A letter

The letter from Halina Altman to Emilia Ratz, written in Grochów, where she occupied a flat in Grochowska Street. From the contents: There is a battle for Warsaw. Praga has been occupied for several days. Strange feelings come over a man when he is just a step away from this martyr city which has been fighting for 7 weeks. Warsaw has been left in ruins, in its streets soldiers of the Underground Polish Army, the Home Army and the People's Army are fighting side by side together with our infantry [i.e. soldiers of the 1st Army of the Polish Army, general Zygmunt Berling, from the landing in mid-September]. [...] What a pity that you are so far away and do not feel, do not experience what I am experiencing. | Imagine I come to Genk's [Zadrzyński's] flat [...] and I meet some lady in civilian clothes, an elegant blonde. I recognised her immediately - it was Irka Szenberg. She is one of the few citizens of our origin who survived. She stayed in Warsaw until September 42 in the ghetto, from which she left, changed her name and appearance and worked in the underground. The following sentences most probably refer to Mieczysław Endler, who, as it turned out (see general note to the archival team), nevertheless survived the war: She told me a lot of interesting and how terrible things. You know, I am surprised at myself. I was sure that Mietek was dead, I had no doubts about it, and yet when an eye-witness confirmed it to me, it strangely hit me. But maybe, deep down, I had some hope... | Until she left the ghetto, Irka saw Mietek very often. They worked together in the organisation (Polish Workers' Party). Mietek worked in some tricot [leotard?] factory, apart from that he attended medical courses (University). The education system in Warsaw worked, and higher education too, there was a Polytechnic, a University, etc. Irka has not seen Mietek since he left the ghetto and it is clear that he was killed during the liquidation. She also told me about your parents. She was in constant contact with them. They did very well, they were very rich. In the year 41 your father searched for you by all means, he advertised in the newspapers, sent special people to Lvov and so on. When Irka told him that you had probably left Lwów for the east, he became very worried: What will she do wandering around with strangers if she could live at home, in prosperity. You know how that prosperity turned out. | Actually, I have known about all that Irka told for a long time, but I am still impressed by her stories.