Saba (gerry Lieder was born in Germany son of Josef and Rose Lieder.with his siblings he grew up normal jewish home, When the Nazi's took over the Government in 1933, things got ad for jewish people living in Germany. he went to german scholl ujntil 4th grade, when the German's didn't want any jewish students in their schools. The jewish ccommun ity then formed a scholls for all jewish shildren until end of grad school.. things were getting much worse for jews living in Germany. When he was 12 years old, the germans had started to get rid of all jews living in germany, pushing them to leave. Other countries did not want Jews either, with some exceptions, , mostly when you had relatives in othercountries , some lucky families were able to ge out. Polish Jews were the first targets of deportations, of "Foreighn Jews".
Saba's parent and children were Polish Citizens, and first victims of deprtation against their will when Saba was 12 years old. One evening at supetime, the Gestapo land Police knocked on their family door and told them just finish your supper and then just come down to the city jail for"registration" you'll be back home shortly after that.
The polish Boder Police, were caught by complete surprise and resused them entryinto poland. All the Jews of Polish descent from their homes in Stettin were dumppoed onto this field.
Eventually, the Poles left them in. We were by now only the clothing we had on, alll german money and any jewlrywere robbed by the Germans, so we at the mercy of the Jewish communities to help us with food and shelter.
Saba lived in Poland just about 9 months, he had been moved with his younger twin sibling to another town, away from his parents, where he was taken in by kind jewish kosher people until through workings of Many people and older siblings working with Social Services, he was picked to travel to England through "Kinder Transport" organized by European Jewish Welfare Commitees, because he was the right age, at time of selection and left Poland by Ship, brought to London, England.
3 days bfore the war in Europe started, when Germany invaded Poland. So the rest of the family could not get out of , to go anywhere !!
After a few weeks, All children , or as many as they could, were evacuated from London and nearby big cities, because they expected German bomberrs to hit England shortly. Saba was evacuated to a Farm where he was to get some schooling, and also do Farm Labor. The schoolling never really came about, because teachers were not availabe, they had to go fight in in the battles against the Nazi Germany forces. We had a"Headmaster" (Teachcer) with very little abilitiy, we were 13 boys in age from 13 to 17, no religious teaching at. He didn't know german, and we didn't know english....That was the eductional problem
When Saba's siser Doris came to visit him a few months later, before she left for America, she was shocked to see what was happpening to her brother, the hard work on the farm, long hours,prctically no schooling , and no jewish surroundings, she went back to London and told the Polish Jewish Agency, that they must take Saba out of there, he was the youngest, and he needs better accomodations in Jewish religious school and better conditions.
After a little while Saba was transferred to a Charedi Yeshiva back in London. No choice of location, others stayed evacuated,
Soon after the bombings started, but the Yeshiva stayed in London. Saba was lightly wounded when a bomb landed near their Dormitory building.
When Saba was able to get o.k. to come to America, he firt stayed at Yeshiva College in New York, buit could not afford tuition, and after three months started workinjg in all kinds of jobs,( had to change jobs often, because some did not want to give off for Shabbat) and went to evening ("Night" high school and College
They are happy to live in Jerusalem since 1996.
