Ruzena R. with her brother Rudolf and nanny

This is a picture of me (first from left) with my brother Rudolf and my nanny in Topolcany. The picture must have been taken around 1935.

I was born in Topolcany in 1929. I didn't attend nursery school. The 'Kinderfräulein' lived with us. Our staff was composed of a maid and a 'Kinderfräulein,' or nanny, who watched over me and my brother Rudolf. The household was under my mother's command. The maid cleaned house and cooked. In the morning she'd go to the market with my mother, and would bring it home. She'd then receive instructions as to what to do while my mother would go and help my father in the store. The maid cooked, set the table and after lunch would wash the dishes.

I began attending Jewish school in 1935. I liked going to school, high school, too, up to graduation. I liked all subjects. I had straight A's. The teachers praised me and held me up as an example for the other students. I liked that, they probably less so. In Grade 2 the teacher would pass my exercise books around to show what good handwriting should look like. So because of things like this, I wasn't very well-liked by my classmates.