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15 October 2014
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Earliest childhood memories all linked to war

by molnard

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Contributed by 
molnard
People in story: 
Thomas Molnard
Location of story: 
Szolnok, Hungary, 1944
Article ID: 
A1959726
Contributed on: 
03 November 2003

My five earliest memories are all linked to the war. I was four years old in June 1944 and lived in Szolnok, Hungary:
1/ The first human(?) words I remember are those of the speakerine of the radio, saying: szeged szolnok (two cities in Hungary)in danger (of being bombed, by the allies). I was crying as we went to the cellar of the neighbouring house. I remember clearly the summer sky with a few clouds, and it seemed to me that I could see black spots in the sky which I thought were bombs.
2/ Second memory: I am in a dark cellar with an earth floor, without concrete, and the whole house and the earth are shaking. I know that this must have been towards the end of 1944, when my family fled to a country cottage about 3km from the city which was heavily bombarded.
3/ I remember that I was taught to say Bitte schon, kamerad, to get some sandwiches from the German soldiers. Some time later I was taught to say "tsetire i palavina", meaning four and a half in russian, which was my age at this time.
4/ At the cottage, a Russian soldier decided a day to capture a kitchen towel from our kitchen. The russian soldier was pulling one and of the towel, my mother the other end, the towel going from one to another in a rather violent manner. I was standing by and sensing the danger began to cry. The soldier made an irritated gesture and left.
5/ Back to the city, one day a lorry full of Russian soldiers went through our street, followed by their big dog. The dog run towards me and in spite of the efforts of the soldiers to call back the dog, it bit my leg.

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