Stephen Shooster I became friendly with a woman who worked at the market. She frequently gave me chicken, bread, and butter, all of which were delicacies. She was a good soul. She never knew when I would come, but she was always ready with some food. I am sorry I don’t remember her name. What I do remember, however, was that she was a large woman who always wore an apron as she worked. While I was doing a little trading on the black market, I was also gaining trust with the Gestapo as a good driver.
When Kommandant Blache would visit no one had to run, so they didn’t. He was polite, and the Jewish ghetto dwellers returned the favor by tip- ping their hats. I know this sounds odd, but it is the truth. Make no mistake, as harmless as he seemed he was completely caught up in the ter- rible events that would surround Tarnow, and in part, because of his efforts thousands of innocent people would be killed. Knowing this, makes it harder for me to share with you that he was polite, on a day-to-day basis. Years later, well after the war, I spoke with Eli Sommer. He was one of the Jewish policemen at the ghetto Tarnow, and he agreed with me that Blache was a decent, respectful person, but then in a twisted story, he recounted to me one tragedy at the hands of Blache that is inconsistent with both our original impressions. I think this is also an example of how we were all coerced or somehow resigned to the realization that we were second-class citizens with no rights or privileges, sub-human. Eli said, “The ghetto Tarnow was emptied and reduced to only 150 Jewish Policemen. I was one of them. I was being used to help clean up the mess after the deportations and mass killings. My job, along with 11 others was to take the confiscated property, furniture and such, and load it onto a truck that would be taken to a train nearby. One day while doing this 12 of us were called to the security office and interrogated one at a time. We were each asked, “Do you have any valuables in your pockets?” I knew it was a crime punishable by death. I had some valuables, but I said. “No.” When they reached my friend Goldman, they checked his pockets and found something. He was immediately brought outside in front of us and executed by Blache himself.” Eli Sommer 2011
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