Reflections after our visit

Despite from feeling exceedingly nervous about the interview, after Amanda and I walked into Sarah's beautiful home I felt at ease. She had pleasant energy. It was apparent she was willing to answer any of our questions so the uncomfortable idea of attempting to probe Sarah fell out of my mind. Amanda and I had planned to record Sarah with a video camera (which was my initial part) but it didn't feel right after sitting down in her dining room which she had set up with coffee and snacks and such. Video taping her would have been to impersonal. I'm glad we decided to document the interview by hand instead.

Sarah seemed like a strong woman. I thought her story was amazing and heart felt. It allowed me to actualize the Jew's situation in the Holocaust (which is something I honestly was trying to avoid up until this point because of how surreal and horrific the Germans treated them) from a survivor's personal stand point. Her demeanor stood out to me the most. Even when she was talking about the most extreme circumstances, she always seemed to purposefully want us to notice a positive outlook on the situation. For example, because she grew up on a farm she was very knowledgeable about plants and things in the country that were edible. On a death march (I believe her first) she would pick sorrel from the side of the road to eat (sorrel is similar to spinach). She said if I didn't grow up on a farm and know these things there was no way of knowing small but significant knowledge like that. Another time I thought it was ironic that she said "hilter was the matchmaker" because she met he husband in a displacement camp after the war. Her and her family would actually joke about that. I suppose it was interesting and comforting to see her smile and laugh about the past in such a way.

I was very curious throughout the interview of the turning point or a realization she had about her family, specifically how her parents and sister were murdered. When I asked her, I felt that was the most emotional part for me to take it and for her to articulate. It was when she was with a hosting family after her liberation that she realized she was an orphan. She saw this family and their children and basically broke down and cried uncontrollably. She was so young and to be put through all that is unreal. At that point her symptoms of typhus finally faded as she stopped laughing.

I also found it difficult to ask these sort of questions. Although considering she agreed to have the interview and is a grown woman now, maybe she has somewhat put the past away deep inside of her or is now willing to talk about it and tell her story. I know she has been writing her memoirs, but I also know she was never interviewed by students before.

The interview went extremely well. I thought it was adorable and comforting how she showed us her collectibles and pictures of her family and children. It's astonishing to me how life goes on. Sarah is an amazing individual and her outlook on life isn't so different from another common woman in my personal opinion. She adores her beautiful dresses and shoes. She wanted to live a good life, have a family, have nice things like many others.

The ONLY thing I would possibly wish would have turned out a little different, is the fact that we did the entire interview in one session. I would have rather have reflected on the questions and answers and come back to see her again. Overall though it was a great experience and opportunity to meet with her and be a part of this.