Selected text
In Harbin, I was a member of the Zionist youth organization Betar. It
prepared the youth for the future Jewish State. The state didn't exist yet,
and the activists of the Zionist movement did not expect an easy life in
Israel. That's why they grew strong, healthy youth. Boys were engaged in
boxing, wrestling and jujitsu. For girls, it was gymnastics, track and
field athletics, games. We had a uniform: a brown skirt (or trousers) and
shirt, yellow tie and a field cup with a menorah on it. When we met, we
sang the anthem of Israel, "Hatikvah," and other songs in Hebrew. Many
members of Betar then left for Palestine.
In 1933 or 1934, there was a procession for some Japanese holiday in
Harbin. A column of marchers from Betar went near a column of fascists -
black shirts. The Zionists carried a white and blue flag with the "Magen
David," and the fascists carried a flag with a black swastika. And all sang
the Japanese anthem in Japanese. At that time, we did not know yet what
fascism was, but the first understanding came very soon. In the house next
to us there was a German family. I was friendly with their son Erich. He
was also a member of a children's organization, but a fascist one. He told
me that they sang songs, too, played sports and wore uniforms. He spent one
summer in the children's fascist camp, and when he returned he told me that
I could not even approach him because I was a Jew and he was Aryan, the
representative of a supreme race. Then he said Jews did not have any right
to exist at all. I felt insulted and terrible.
prepared the youth for the future Jewish State. The state didn't exist yet,
and the activists of the Zionist movement did not expect an easy life in
Israel. That's why they grew strong, healthy youth. Boys were engaged in
boxing, wrestling and jujitsu. For girls, it was gymnastics, track and
field athletics, games. We had a uniform: a brown skirt (or trousers) and
shirt, yellow tie and a field cup with a menorah on it. When we met, we
sang the anthem of Israel, "Hatikvah," and other songs in Hebrew. Many
members of Betar then left for Palestine.
In 1933 or 1934, there was a procession for some Japanese holiday in
Harbin. A column of marchers from Betar went near a column of fascists -
black shirts. The Zionists carried a white and blue flag with the "Magen
David," and the fascists carried a flag with a black swastika. And all sang
the Japanese anthem in Japanese. At that time, we did not know yet what
fascism was, but the first understanding came very soon. In the house next
to us there was a German family. I was friendly with their son Erich. He
was also a member of a children's organization, but a fascist one. He told
me that they sang songs, too, played sports and wore uniforms. He spent one
summer in the children's fascist camp, and when he returned he told me that
I could not even approach him because I was a Jew and he was Aryan, the
representative of a supreme race. Then he said Jews did not have any right
to exist at all. I felt insulted and terrible.
Period
Location
Harbin
China
Interview
sarah zauer