Meir Porges - Difficulty in seeking revenge against the Germans
Interview
Meir Porges - Difficulty in seeking revenge against the Germans
Meir Porges - Difficulty in seeking revenge against the Germans
Transcript: I think he consulted with some staff commanders. He took 15 Germans, made them stand against the wall in order to execute them and he looked. I am looking for 15 volunteers to form a firing squad and to execute these people. And I, who for so many years during the Nazi occupation, made so many plans, if I ever caught a German that I would do everything to him, I was separated during the deportation and after the deportation, after we already were told what had happened. Each time, I made another plan of what I would do if I ever caught a German. The commander repeated, "15 volunteers to execute these Germans". Three, four, five people volunteered and me, my brain until then and ever since, had never worked so feverishly as it did at that time. I terribly wanted to volunteer, you fool, now it was time to fulfill what I had dreamt so long of. I had the opportunity to realize my dream and I was unable to raise my hand. The commander, another three, another four, the number had already reached thirteen people and he requested 15. My brain worked feverishly and the I saw, the commander, after all, knew me, he was staring hard at me, knew that I was Jewish and definitely thought what about this Jew, who now has an opportunity to exact some revenge over what the Germans had done to them, Why is this Jew standing around like a lump on a log? Another volunteer, making it 14. I, the only one, I really did not know, I admit it, I did not know if I could ever raise my hand or not. Someone beat me to it. The commander had 15 people. As I stated, they did what needed to be done and the incident ended. That was the moment, what told me, how shall I put it, was the worst in this hesitation, in the should I or should I not.
Transcript: I think he consulted with some staff commanders. He took 15 Germans, made them stand against the wall in order to execute them and he looked. I am looking for 15 volunteers to form a firing squad and to execute these people. And I, who for so many years during the Nazi occupation, made so many plans, if I ever caught a German that I would do everything to him, I was separated during the deportation and after the deportation, after we already were told what had happened. Each time, I made another plan of what I would do if I ever caught a German. The commander repeated, "15 volunteers to execute these Germans". Three, four, five people volunteered and me, my brain until then and ever since, had never worked so feverishly as it did at that time. I terribly wanted to volunteer, you fool, now it was time to fulfill what I had dreamt so long of. I had the opportunity to realize my dream and I was unable to raise my hand. The commander, another three, another four, the number had already reached thirteen people and he requested 15. My brain worked feverishly and the I saw, the commander, after all, knew me, he was staring hard at me, knew that I was Jewish and definitely thought what about this Jew, who now has an opportunity to exact some revenge over what the Germans had done to them, Why is this Jew standing around like a lump on a log? Another volunteer, making it 14. I, the only one, I really did not know, I admit it, I did not know if I could ever raise my hand or not. Someone beat me to it. The commander had 15 people. As I stated, they did what needed to be done and the incident ended. That was the moment, what told me, how shall I put it, was the worst in this hesitation, in the should I or should I not.