So I get an email from Julie talking about her grand mother who was a refugee during the war here in the Caux Palace where I am currently studying Hotel Management.

She goes on to say:
There were 1600 jews coming from the Bergen Belsen camp and they arrived towards the begining of December 1944. Escaping finally with their life and ultimately very happy and hungry with almost no showers. Old, young, men and women.

They were put first in a big hall, and given covers and food. Then put into small rooms, lots were packed in, as there was not much space. They got food and slowly, clothes to wear.

But it was a cold, cold winter and they did not have adequate heating in the building, and her grand mother wrote they were freezing most of the time.

And they were still closed off from the rest of the world. Sometimes, one of them was given permission to go out. One could go to Geneve, visit his son and family there.

Spring arrived, they were given more permission to go out, and the flowers were beautiful. She loved the nature, the lake, the mountains. The walks.

Then the day of peace arrived. They were not permitted to go out not even to telephone their son. They heard only later how everyone has gone out and had a big celebration - without them.

Finally, another group arrived, they went to another city nearby some of them, others to Palestina (now Israel) and that is the story of her grandmother's stay there.

Her husband was in the meantime in a hospital nearby (where they gave them more food and was warmer) and her daughter worked to keep clean the hotel first, then to give lessons of gymnastic to people. She cared for the children and cleaned their rooms.

Happy to escape with life, but still a difficult life leid ahead.

They stayed later in old people's house for the next 15 years, then went to live with their children. She met her grandmother in 1961 when she came out of Romania.

http://www.leftofme.com - Blog about the Caux Palace and the stories behind it.