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Romek - Life in the Ghetto

Romek and his parents live in a Jewish ghetto. He is a smuggler boy and from his last run he brings disturbing news.

Romek (10) belongs to a gang of smuggler children. Together with his friend Shlomo, he smuggles his father's last book out of the ghetto to exchange it for food. From his last run, he brings not only a few potatoes but also some unsettling news: the ghetto is to be closed. His father tries to reassure him, but Romek investigates further in the ghetto, because his mother is very ill. From Shlomo he learns that the Jews are to be killed in the so-called labour camps. Romek cannot believe it; he doesn't want to believe it. But the ghetto is sealed off more and more tightly; everyone who cannot work must come to the assembly point. A race against time begins – Romek must find a way out of the ghetto for himself and his parents.

In the fifth episode, we immerse ourselves in the life of a young boy, who in 1942 is living in one of the ghettos established in Poland by the Germans. Conditions were catastrophic: the most notable aspect was just how cramped they were. There was a shortage of food, clothing, firewood, clean water. Illnesses like typhoid spread like wildfire. Hunger, violence and death were part of the everyday lives of these children. The diaries of children from the ghettos are among the most impressive testimonies of the Second World War and the Holocaust.

Tha Romek (10) ann am gràisg chloinne a bhios a’ toirt stuthan a-mach ’s a-steach às a ghetto gun fhiosta. Còmhla ri a charaid Shlomo, tha e a’ toirt an leabhar mu dheireadh a bhuineas dha athair a-mach airson biadh fhaighinn na àite. Nuair a thilleas e, chan e a-mhàin gu bheil ultach de bhuntàta aige, tha naidheachd aige gu bheil an ghetto gu bhith air a dhùnadh. Ged a tha athair a’ feuchainn ri inntinn a chur aig fois, tha Romek a’ dèanamh barrachd rannsachaidh oir tha a mhàthair glè thinn. Tha e a’ faighinn a-mach bho Shlomo gu bheil na Iùdhaich gu bhith air am marbhadh ann an àitichean air a bheil iad a’ gabhail campaichean-obrach. Chan eil Romek ga chreidsinn; chan eil e airson a chreidsinn. Ge-tà, tha dìon a’ ghetto a siar fhàs nas daingnichte agus feumaidh an fheadhainn nach urrainn a bhith ag obair cruinneachadh ann an àite sònraichte. A-nise, tha Romek ann an èiginn gus dòigh a lorg anns am faigh e e fhèin agus a phàrantan a-mach às a’ ghetto.

Anns a’ chòigeamh earrann tha sinn a’ cur eòlas air beatha balach òg a tha a’ tighinn beò ann an 1942 agus a’ fuireach ann an ghetto a chaidh a stèidheachadh le na Gearmailtich anns a’ Phòlainn. ’S e àiteachan iargalta a bha annta, anns an robh àireamh mhòr de dhaoine a’ còmhnaidh còmhla. Bha biadh, aodach, connadh teine agus uisge glan gann. Bha galaran mar am fiabhras mòr a sgaoileadh gu luath agus bha acras, fòirneart agus bàs mar phàirt de bheatha làitheil na cloinne. Tha na leabhraichean-latha aig clann a’ ghetto am measg an teastanais as drùidhtiche bhon Dàrna Cogadh agus a’ Holocaust.

25 minutes

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Role Contributor
Narrator Patsi MacKenzie

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