And between, went with us another people. During the war, people were, you know, walking there, and they don't know where to go. And they went with us. They took us to the river San. And they told us to take – we didn't took too much with us. Because if you walk, you cannot take too much. So they took us to the river San. It was bushes. And they told us to stand one after another. We were thinking, are they going to kill us? And told us not to take too much because we are passing – going through the water. So my father took something, and my mother took something. My father took me under arms. He was afraid I would drown. But the water was not too deep. And we went through the water, and the other side was Russian. And they helped us to get up.
Were there a lot of you that crossed the river at this time?
At this time, with us, maybe eight, ten people.
Were they members of your family?
No. We didn't know before then.
And how were you received by the Russians?
They was very good to us. They was very good to be sitting a little bit. And later, we went to our family, the Jewish family. We were sleeping in a barn. The cattles, and the horses were staying, and we were sleeping on the straw. We were thinking, maybe we go back. But well it took a week, and we cannot go back. So we rent – my parents – they rented a room. In the room, staying about a couple of months – I don't remember – and they give – so everybody have to register. He want to stay or go home. So my father registered. He wants to go home. After two weeks, three weeks, they came about Friday, about 12 o'clock. They knocked on the door. The sheriff come, and the Russian. And they say, we are going home. We have to pack everything, and we're going home. They took us to the train. So we're thinking, this is not to go home. This is someplace else. And there's a lot of people there. And they put us in a - how to say - in a train, a cattle train. It was make shelves already, from one side two shelves, and from the other side two shelves. And they put us in. So a lot of more people, very, lot of people. And we were staying there, and we see this is not home. We don't go home. We go someplace else. And later in the evening, we see they go someplace to Russia, not home.
Do you remember the name of the city you were in when you were in the barn?
Wysock.
Can you spell that for me?
W-Y-S-O-C-K, Wysock.
And was this in Russian territory?
Ukraine. It used to belong to Poland, but later Russian took over.
And how long altogether were you in this town?
How long I was in there. Not too long. Maybe in 19, 1940. We came 1939, but they took us in 1940 to Russia.
Were you still with your sister and your parents?
Yes.
Was your father able to do any work during that period?
No. It was five or six weeks we was going with the train. And we didn't see nothing. No people, no houses, nothing. Only forests, forests, and forests.
Did they give you any food to take along on this train?
Yeah. We were stopping once a day to take oil for the machine, you know. And they give us some food, water, and some soup. The soup was smelling awful. Nobody can eat.
Were there any bathroom facilities on this train?
Well, it was in the train, make a hole in a box. We couldn't go outside. They didn't let us. It was closed.
Do you remember how many people were on each car of the train?
On each, it was four, nine, about 20 people, or maybe more. Lice was eating us. So many lice.
Were you very crowded?
Yes. You were sitting. You cannot go no place. They didn't let you go down. They was watching us. The police were standing on both sides.
At any time, did you have any feel for where you were going?
Later, we see we are going to Russia. And later, we see we are going to Siberia.
Did you have any idea of what had happened after you left your home?
Well, the Poles, they took over. The Germany took over. They took everything. Nothing was left.
And how long was this trip to Siberia?
It's about five or six weeks. It was very dirty. No toothbrush, no nothing, nothing. The lice was eating us up.
And you have very few belongings with you?
Not too many. What's left we have with us. So we stopped in one place, and they divided the trains. Two in one place, and the rest went farther. And they took us on a, how do you call it? They took us about 12 kilometers. And it was not a barn. It's make like a barn. It's make. It was rooms, it was, and everybody. It was about four families in our room. It was five families in the room. They divided everybody. That's awful. It's nothing to eat, nothing to wash. They didn't give us the soap. Later, they give one soap for our family. Was this the, you said that the train was divided, and one train went further.
Were you in the train that- ?
No, they, you see, two... They divided, two and two. How you call this? How you call, each one separate. How you call this? Our train have a lot, I don't know how you call this. Were they divided?
One went one way, and one went the other way?
Yeah, they went another way, and they left two in one way.
And you were in the first group that?
I don't know.
Did you recognize any names of villages or towns as you were traveling?
It's no villages, no town. It's only forest, forest. You don't see nobody. No people, no houses, nothing. If we saw, imagine we are going to Siberia because we don't see nobody, no people. In the food bowls they give us, oh, everybody got sick. It was, the smell was awful.
What time of year was this?
This was before winter. It was warm still.
Were the nights also warm?
The nights, no, the nights were not so warm like the day. It's not too long summer there, about three months we have summer.
And when you finally arrived at your destination in Siberia, what took place?
What is took a place? It was a barrack. It was in a barrack. The barrack have a number, but I don't remember. I think 71, but I am not sure.
Were there a lot of people there?
Well, sure. It was, they took us.
Were there people there other than those that arrived on the train?
No, it was from jail people, but they really from jail and they came to work in the forest.
Were they housed in the same barracks as you were?
No, they have a separate barrack.
Were they treated differently than you were?
No, but not differently. But they used to this. The soup was for the dishes for them, the bread was okay for them, and for us it was very hard to get along, to get adjusted with.
Do you remember the year or the time of year this took place?
In 1940 they took us, and we was released in 1944, I think, from the forest. And later we went to a little town.
When you arrived in Siberia, were you given jobs to do?
No, there were no jobs there. It was to cut the trees. My father and mother, they were supposed to go cut the trees, and we went with them. Because, you see, if you don't make the job, they didn't give you bread, they only give you 20-deca bread. 20-deca bread is like this. The bread was very heavy.
And what did you get beside the bread to eat?
Beside,
Was the food any better at this time than it was on the train?
No, the same. The same. The smell is the same.
How were you treated by the Russians?
Well, I cannot say they was bad to us.
They didn't beat us or something. They was good to us.
Every month, it was a meeting. The NKVD used to come to the barrack, and it was on Friday. Friday, 12 o'clock.
Every month. And they used to tell us, you have to work, if not, you cannot live.
Did they tell you anything that was going on in the war?
Yes, they told us. But we were thinking this is a propaganda. We don't believe them.
What kind of information were they giving you?
The Russia, they killed the children, they killed the Jews, they burned the Jews. But we were saying this is not the truth, because they want us to stay here. It cannot be.
With your group, where there are a lot of Jewish people?
Everybody was Jewish. There was only one family that was not Jewish, and it was one officer from England. He's a very nice man. He used to teach us in the evening English to talk, to write.
How did he happen to be involved?
I don't know. You don't ask in Russia a question.
Did he travel to Siberia on the same train as you did?
Yes, he was on the same train.
Coming from Poland?
Yeah, he was in Poland.
Was his wife also English?
No, he was only nobody. Nobody he had with him.
Can you describe a typical day while you were in Siberia?
What you mean?
What time did you get up in the morning?
In the morning we get up, we have a commandant. You know, he is the head of the barrack. And we have a
And you worked until what time before we were able to eat again?
What time we worked til I really don't remember. Five o'clock or six o'clock, I don't remember.
Were you fed while you were out in the forest working?
Well, we took with us bread. And we took with us some water, you see. Bread and water, this is main thing.
And how was the weather while you were in Siberia?
Summer was nice. The weather, the climate is very good there. You see, what we was eating there, it's nothing but the climate hold us. The water you took from, how you call, you don't have inside the water. You took from, oh, it slipped my mind. But the people used to take water from outside. How you call this?
From a well?
From a well, yes. It slipped my mind. You took the water from a well.
Were there bathing facilities?
Yes, it was a block from the barrack. Special makes for bath, to washing. Everybody went once a day there after the war.
Did you have any days when you didn't have to go to work?
If you're sick, every day the commandant come to the door and knock to the door. If everybody leaves the room. If you stay in, it's something wrong. You're sick, you have fever or something, they send you right away to a hospital.
Reel 2, interview with Mrs. Freda Bucheister. Mrs. Bucheister, can you describe to me what would happen to someone if they became ill?
They became ill. The commandant send him to the hospital. It was a hospital. But they didn't have medicine, nothing. Mostly, if people went to the hospital, they didn't come back.
Did a lot of people die during this period?
Yeah, sure. Older people and little babies, they didn't have food for them. They make us soup. You used to call this shchi, the soup. And it was one-piece potato or two-pieces potatoes. They took the potatoes in the mouth and they smashed them out and they give a little baby to it. This was the food.
Were there a lot of children born in this camp?
No, I don't remember. I remember it with small children. But with born, I don't remember.
Did you have any days off during the week?
Sunday was the day off.
And what would you do on a typical Sunday?
With washing, the clothes. And doing what's need to do in, the cleaning, you see, it was four family in one room. You have to clean, you have to, you know, even that would be terrible.
So you kept very busy on a Sunday?
Yeah, it was... Well, they give us clothes. You know, we didn't have clothes to put on because wintertime, it's terrible cold. Summer times they give us pants and a shirt, like... In a jail, the same, you see. In the wintertime, they give us with cotton, you know. Warm, cotton in, it's this, you know, you don't freeze. Winter time was 45 below. If you went outside, your hair, you... How you call it? The hair in the brains, everything was white.
Did you work in the forest also in the wintertime?
Shoveling snow. We went very far. You cannot cut the trees wintertime. But not far. It was far, we was walking about 10 kilometers. It was very, very cold. The snow was a blizzard. You don't see each other. It's so hard to go. We go to shovel the snow. You see, we have so much we have to make. And if you work, you get, you know, wet. It's hot. And you were sleeping, they make a saw. 10 saw pallets. During the night, you were staying in this. In the morning, everything was frozen on you. In the second day, you have to go again and shovel the snow, make the, clean. So the train can go through.
Were your barracks heated? Where you slept? Were they heated?
Was there heat, yeah. In the middle was oven, we have in our room, an older man. He used to cut the tree and he used to heat the oven.
Did your diet ever change while you were in this camp?
The diet?
Did you ever get more food or less food at different times?
No, it was the same. We was very skinny. We don't need exercises, no diet.
Were the clothing that they issued you for the wintertime, did that keep you fairly warm when you were outside?
Yeah, it is warm and warm, you know. It's when you work outside, it's hot.
As time went by, did the Russians give you any news of what was going on with the war?
Yes, like I say, once in a month, Gestapo, NKVD not Gestapo, NKVD come and tell us what's going on in Poland. But we didn't believe them. Nobody believed in this. Because they want us to sign, we want to be communist.
Did they force you or force the people to sign this document?
They told us not to force. They told us, you sign and you'll be living very good in Russia. You're going to have everything.
Did many of the people sign?
No, nobody signed.
Did everyone want to go home after this?
Everybody wants to go home. You see, because it was terrible. It was nothing to eat. But summertime, it used to grow mushroom, strawberries, blueberries. We used to go and pick up some mushroom. It was a little bit easy summertime.
Did they allow you to do this?
Well, you have to be. It is best on a Sunday. Yeah, they didn't say nothing. But in the evening, every room, everybody's in the room. Nobody is missing. But anyway, where you can go? All the forest, forest, where do you go?
Were you watched very closely by the Russians?
Yeah, it was, like I say, a commandant was day and night with us. If you see something suspicion, he right away, come and see what's happened.
But you weren't injured by the Russians, were you?
No. No. No.
You were treated fairly well.
Yes, yes. Cannot say this, no.
When did you first start to realize that the war was actually coming to an end?
Well, we was liberated in 1944 or 1943, I don't remember. And they come, the NKVD, they come and say to us, you can go where you want, but only in Russia. No place else. You free. You can go where you wanted. So we want to go to where it's warm to Asia, you see. We went to the nearest train station. And we were sitting on the station, and we want to go to Asia, where it's warm. But people were coming from Asia and say, don't go. People are dying, big epidemic, nothing to eat, no place to sleep. And we saw a lot of, my parents, people what they know before the war. They say, don't go, don't go there. So we was renting, my father was renting a room. The room was maybe like the kitchen house. We were in the room, and we were staying there. So my father didn't want to go far. We go home pretty soon, we go home. So my sister started to work, and my father have a job too. And I went to school, and was there til '46.
This was in Russia also?
Yeah, in Talmenka.
Can you spell that for me?
Talmenka, T-A-L-M-E-K-A, Talmenka.
Now, how did your father, did he have some funds available to him that he could rent this room?
No, we don't pay for this. You don't pay for this. It was a lot of people came from all over, Jewish people, you know. It was a lot of barracks around, but we don't know where. You see, a lot of people came there. So we're staying til '46, and they send us home. Who wants to go?
What kind of work was your father doing?
He was watching some, he was doing something like, how is to say, he was making some, from wood something. They was making from wood, and they were afraid somebody can come and steal. It was a night watch. He was watching during the night.
And what kind of work was your sister doing?
She was working in the office. Oh, they wanted so bad. Used to come from Novosibirsk. You sign here. You be a big man here. You sign. You come with me to Novosibirsk. You can live there. Nobody sign.
Did you have ample food at this time?
Well, the food is not like here. The bread is not the same. But it was much easy. You can, you know, go to a store and buy something. The people was different there. And difference, then they was in, when in Moscow different, Novosibirsk, people are different. Different dress, too.
Did the people treat you very well?
Yes. There's no problem. It was very good. You don't go too much, you know, because you're not allowed to talk there. If you come to there, they give you to sit at the table and a spoon. You eat with us. It's very friendly. The people, not the government.
During this time, after you'd been released from this labor camp, were you able to practice the religion?
Well, the religion, no. No. The religion, no synagogues, no churches, there nothing. They usually don't, the young people don't know what this is. A Jew, not a Jew. They don't know the difference, the young people. The older they know what's happened. In 1930, what's happened, they remember this.
Did any of the refugees that were surrounding your area there, had they been hearing any rumors of what had happened in Europe during this time?
No, later, they sent us some papers. You see, they give us some papers. But anyway, we don't believe how this is true, what's happened in Poland. We didn't believe.
After this period, was this 1946 that you were able to leave this area?
Yeah, '46, we were able to leave.
Where did you go?
Breslau.
And that was formerly part of Poland?
Yeah, this used to belong to Germany, Breslau. In later, it belonged to Poland.
And what did you find when you got to Breslau?
We came to Breslau. We find the highest, I think, they give us a free room. I think so, I don't remember. And we was living there. My father came back, he was very sick. He couldn't get along with everything, with the work and with the meat. He can't, he didn't see meat the whole time he was there, with the food. He couldn't eat this.
How did you travel from Russia to Breslau?
With a train.
Was that a long trip?
Oh, yes, it was a long way. Back, we traveled to all the towns. We was in Novosibirsk, we was in Moscow, we stopped, Minsk we stopped, in the Kviv we stop, and all the big city we stop. So we can go where we wanted. They didn't watch us. But I don't remember how this was. I don't think we was paying for this, I don't remember.
Was this a different type of train than the train that took you to Siberia?
The same. The same, but we was allowed to go. If the train stopped, we was allowed to go in the town, if you want. A lot of people, you see, went away and later they came, the train went away. But they made it back.
And then when you crossed out of Russia, was this still an area that was occupied by Russia, Breslau?
No, later we went to Poznan.
This was after Breslau?
Yeah, this is, no, before Breslau. We went to Poznan with Polish, we were already in Poland. But the people is coming to the train and ask us, where are you hiding so many Jews here? And start to fight with the men. They start to fight. They say, where are you hiding for so long?
This was the Polish people?
Polish people. They didn't like having the Jews. They didn't know us, didn't know us who was in Russia, in Siberia. And later we went to Breslau.
How long did you stay in Poznan?
In Poznan?
Yes.
Well, they have to change the coal you put in the machine, you see. A few minutes, not too long.
And then when you arrived in Breslau, how were things?
How was things? Well, we went to, how was things? I don't remember how this was. Well, they give us apartment. And I don't think we was paying for this. This was, this used to belong to the Germans. I think we got this free.
Were you starting to learn at this time what happened to the Jewish people?
During the, you know, when we went back, they used to tell us all the Jews they killed, the Germans killed all the Jews. And when we came to Breslau, to Breslau, we hear what's happened.
Did you try to locate any family at this time?
Yes, it's everybody registered in the JC, you see. And I went to JC every day to look if I see somebody. And I went in my aunt, my mother's sister. She went through and I stop her. She didn't recognize me. I did recognize her. So I was so happy and she didn't recognize me. And I took her to home and was starting how this was, how this terrible was, but not so terrible like in Poland in Germany.
Where did she live during the war?
She was in Russia too. I don't remember where.
And how long did you spend here in Breslau?
In Breslau, we came in 1946 and we went to Israel in 1950.
How did you manage, how was your treatment during those years in Breslau?
Well, it was different. But you have the stores, you can buy what you wanted. It's a difference. It's a difference living. We never think something can change like this. It's a difference living.
What did you do? Did you go to school at this time?
I went to the school, yeah.
What school did you go attend?
What do you mean?
Did you, was it like a high school?
Yes.
And did you finish school?
Well, it's actually, yes, I I finished.
And was your father able to work at this time?
My father died in '48. He was very sick.
This was in Breslau?
In Breslau, yeah.
And your mother and you and your sister still remained together?
No, my sister, she got married. She married. She was separate.
Oh, she was married before?
She was married, the end when we was in Russia. Before we come home, she married in Russia.
And did her husband accompany her back?
Yeah.
Then the family immigrated to Israel?
And then we immigrated to, in 1950, I married and we went to Israel.
With your mother?
Mother and my husband.
And had your sister and her husband?
They went to Israel, but separate. They have a separate apartment.
How long were you in Israel then?
In Israel, I was 1950, '54.
And what did you do while you were in Israel?
What I do, I was, when my husband died, well we have to live from something, I went to work in laboratory. Where you take blood, you know, and I was a technician helping. And I used to go for six weeks in school to take a diploma. And they want to pay me because I have a baby. You see, this time I went away, they want to pay me. But I met Joe Bucheister, and I married. So he went home. He went to America before. I went, I think, a year and a half later.
Did you find any family when you were in Israel?
Yes, my mother have a big family in Israel.
Had they been in Israel prior to the war?
Before the war they went, yeah. Halutzim, before the war they went to Israel. A lot of cousins.
So you had the one son born in Israel?
Yes. When his father died, he was a baby. He didn't remember.
Then you came to the United States in what year?
'54 Before, I think, in November or September. I don't remember. No, September.
Who helped you go from Breslau to Israel?
Who helped me? Nobody helped me. I went with my son. I received papers, affidavit, and passport, and I went to America.
No, I mean, just when you first went to Israel, who helped you to go to Israel?
We already said, you see, want to go to Israel. Everybody who wants to go.
Was it the HIAS or the Joint that helped you do this?
This was the HIAS, I think.
Then when you came to the United States, where did you settle?
On 17th Street, in our apartment. Oh, it was awful. Very dirty.
Oh, you came from, when you came to the United States, did you arrived in what city?
In New York.
Did you spend any time there at all?
I have a friend there, and he helped me. He waited for me on the airport, and he took me to the restaurant and helped me to go to Omaha.
You came then directly to Omaha?
Yeah, I stopped in Chicago.
And your husband was waiting for you?
Yes.
And can you tell me about your life once you arrived in Omaha?
Well, we was living on 17th Street, in our apartment. Was awful dirty there. I expect something else in America. But we was living there till how long? Oh, about four years in this apartment, and later we bought the house here.
And you had two other children born in this country?
Yes. Anne and Pola.
They were born here in Omaha?
Yes.
And what kind of work did your husband do?
He's a butcher. He worked, he came, he worked by Glass. You remember maybe Glass on 24th Street? He used to work there. And later, he passed away, Glass, and his son left. So his son don't want to work there. He rented the store to Joe, to my husband. But it started to be very bad on 24th Street. Riots. And so he decided to move from there. It was on 4902 Hamilton.
And this was a kosher butcher shop?
Yes, and Delicatessen.
And you worked there how many years?
How many years from, oh, about 25 years or maybe more. I don't remember what year I think. '89 retired, my husband retired.
And are your children living in Omaha now?
No, my daughter, the youngest daughter, she lived in Omaha, and the two in New York, Westchester.
And what kind of an education did your children have?
Well my children, they have a good education. My son, he's a lawyer. He was two years in England in Oxford. And later, he went to Harvard Law School. And my daughter, she's a doctor.
Where did she attend medical school?
She was here in Omaha. And later, she went to New York, Birkin. I forgot how you call this. She graduated there.
And she practices medicine in New York?
Yeah, in Pleasantville.
And your younger daughter?
My younger daughter, she's here. She worked in courthouse.
What kind of work does she do?
She is small claims.
When you reflect back on the years, Mrs. Bucheister, the problems that you had, the difficulty in life, and moving from your place of birth to Siberia, and then back to Poland, and to Israel, and to the United States.
It's not so easy. Every place where you come, you difference. You don't know nothing. You have to get used to everything, because you lose everything.
What message would you leave for your children based upon your life's experiences?
What I would leave. I hope they don't go through what I went through. This I leave to them.
I want to thank you, Mrs. Bucheister, for allowing us to come into your home.
I thank you. It's a very, very bad experience. Very bad experience.
Well, thank you for sharing these moments in your life with us.
Thank you for coming.
Mrs. Bucheister, can you tell me who this photograph is of?
Yes, this is my mother. From the left side is my mother, and from the right, my aunt. This is taken 1914, or '16 years.
Did your aunt survive the war?
Yes, she was in Russia, but not together.
Can you tell me who this photograph is?
This is my mother, after the war.
And where was this photograph taken?
It was taken in Haifa.
This was after you had left Russia, and left Poland, and...
Yes, yes, in there.
Can you tell me who this is in this photograph?
Yes, in the left side, this I am. And the right side is my mother. This is taken in Breslau, after the war.
You look to be very happy in this picture.
Sure, because I am in a regular apartment. I sleep in a regular bed. And in Russia, I was sleeping on wood boards. It was terrible.
Can you tell me about this photograph?
Yeah, this is, I am, Freda here, and my husband, and my son, Arie. This was taken in '53.
And where was this taken?
In Haifa.
You all seem to be very happy here.
Yes, it was different.
Can you tell me about this photograph?
Yes, this was taken in Russia, in Talmenka. It was very cold, and I was dressed very warm.
Was this taken after the war ended?
Before the war ended, in Talmenka.
While you were still in the camp?
Yeah, we were still in Russia, not in the camp.
Can you tell me about this photograph?
This is my husband, Joe, and I am Freda here. This was taken in '84.
You both seem to be very happy.
Thank you.
Can you tell me about this photograph?
Yes, this is my children, but I love them very much. The oldest is Ari in the middle, and the right is Anne, and the youngest is Pola.
Pola lives in Omaha?
Pola lives in Omaha, yes.
And Arie and Anne?
They live in New York, Pleasantville.
Can you tell me whose wedding this is?
Yeah, this wedding is Pola's, my youngest daughter. And the right side is her husband, and I am there, and my husband. And the left side is her sister and her brother, Arie.
Can you tell me whose wedding this is?
Yeah, this is Anne's wedding. And the left side is her husband, Rob, and the right side, I am standing, my husband, Pola, and her brother, Arie, and Pola's husband, Mel. It's not good.
Can you tell me whose wedding this is?
This wedding is my son's, Arie. He's on the left side, and his wife is Louise. And the later is Mel and Pola, and I am standing there. My husband and my daughter and my son-in-law, Rob, and my grandchild, Daniela.
And Daniela's whose child?
Pola, Anne's. She was the first.
Mrs. Buchheister, can you identify these beautiful children for me?
The oldest one is Daniela, Benjamin the second, and Emily. This is Anne's and Rob's children. And now it's Zachary and Josh. This is Arie's and Louise's children. This is my grandchildren.
Are they three on the bottom left?
Yes, this is Anne's. Those are Anne's. Yes, and the two are Arie's.
Can you tell me about this photograph?
Yes, this was my husband's business.