Tag #132605 - Interview #78074 (hanna ferber)

I entered a Jewish Gymnasium named after Ice Rauhvarger. Why did I go to this school? Because the subjects were taught in Latvian. But in Jelgava all subjects were taught in German. Hence, my first language was German. In 1938 I graduated from Rauhvarger's school and entered the English College. The English College at that time was a higher education institution. We acquired rather good English at that school. I didn't have to take additional lessons in English, but took the entrance examinations at once. Today, the school is a secondary education institution. At that time I spoke English fluently, I even thought in English. We had wonderful teachers at the college - they were all English - and they taught the language fantastically well. Twice a year, at Christmas and for summer vacations, they went to England. They all married local girls. At the College we only spoke English. We even had a punishment system for non- English words uttered at school. I studied there for three years, passed the third year examination, and then the war started.