That Day In 1934

• Clara Bettio-sandlant, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2008

It was the winter of 1934; another winter of Hitler. My Mother held me close to her, praying that all would be over soon. My younger sister cried, even though she didn’t know what was going on. My family and I sat huddled and hiding in a corner of our house, as so many other Jews were doing. It was only me, my sister Adele and my parents sitting together, as my Brother Gunther had been killed during a raid. Lately so many raids had been occurring, and so many Jews had been dying. It was sad to think of all the Jews that were dying and even worse to think that I and those that I cared about could be next. I heard a rumble; it wasn’t the rumble of anything dangerous it was the rumble of my Mother’s stomach. We hadn’t eaten in two days and the pain was really beginning to show. “Mum are you ok?” I whispered. She looked down at me. Her eyes were swollen, her hair was messy and her face was dirty, “Of course Grettle. I’m fine.” She said to me. “I think it’s clear, there are no sounds that I can hear.” My Dad said. My parents looked at each other, worry on their faces, my Mother nodded and together we stood up. The pain that filled our bodies weakened us as we walked towards the hole in the wall where the door was before all the raids had damaged it. My sister led us out the hole. I looked back at my parents who were standing behind me. They forced a smile, and I forced one back. I turned back around, and instead of seeing my little Sister, I saw nothing but a large group of men, pulling children by the back of their shirts. My parents and I of course knew instantly that Adele was one of those many children, but there were so many people there, that we couldn’t see her. I went to run after her, but I felt something pull the back of my t-shirt. I was scared that I too was being taken by one of people in the passing group, but luckily it was just my Dad, “You can’t go, we can’t risk losing another. We need to try our greatest to free Adele from these people, and the only way we can, is to keep you with us.”He said.


Many years passed. We weren’t successful in freeing Adele but I know that she was successful in freeing herself. I received a letter from her saying that all is well. She ran as far as she could and found an orphanage who took her in. She grew and made a wonderful family. Me you may ask, well I too survived the 1930’s and the years on from then. I too grew and made a family. All was and is well and with the love and help of my family I survived and they did too.