Finding Myself in the Holocaust, with Janet Singer Applefield
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Legacy means a lot of things to a lot of people. To some, it's lasting integrity. It's building and maintaining a history of greatness. It's making an impact on people and community. For others, it's dependable security and assurance in an uncertain time. To us, it's all of that and more. It's a mindset, a brother and sisterhood of hardworking people dedicated to doing the right thing for you and those you care about of growing today for a better tomorrow that's what legacy means at southwestern legacy insurance group what does it mean to you let's talk legacy
Welcome to Let's Talk Legacy. My name is Gary Michaels, the host, and we're just so excited to have Janet Singer-Applefield on the show today. As a child survivor of the Holocaust and social worker, Janet Singer-Applefield has spent over 40 years speaking with thousands of students, educators, religious groups, government officials, and others to raise awareness and understanding of the dangers of prejudice. and encouraging audiences to stand up any kind of discrimination and leave a legacy of acceptance and love. Love that part. Her memoir, Becoming Janet, Finding Myself in the Holocaust, is available now. So Janet, let's dig right in. It's such an honor. to have you here. The word Holocaust conjures up so many emotions for people, even now, almost 80 years later. You have an incredibly unique vantage point as an actual survivor of that event.
So tell us about your perspective and share your story of how old you were when your home in Poland was invaded, how your small town was impacted, what happened to your family, and how this whole thing came about for you, that you're still a survivor.
Well, I was born in Krakow, Poland, and I lived with my family in a little town 50 miles south of the city of Krakow. And I had a wonderful, idyllic childhood. First grandchild in the family. I was loved. I was pampered. September 1st, 1939, all this came to an abrupt end. At first, my family tried many, many attempts to escape. We first ran away to Russia, then we returned. And after so many attempts to escape, my parents ran out of options. And they made this amazing, most difficult decision of their lives, and that is to give me away. And for the several years after that, three and a half years to be exact, I was with different caregivers. I was away from my family. My identity was changed completely. several times, and I ended up on the street.
I was abandoned, and I was picked up by a righteous Christian woman. Ended up on a farm where I spent most of the time with very kind people. I always knew I was Jewish, but I was able to keep my Jewish identity a secret. I was just seven years old when I was separated from my parents. But I was able to keep that a secret. And I ended up in an orphanage after the war. And miraculously, my dad found me.
No way.
But he found me. And we eventually immigrated to the United States.
So talk to me. So when you were seven years old, do you remember coming back from Russia and what it was like to be separated that actual day? Or was it kind of a big blur?
I remember only that I was crying. My parents were crying. We were hugging. We were kissing. My parents said we would be reunited soon. I should be brave and I should be good. And that's what I remember about that fateful day.
And then that lady that became your friend and helped you, did she become almost like a motherly figure or was she more of a friend?
Well, she was a very kind woman. And I wanted to call her mother. And she said to me, you only have one mother. Call me aunt. So I called her aunt, Genya. And when the war ended, my cousin's father, I was with my cousin who was very brutal to me. First, I was with one person, one woman. And then my care was taken over by a cousin who was brutal and violent and abused me.
Mm-hmm.
The war ended. Her dad found me, but he turned me over to a refugee center in Krakow. And that's where I ended up. And from there, I went to an orphanage and my father found me.
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