Memories from the Abyss

Chapter 1: UNDER THE FIRST SOVIET OCCUPATION

The city of  Stanisławów

   

Summary

William Tannezapf was a man who lived in Poland at the time of German and Soviet occupation. He lived in the city of Stanislawow, but went to different places in order to hide from the Nazis. In the year 1939 the Soviet troops entered Stanislawow where William was an unemployed engineer. He was A Revisionist Zionist. William was scared that if the Soviets found out that he was associated with the Zionists that they might harm him. His mother got him a job at a Radio Station as technical manager. William did a great job at his Station that the managers wanted him to be a part of a Communist Party, but he found a way to get out of that. In the year 1941, Charlotte (Williams’s wife) gave birth to a beautiful child named Renate. William had to get things in the black market in order to sustain his family. A man named Kezner who was a Soviet Agent Provacteur could have ratted William out if he said he was going to the Memorial Service but thank god he didn’t say so. May Day was a big holiday for the Soviets and the Soviet general manager would award bonuses for the top power station performer. Despite the fact that William was a hard worker, he wasn’t awarded the bonus because the Soviets found out he was a part of the Zionist Party before the War. His manager gave him a larger bonus a couple of days later because he was a nice guy and knew he worked hard. His wife’s brother’s appeared not too friendly with William because they were Communists. The Nazis were invading parts of Russia and William and his family had to escape Stanislawow. William wanted to flee to the east with his co-workers, having to be torn apart from his wife and child who were fleeing with Charlotte’s brothers. Half way into leaving from his family, he turned back and reunited with them because he could not abandon them.

Reflection

The start of this memoir really touched my heart. There was already discrimination against the Jews before the Germans invaded. Jews were not allowed to study in certain programs at Universities and some Jews would be prosecuted for attending a Memorial Service. This reminds me of modern day Racism against people of the Islamic background, they are discriminated against on the low key. When it comes to obtaining a job position or being accepted into a University Racism exists. This racism is clearly based on terrorists who come from Islamic backgrounds.

This also reminds me of ageism in Canada. Children are citizens like anyone else in Canada, but when it comes to being in a line or asking for assistance the adults are the priority.

 As heard in the summary, William was not awarded the promotion because he was a Zionist. This proves that discrimination against the Jews went on before the second world war. Therefore, anti-Semitism was alive in Russia. Communism was also very popular in Russia. William’s wife (Charlotte) had brothers that didn't like William which reinforces the fact that in Russia, Communism was only accepted. It really touched my heart that William had to leave his hometown in a short amount of time to escape from the Nazis. It must of been extremely hard to adapt to new living conditions.