Tag #146571 - Interview #78019 (Rita Kazhdan)

On 22nd June 1941 the Great Patriotic War [8] broke out. My parents were working on the 22nd, when the war was announced. It was a Sunday. Everybody was shocked and panic-stricken, but no one believed it was true. On 24th June they [the Germans] began bombing Minsk from early morning. My parents didn't believe that they were bombing Minsk. They decided it was an alarm practice. My parents left for work. I remained at home with the housemaid. At 12 o'clock mother came running from work. When the massive bombardment of Minsk city was launched we went downstairs with the housemaid and my brother into the air-raid shelter.