My name is Hanna Pankowsky. My maiden name is Davidson. I was born in Łódź, Poland on September,22, 1928. My mother's name was Sofia Davidson. My father’s Jewish name was Zellman. But during our years in Russia, they changed it to Simon Davidson. I have one brother; his name was Kazik. I have very loving parents. It was a very happy childhood. Very happy memories of that time.
We knew that it's inevitable the Nazis were coming. I remember like today, I was ready to go to school, it was September 1 st 1939, and the radio said “Germany invaded Poland.” My father and my brother grab the backpack they have ready and they say, “We're leaving, we have to leave right now.” I can see them, my father and brother, disappear around the corner and I start crying and wanted to run behind them. Our housekeeper said “Don’t cry, Germans don’t like crying girls.” From then on, it was agony and fear.
I remember it was almost winter already. We saw the beautiful synagogue across the street burning. To our horror, we saw a bunch of Jews throwing buckets of gasoline and behind them was SS soldiers with machine guns. We heard the screaming of the people locked inside. We were children, we were petrified that this would happen to us. There was fear, panic, terror. No way to describe this nightmare. My mother did such a beautiful, strong painting of this, it’s the cover of my book.
The rumor started the ghetto was going to be formed. And my mother said “I'm going to escape.” I don’t know how she arranged it, but she came one day and said, “Put two dresses on, and a coat and two pairs of socks. We're leaving.” And she wouldn't tell me where we're leaving. And I ask if I can take my doll with me and she said. “No, you cannot take anything. Run very fast to your grandmother, say goodbye to her.” I did. Then I say, “Don't worry gram, I will be back soon.” And she said, “No, I never see you again.” And I didn't.
My mom obtained Polish papers that we are this man, wife, and daughter and we're going to visitfamily. It was dark. There was a checkpoint when driving. They stop the car and search the car and tookthe man and my mother and me to separate room. I knew that if I show fear and if I cry, this Germanwoman who was searching me will find something that's not right and this will be the end of us. So Iknew not to cry, to smile, be polite...and she let me go.
My mother and I were left in the forest and we had to cross the river. The Germans knew the sound oftrying to escape. They wanted to kill everybody. So they had searching dogs and we heard the dogsapproaching and my mother threw me in the snow and covered me with the snow and herselftoo...Somehow, the dogs lost the scent of us.
When we reached the destination, a woman opened the door. She just stood there and couldn't believeit. She said, “Do I have a surprise for you!” And we come inside and here comes my brother. Andneedless to say, that was a miracle, my brother survived.
I have to say, leaving Poland was a lifesaving decision because when we came back, the doorman of our apartment house told my mother that half an hour after we left, the Gestapo came to arrest her because she was an artist. At that time, Germans tried eliminate all the scholars, scientists, and Jewish writers and artists. If we had stayed 30 minute more, I wouldn’t be here.After the war when we arrived in Dallas we indeed could get in touch with my father. There is just no word you can describe when you think that some dear to you is dead and here he's alive and healthy. So that's an unbelievable joy.
My name is Hanna Pankowsky. My maiden name is Davidson. I was born in Łódź, Poland on September,22, 1928. My mother's name was Sofia Davidson. My father’s Jewish name was Zellman. But during our years in Russia, they changed it to Simon Davidson. I have one brother; his name was Kazik. I have very loving parents. It was a very happy childhood. Very happy memories of that time.
We knew that it's inevitable the Nazis were coming. I remember like today, I was ready to go to school, it was September 1 st 1939, and the radio said “Germany invaded Poland.” My father and my brother grab the backpack they have ready and they say, “We're leaving, we have to leave right now.” I can see them, my father and brother, disappear around the corner and I start crying and wanted to run behind them. Our housekeeper said “Don’t cry, Germans don’t like crying girls.” From then on, it was agony and fear.
I remember it was almost winter already. We saw the beautiful synagogue across the street burning. To our horror, we saw a bunch of Jews throwing buckets of gasoline and behind them was SS soldiers with machine guns. We heard the screaming of the people locked inside. We were children, we were petrified that this would happen to us. There was fear, panic, terror. No way to describe this nightmare. My mother did such a beautiful, strong painting of this, it’s the cover of my book.
The rumor started the ghetto was going to be formed. And my mother said “I'm going to escape.” I don’t know how she arranged it, but she came one day and said, “Put two dresses on, and a coat and two pairs of socks. We're leaving.” And she wouldn't tell me where we're leaving. And I ask if I can take my doll with me and she said. “No, you cannot take anything. Run very fast to your grandmother, say goodbye to her.” I did. Then I say, “Don't worry gram, I will be back soon.” And she said, “No, I never see you again.” And I didn't.
My mom obtained Polish papers that we are this man, wife, and daughter and we're going to visitfamily. It was dark. There was a checkpoint when driving. They stop the car and search the car and tookthe man and my mother and me to separate room. I knew that if I show fear and if I cry, this Germanwoman who was searching me will find something that's not right and this will be the end of us. So Iknew not to cry, to smile, be polite...and she let me go.
My mother and I were left in the forest and we had to cross the river. The Germans knew the sound oftrying to escape. They wanted to kill everybody. So they had searching dogs and we heard the dogsapproaching and my mother threw me in the snow and covered me with the snow and herselftoo...Somehow, the dogs lost the scent of us.
When we reached the destination, a woman opened the door. She just stood there and couldn't believeit. She said, “Do I have a surprise for you!” And we come inside and here comes my brother. Andneedless to say, that was a miracle, my brother survived.
I have to say, leaving Poland was a lifesaving decision because when we came back, the doorman of our apartment house told my mother that half an hour after we left, the Gestapo came to arrest her because she was an artist. At that time, Germans tried eliminate all the scholars, scientists, and Jewish writers and artists. If we had stayed 30 minute more, I wouldn’t be here.After the war when we arrived in Dallas we indeed could get in touch with my father. There is just no word you can describe when you think that some dear to you is dead and here he's alive and healthy. So that's an unbelievable joy.