We could take only the greatest of necessities, because we would find everything in
the ghetto, they said. Of baggage we could take 50 kilograms per person and hand
baggage. We were skeptical about [keeping] the big luggage, but believed our light
baggage to be safe since we were with it. We never saw either again. We kept only
what we carried.
Many SS men stood in the Riga railroad station. There was terrible weather that day,
ice covered everything and one could hardly stand up. Near the station were busses
for the old and sick. Our mother took it. We did not know yet how dangerous this
was since we had not recognized the perfidy of these criminals. The vehicles still
drove to the ghetto since the ditches for the mass graves were not yet ready. Our men
had to dig those later and were forced to keep silent about it.
Our flock of about one thousand people marched for maybe two hours to the ghetto.
Many threw away their belongings as it became too heavy to bear.
Deportation to Salaspils
Approximately half an hour before we reached the ghetto the order came that all
men 17 to 45 years of age should stand to the side. Our transport leader, Dan
Blaettner of Kassel, announced on behalf of the commander that they would go ahead
to another camp in order to build it. In about eight days the rest of us would follow.
Thus many families were torn apart. The men went to death camp Salaspils, which
became notorious.
Deportation to Riga and Salaspils