The last week of summer vacations 1939 seemed somewhat blissful
and tense in the same time.  As every Sunday people in the little
Town of Dobczyce (dobcheetza) gathered on the market square
preparing for the twelve o'clock mass.

The Town is located in the southern Poland about 20 miles south
from the City of Krakow.  For centuries the Raba river has woven
its path at the feet of the rolling hill, wrapping around the
base like a wonderful glittering in the sun ribbon.

On top of the hill the ruins of the medieval castle overlook the
valley bringing thoughts of the medieval times with the poetic
romanticism so typical of such images.  Another hill is crowned
by, slender trees surrounding a small baroque church, full of
mystery and ghost like quality.

Soon this mystery was going to be shattered by horrific events.  
The trees, birds and flowers could not even foresee what they
were going to witness in a short number of days, hours…

Dobczyce is spread out also at the feet of the two hills along
the fork like Main street.  This street is continuing from the
main route out of Krakow towards the eastern Poland.

At the base of the fork configuration towering above small red
tile roofed homes stands dominant structure of the new church,
frequented by the devout parishioners.

About a block north west from the Main Street next to the High
School, another building stood proudly.  A building, which was
also respected by inhabitants and frequented by parishioners.

The Synagogue.

You may wonder why the Synagogue was built away from the Main
street.  You need to picture a tiny town at the foothill, a town
which grew as the population grew with it through the centuries
(since the year 980 AD) so anything that was built was just added
to the existing fabric.

Walking through the streets towards the hills you have to cross
two cemeteries sprawling on swatches of the northern slopes of
the hills.  This way the saints of the relatives could watch over
the Town's people. Ddid they ever knw, they would need this
watching more than ever?

This day was really nice, sunny, the flowers in adjacent to the
street gardens looked magnificent and poked above not well
groomed grass, with bees hovering over the petals making the day
alive and happy.

More and more people begun assembling in front of the church.  
It was almost noon.  Men would stand together discussing summer
crops, new radio set installation in the church and the sense of
German /Polish relations getting worse every day.

Women dressed modestly but nicely.  It was a special Sunday
occasion for all folks to dress up, be festive and respectful of
the church.  Many women stood together and talked vigorously
about last weeks events, new fashions they saw in the Saturday
paper, children, husbands, mothers, new weddings and the new
born.

Children, as children were either calmly waiting in the shadows
of their elders or tried to be just children, pulling friend's
hair or poking the finger into someone's arm. Through all this

Through this colorful mass strolled Mr. Minzer's family. A
husband and wife with their two children. All the people walked
slowly relaxing conversing, exchanging greetings with friends in
the gathered crowd.

"Hello Mr. Minzer how was your week?"  "Fine, fine and how is
your elderly mother Mr. Radosh? Does she feel better?"

The Town was a microcosm of the Polish multi ethnic society in
the pre-war times, About 10% of all Dobczytzans were Jews. The
Ukrainians were probably about 1%, Germans about 2% The rest were
Poles.  The town had about 4000 inhabitants.

Mr. Minzer owned a prosperous leather manufacturing factory.  
His children attended last years of grade school.  The Minzers
were respected and liked by the Dobczyce population.  Mila
Minzer, a beautiful bubbly 12 year old often hung out with 12
year old Stashka (who many years later became my Mom).  Both
girls liked to pick flowers and study together in the gardens of
either family.  The little daughter of Mr. Minzer ran forward to
talk to her girlfriends. There was a lot of giggling and chirping,
like sparrows.

The Minzers were like many of the Polish Jews part of the 36
million population country.  A country which rose in 1919 from
rubbles and 150 years oppression and non-existence.

At the entrance to the Town stood a tiny news stand building.  
This building was owned by Mr. Frink, a German minority member
and a closet communist.  Mr Bugno and his wife, members of the
small Ukrainian minority in town marched by in silence, staight
towards the church. The last of the people had begun entering the
church. The last one was Mr. Stefan Stoch, a first world war
veteran, stricken by syphilis he contracted during that war, and
grotesquely slouching towards the monastery.  People looked with
disgust at him.  Those were the days before the penicillin.

After Mass people disbursed quickly to their homes for lunch.  
Some of the farmers remained in town plaza at the bar to have a
"strong one", a shot of vodka.

The days peaceful atmosphere was interrupted by the small
military unit of the Polish army darting through town towards the
City of Krakow.  Their vehicles did not stop in Town, they just
flew past the folks with stern faces.

Olek Rapacz watched the troops' fast paced drive with an uneasy
feeling. Something was brewing in the air but what?

The Rapacz family had a small restaurant at the Main street fork
area, with the small inn upstairs.  Janina (yaneena) Chorabik,
the older sister of Olek Rapacz, a young le mother of two run the
Business.

Janina's husband left for America in 1930 and she was going to
follow a year later... It never happened for her, The husband
died in unknown circumstances.  Janina was left alone with two
kids.

She had no choice but get to work.  For several years she worked
in the college as a secretary in Warsaw where she lived with her
cousin Jasia.

In 1937 Jamina returned to Dobczyce to take care of her elderly
Mother who till than took care of Janina's children, Stashka and
Mietek.  From her savings and helped by her two brothers Julio
and Olek she bought the Inn and the restaurant.  By the 1939 the
Inn was surviving and there was a light in the tunnel.

The entire last week of the August 1939 was as normal as a week
is anywhere.  The mothers prepare children for the new school
year starting in September 1st and children trying to enjoy the
last moments of free time away from books and discipline of the
school.

Among the towns youth there was a curiosity, an American boy of
about 17 visiting his relatives, planning to take the
transatlantic boat ride in mid September 1939. His interesting
American accent while speaking polish, intrigued friends of
Stashka.  Her cousin was a vivacious young man who joked a lot
and was known by almost all folks in town.  He stayed with his
mother's sister and her family.

The 31st of August came......

The night seemed peaceful. Children were ready to go to school.
Mr Minzer as every day, prepared the work schedule of his leather
factory.  He had to get up early on the first of September to pay
his workers and receive chemicals to continue the work.  He
planned to get up early and walk about 15 minutes to his factory
to open it, do the books and write letters of request to the
customers.  Somehow he could not sleep.  He kissed Mila and her
brother.  Looked at his children with love and tried to catch
some sleep before a very busy day.

Around 4 am Mr. Minzer got up, had some light snack washed off
the night sleep with a cold water and left quietly for his
beloved factory. He walked along the hill, the cemetery and the
small forest.  Than he turned to his factory at the other side of
the castle hill.

It was a good place.  He loved the Town and his work.  Mr. Minzer
turned on the radio and begun working on the payroll. The soft
music was suddenly interrupted by the emergency report:

	"THE BORDER OF OUR COUNTRY HAVE BEEN INVADED BY THE
         GERMAN FORCES.
	
	PLEASE REMAIN CALM.

	MAY GOD BE WITH YOU."
	
Mr. Minzer could not believe this. He turned the radio off.  In
the far he could hear a sound of airplanes. What to do now?

The roar of the airplanes became louder and suddenly a loud
whistling turned to explosions!!!

Mr Minzer ran out of his establishment...... and ran towards