Ilya Magid
Editor Steven C Siegel

The Life of Olga Moshevna Vilgerman
(Jewish woman under German occupation)

1. Time before WAR
2. WAR
     2.1 Beginning of the WAR
     2.2 Surrounding, Concentration camp
     2.3 Life under Occupation
     2.4 Liberation
3. Time after WAR
     3.1 Result of WAR for OLga
     3.2 Returning to Ukraine
     3.3 Searches for Natasha
     3.4 Deportation for America

The Life of Olga Moshevna Vilgerman
(Jewish woman under German occupation)


1. Time before War
Olga Moshevna Vilgerman was born in 1918, in the town of Koresten, Gitomir province, Ukraine. Olga's family consisted of 7 people: father, mother, four sisters and one brother. The brother was the youngest in the family. Two sisters were older then Olga.

Their father was a building contractor. He also was a carpenter and built furniture. He remained without his father when he was 11 years old. His father also was a builder. He fell from a roof and died.

Olga's relatives went to the synagogue. After the revolution cheders and other religious offices were closed. Their children went to Russian schools.
Olga and her sisters helped her mother in the household. Olga said," I used to get to work all the time."

In 1937 Olga graduated from medical college and become a by paramedic and was directed to a job in the district center. Olga with her friend rented a room. Her future husband enrolled at the teacher's college and worked as a director of school. He and his mother visited Olga there. The mother told her son, "Marry Olga; she will wash your collar the same as I do." The husband told Olga about that later. At the age of 18 years Olga got married.

In 1939 the Soviet Union and Fascist Germany divided Poland. Olga was mobilized in the army. The people in Poland were surprised that Olga, a woman, was in the military. Olga also was surprised how many things there were in shops, which can be bought. They were cheap if you bought them with Soviet money; Olga remembered how her sister, a medical college student, pressed her only dress and almost sat herself on fire.

After those events her husband was also drafted in to the Army. Olga's aunt's husband was a military leader in a special department of a division in Samarkand (Middle Asia). He transferred Olga's husband and one hundred other soldiers to Middle Asia in the Kushka region (Southern border of the Soviet Union).

Olga received permission from the military registration office to move to Samarkand, where her husband served. The leader of the registration office told her, "Cure my foot, then I will help you".

2. WAR

2.1 Beginning of the WAR

Olga's and her husband lived in Samarkand, Middle Asia, where Olga's husband was in the military service.

His military division was directed to the training camp. Olga decided to visit her relative in Ukraine. On the way from Samarkand to Ukraine Olga heard about the war with Germany (speech of Molotov).

The whole town of Korosten was destroyed. Olga's brother, after enrolling in school, was directed to the artillery college in Odessa. Olga's father had a operation of a hernia and was not drafted with the Army. The mother with Olga's sisters and her families saved themselves in their cellar. (Two other sisters with their husbands and families were evacuated to Siberia, town Votcina together with other workers from plant Arcenal, Kiev.) Olga stayed on the Military record in Koresten because she was a reservist. She convinced her mother to evacuate, she heard about the problem of Jews with Germans. Her mother said, "I would evacuate if you also evacuate."

Later Olga dismissed in the military services. She and her family with much difficulty boarded railroad cattle cars. On the way they changed trains and went to Samarkand in Middle Asia.

Olga with her big family arrived in Samarkand. Their family received only one room for all. At that time the military division of her husband was sent to Iran. Olga stayed for military registration. In Samarkand Olga worked in the hospital for blind soldiers.

Later Olga was recalled to the Army. In Samarkand a division formed for the front. Olga, a lieutenant in medical services, served at a field hospital. Olga was friendly with a surgeon, Natasha, and a military medical paramedic Nina.

Olga was responsible for the health of the soldiers in the field mobile bakery, Intelligence Company, and chemical company -all 300 soldiers. Nina was also responsible for soldiers of the communication battalion- all 300 soldiers of those. Their duty was also the provide food for the soldiers.

There was one case. Olga and Nina arrived at the warehouse for receiving medication for the division preparing to go the front. Olga was given a wagon with a driver to deliver medication to Olga's first aid post. Nina did not prepare for a driver. Olga suggested that her driver take Nina's medication. Nina objected, "Lets take Olga's medication first." Olga said, "The driver would not return for Nina's medication, but Olga's medication he had to take".

In the beginning the 1942 the military division boarded a cattle cars on a train and was directed to the city of Kharkov. After arriving they were directed by foot, by wagons, by buses. They took the attacks.

2.2 Surrounding, Concentration Camp

2.2.1 Surrounding

In May 1942 Olga's division, among other divisions, got into trouble. It was surrounded. One soldier told another about that (the Barovicovski caldron). When that happened, Olga jumped out of the bus without her coat, but took her syringe and morphine. She said, "I want to die, I did not think about relatives, and anything else. I did not want to go Germany mocked me." Olga did not have a pistol, because she was not trained to shoot. Olga stood aside. There was trench. She located herself there; she wanted to take on injection of morphine. A German appeared to shout, "Russian go to the shaft."

2.2.2 Formation of File of Prisoners

The Germans took everything including towels. They took shoes from Olga. Ahead in the line of prisoner Olga saw doctor Timofeev. Olga cried, "Doctor Timofeev, kill me. I don't want the Germans to harries me.". He answered, "Stop go around the bend". One of the prisoners (maybe an officer) from the file of prisoners ran to Olga and tore off her insignia from her blouse, opened her belt to which a map case was attached and opened her shoulder bag. It fell to the ground.

Olga understood that the soldier's ticket, with her family, name and nationality, Olga Moshevna Vilgerman, Jewish, was lost. Olga decided to create her own legend, "I lost my soldier's book. My name is Olga Nicolaevna Vasuk, nationality Ukrainian, from Kiev."

Wounded prisoners groaned; The Germans killed them. Olga did not have a coat. When it got dark she took off a muddy jersey from a dead soldier.

2.2.3 Moving to Concentration Camp

On the way to the concentration camp the file of prisoners was divided in two files. The women's file was first, men filed later. About the fate of men Olga knew nothing. If somebody fell behind a German beat hirer with a wipe. Olga remembered, "We went across the river on the bridge. Facists stayed in the both sides of the bridge wits whips and beat them. Olga had scars on her back for one month.

Later they introduced them to eating in a barn. There was one prisoner, may be a Jew; she had pains on the face, waiting for death. A German came, "Who is Judah? We made fun of one Jewish person and then to kill her."

One anti-Semite sat close to Olga. She told Olga, "You are a kike." Olga was resourceful, she said, "I am glad, I am healthy. I did not go on the front. I could not be an invalid. I have arms and eyes. I have all." She did not report to the Germans. (That was a big responsibility, She did not like a Jew but maybe she is Ukrainian, took sin on her soul.) Eating was boiled wheat, containing more salt then wheat. Olga said, "They want to show they fed us".

When we neared the town of Lozovaja, people from both sides of the street cried, "There are many kikes, kill them".

2.2.4 Concentration Camp
The concentration camp was located on the territory of a former mill surrounded by high fence. In the concentration camp they called the prisoners to the commandant's office. Natasha and Nina did not have a problem. They had a soldier's book, which indicated they are Russian, as they marked in their applications. Olga wrote they lost heir documents, which provided her last name, first name and father's name. She was Vasuk Olga Nicolaevna and also her nationality was Ukrainian, from Kiev. Natasha and Nina were directed to one place, Olga to another place.

The Germans released some women. They gave them some documents, which indicated a destination place. The destination had to be reached within one month. If the document showed that they arrived later, the burgomaster had to send them under escort to a concentration camp.

The former sergeant major of the prisoners became the German police in the camp. Olga thought that he knew that she was Jewish. He had a conversation with Olga, "Are you a kike? No, I am Ukrainian. Maybe you are Armenian?" A few times Olga was called to the commandant's office. Once she spoke with two Germans. They spoke about a kike in German Language, what they did with kikes. Jews and Germans have similar languages. Olga sat close and made believe that she understood nothing.

Natasha and Nina received documents. Natasha went to inquire at the office, "Why didn't Olga received documents?" She was Russian and she is not afraid. There was a policeman, sergeant major. He asked Olga, "Do you know Ukrainian?" Olga answered in clean Ukrainian language, "Certainly." The policeman gave a wide smile. (That was before; town people threw sunflower seeds across a fence. Olga collected them and put them into the pocket of the policeman, as that was a time of hunger.) In the office some person on the tables wrote documents. Olga was given the documents. She was in the concentration camp about two weeks

2.3 Life under occupation

2.3.1 Moving on the roads
Natasha, Nina and Olga left the concentration camp together. Natasha and Nina asked to live in one house, Olga-in another house. (If Olga had been disclosed all would be killed.) In the house, where Olga went there was a girl, age 14. Olga suggested the girl to exchange her soldier's shorts for the girl's cotton blouse. The girl consented with happiness. On the road documents were checked all the time. (During 1.5 yeas of occupation Olga could not change her blouse and she developed lice.) They stayed overnight and they went on a crusade.

They traveled with no idea of what was in their future. They moved from one village to another village. Somebody gave them food and a place to stay overnight. They formed their way to Kharkov, were Nina had relatives.

2.3.2 Visit in Kharkov

After much adventure they arrived in Kharkov. There was famine. Many dead people lay on the street. They approached a small isolated home, where Nina's relatives lived. They were absent. Nina took the key from a secret place. They decided: Olga had to wait at the house; Natasha and Nina would go to buy food and shoes for Olga. (Natasha and Nina had some shoes on their feet.) Olga decided to leave the house to sit in the sun. The neighbor saw her and said, "You have nice hair, as a kike".

Natasha and Nina returned from the Haymarket. They bought a piece of bread. They gave to Olga a double portion of bread. They had a conversation. Olga, "Why?" Natasha, "You need more." They bought Olga canvas boots. Somebody stole other money from them; the money was grabbed from their hands.

They decided: it was necessary to continue their adventure

2.3.3. The attempt to go to the Soviet side

They attempted to go to the Soviet side. They went to the ferry. The guard asked Olga, "What is your nationality?" Olga said of course "Ukrainian". Then he said, "I do not have a boat right now". They left. (The guard checked so the Jewish could not go to the Soviet side).

2.3.4 Parting with Nina

Nina had a daughter, age 5, in the town of Lebedin, Sumskoi province. Natasha and Olga decided to dismiss Nina.

2.3.5 Moving on the road in the direction of the front

Natasha and Olga decided to move in the opposite direction.
They were going by one village Osevka where Olga was known. Olga said, "Before our military unit passed that village, I stayed in a home with its hostess. I told her about my nationality. That family arrived here from Kharkov, where there was famine. (Maybe the Germans gave land to them.) She was very kind". Olga did not recognize her especially. She passed by. (Who knew in which frame of mind she was in right now?) Her daughter was running, "Why are you not ashamed, why didn't you speak to my mother?" Natasha stayed in one house, Olga -in hostess' house. Olga and the daughter stayed at night in one room. She didn't let Olga sleep. She said, "We make you a Ukrainian passport, the same as you need." Olga refused to stay in the hostess's house. The hostage brought them a loaf of bread when they left.

2.3.6 Parting with Natasha

Olga thought, "I am guilty. I will perish. Why should Natasha have to perish? She is such a good person". Olga decided to send her home (moving across to front). She said, "Natasha, You have golden arms. You will get across the river, and you will operate on our wounded soldiers. I will go to one side, you will go to the other." Natasha cried, "What will I do to you? You will perish." Olga quickly hid, and saved herself under the trees. Natasha left.

Olga traveled by road together with her friends for 2-3 weeks and then continued to walk alone.

2.3.7 Meeting with the owner of a private clinic

It was Sunday. Olga saw a private clinic on the road. A Ukrainian opened it. Olga said to him, "I am hungry, I want to work. I want reach home in Kiev." The owner told the nurse, to permit Olga to take a bath. Olga washed her clothes, and dressed herself. At the dinner, the owner spoke only about Jews. He read the newspaper 'Kike-bolshevist power'. He told how much he squealed on the kikes and said Stalin and Lenin were kikes. The owner was providing her dinner, and suggested Olga have vodka. Olga refused. The owner said, "You are not Olga but you are Sara". Olga was very quick and said, "You feed me and also give me vodka. The look is enough." The owner said to her, "Go to Kiev".

2.3.8 Hotel

Olga went to the district center, where there was hotel. (The hostage of an apartment organized a 'hotel' in her own apartment.) It was a holiday. On the street there were many Germans. Olga asked to stay overnight but she did not have money. The hostage agreed to give her bed free. Men and women were placed in one room. There were two persons, Olga and a doctor. Olga asked him, "Where could I work?" He said, that there are 'sovchos' (state farms). Then he became offensive to her and Olga said, "Shame on you. You are a doctor". She was so dirty. He left out.

2.3.9 State farm
Olga went to a state farm (Germans did not change the structure of the Soviet state farm). She was enrolled in a job. The state farm was located in the village of Tagannik, Poltavski region. There was a beet plantation.

The manager of the state farm was Peter Kirilovich (strong anti-Semite). His substitute was Ivan Petrovich. They obeyed the Germans. Peter Kirilovich all the time walked with a whip. As Germans advanced Peter Kirilovich said, "Where will kikes run?" They had an office, where the Germans also came.

About 30 people worked on the state farm, mostly women. They were paid little money. The women lived in one room. (May be the men lived another similar place.) There were soldiers' metal beds. A mattress and pillow were filled with hay. There was also a light blanket. In the center of the room there was a stove. A pot of boiled water was on the stove. Everyone had many lice. When Olga did laundry, she covered herself with a blanket, washed the clothes, waited some time, and then dressed herself again.

Olga met three Jews there. (If somebody knew that they would pay with their lives).

One was a polish Jew, a barber. When they were together alone, she spoke one Jewish word. Olga answered, "We are friends under misfortune". She was in the ghetto on a 'cold hill' of Kharkov. (That was the same as Babi Yar in Kiev). There they killed Jews on the line; her line was tomorrow. She had gold and jewelry. She promised to give it all to the guard, if he would leave her alone. He rebelled her. When she went on the road, she entered a 'Village Soviet'. She had equipment for haircuts and shaves. She said, "Write me documents, I will give you a haircut". In the state farm she gave haircuts and shaves to all people, even Germans. She wore long dresses as a polish woman.

There was Shura, a Jew, and Olga's friend. She had a Russian husband, who was on the front line. Her children lived with her mother-in-law in Kharkov. The children were told that their mother was injured in a fire. Shura secretly left during the night to see several of her children.

There was lame Luda. When they were controlled by the Soviet Army Luda told them that she is a Jew.

On the job they were divided into groups of 4 people. Each group had a guard. The guards did not work. The job ended at sunbow. All workers dug holles where they took the collected bags of beets.

Very early before their job (they had lunch once a day) they gave each worker 50 grams of bread and desalted soup, with a small amount of millet.

They worked in the field well otherwise there was suspicion. Olga worked in the field and she did not fall behind the other people. She was hot. There was also one other woman (maybe a Jew). She warmed one arm in her blouse and worked with the other arm. She was taken to the commandant.

In the spring in the field there were the sweet beets. Olga and the other women never took any. If somebody took them they would be sent to the office of the commandant. Nobody came back from there.

Sofia Ivanovna, a gardener, said, "War is bad, but it is good if kikes are killed."

Once they were sent to work at the kitchen garden of Ivan Petrovich. His wife made pelmeni. They ran to eat like animals. Ivan Petrovich suggested to Olga that they become friends. Olga answered, "Your wife will break my legs". Their daughter sewed Olga's clothes shoos. In state farm Olga had frostbitten the toes of a foot.

Once Olga delivered got a baby. The parents presented her with torn stockings. She had a problem how to fasten them. The baby was from group of 20 people whom the Germans drove deep Ukraine. Other case, Olga guarded wheat at night. She was asleep. The manager Peter Kirilovich kicked her in the stomach with his boots.

2.4 The liberation from the Germans

2.4.1 First time after the liberation

At last the Soviet Army freed the people. One-woman soldier gave Olga a skirt. Peter Kirilovich improved his relationship with the workers. They could eat more potatoes and beets from the plantation.

Shura stayed at work longer. Olga got on the military registration under last name. All military that worked with Germany went to prison. Olga tore up her own documents. (Otherwise, Olga would have received money from Germany.) In Kharkov, Olga bought sandals from all the money she made.

2.4.2. To return home

Without documents, without money, Olga went to the station. She explained to the stationmaster about her situation. He said to her, "Go to the barn". Olga saw that he tried to follow her secretly as a thief. Olga ran away. She reached home (Middle East) in a very long time, without a ticket. She located an upper shelf on the train, where there was baggage. She took off her torn elothery and was put in prison in the railway station. After 1 or 2 weeks on the road she stopped in the town of Tozki, Chkalov region, where her evacuated aunt with her family lived. The aunt helped Olga to get rid of her lice, and gave her some dresses.

2.4.3 Meeting with family
Olga was an officer. Olga left her attestat to her mother*
*Relatives of officers (not soldiers) could receive the officers' entitlement to the officers' wages). Those families received those wages each month and maybe additional food.
____________________________________________________
For the first 7 months, the military office helped their family, and then it was presumed that Olga died and they stopped helping Olga's family. The mother had become hysterical. The mothers never dreamed toss her daughter. The mother said, "You said that you starved, but I could not see it from you."

Shura mailed a letter to Olga, that Peter Kirilovich and Ivan Petrovich were arrested.

3. Time after WAR

3.1 Result of WAR for Olga
Olga's husband perished in East Prussia in 1944. Olga became a widow. Olga's brother received two wounds. He is an invalid of the second group. Right now he lives in Israel. Olga's mother's brother lost four sons. He had a hard attack. Some of Olga's relatives perished in Babi yar. Olga and her relatives returned to Kiev

3.2 Returning to Ukraine
Olga's father and mother returned back to the town of Koresten. Her father was a builder and was directed to work in Kiev. Her father and mother received an apartment in Kiev, where they were registered. But the officials did not want to register their daughter, Olga, in that apartment. She was persecuted and couldn't live in that apartment. Nobody could help her. The director of the town passport office shouted, "Return to Tashkent". A miracle helped her registration.

Olga's mother died right after the war. Her father died in 1976.

3.3 Searches for Natasha
Olga found Natasha after 17 years. Natasha first lived in Samarkand. Olga wrote in the newspaper in Samarkand. A youth search party helped to find her. (The search party consisted of students of a school helping to find lost soldiers.) She moved to the city of Rostov.

A line from Olga's letter; "It is a surprise for you that I am alive. You helped me receive documents and protected me," I don't have words to tell you how I am grateful to you……..
My address in Kiev…..
Olga Vildeerman
Lieutenant in Medical Services

Some words from Natasha's letter, "When you left I lost courage. I searched for you one day. Then I went to our soldiers, SMERCh investigated me. I had many problems. At last I was taken into the army. After being wounded, I became deaf in one ear. I have a 5-year-old daughter".

3.3 Deportation to America
Olga's mother's sister arrived in America in 1924. Olga wrote a letter to her. At that time her mother's sister died. She had only two cousins. They helped Olga, her sister and their families to arrive in America in1991. They arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana. After some time the plant of her sister's daughter moved to Boston. Olga's sister registered Olga for subsidized housing in Boston. Later she received an apartment and moved to Boston. Olga's sister called and visited her. Olga lives in our subsidized building. Here Olga is an active person. She is a member of a veteran's association, a member of the housing committee and helps other people.

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