Ottavia's Story , livre ebook

Ottavia’s Story
Clara Franklin
Austin Macauley Publishers
2018-03-30
Ottavia’s Story About The Author Dedication Copyright information © Foreword Prologue Chapter 1 The Road to Hell Maria: Born 25 May 1942 Chapter 2 Happy Childhood Chapter 3 The Last Gate Chapter 4 The Foundling Chapter 5 The End of the Journey Chapter 6 Ottavia is Born Chapter 7 Maria’s New Family Chapter 8 Guardian Angel Chapter 9 The Guard Dog Chapter 10 The Concert Chapter 11 The Call for Help Chapter 12 Santa Claus is Coming Chapter 13 The Big Move Chapter 14 Not so Merry Christmas Chapter 15 Hidden Treasure Chapter 16 New Arrival Chapter 17 Basia Chapter 18 The End is approaching Chapter 19 Free at Last Chapter 20 Home at Last Chapter 21 Cavalier to the Rescue Chapter 22 Aurelia’s Family Chapter 23 Unexpected Love Chapter 24 Freedom to the World Chapter 25 Search for Maria Chapter 26 Disappointing News Chapter 27 The Report Chapter 28 Some Time Later Chapter 29 Distant Future Chapter 30 Wedding Plans Chapter 31 Celebration Epilogue
About The Author
Clara Franklin was born in Poland. When the Second World War started her father was imprisoned and executed for disobeying German Soldiers’ orders. The family was taken to labour camps in Germany. Clara was too young to work and was separated from her family not to see them for the next 20 years. When the war ended she returned to Poland.
She studied hard to gain a diploma in midwifery; she married and had a family of her own. Finally at the age of 30 she was able to join her family in Australia. Not speaking a word of English she was unable to work in her profession as a mid-wife. Clara became a “blue-collar” worker. After two years she started in the ‘fashion industry’. In the early 1980s Clara opened and operated a very successful boutique until her retirement.
Sadly in a hit and run car accident Clara lost her husband. A few years later she re-married and the couple lived in Bathurst NSW for 40 years, until Fred’s death in 2013. She now lives in Brookfield Victoria close to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Ottavia’s Story is Clara’s third book her first novel Angel Wings was published in 2008 her second Entwined Lives in 2015. Clara’s long life dream to write a book came true after she retired at the age of 73 she is now 82.
Dedication
I am dedicating this book to the memory of the thousands and thousands of women who survived and who perished in concentration camps established throughout Europe in one person’s mind – To Exterminate.
So for all our mothers, sisters, aunties and grandmothers who passed through the gates of Hell we can be proud and bow our heads to them.
I have to say a big thank you to my dear friend Aurelia Williams who was a power of strength and patience, my computer whizz who helped to put this book together.
Copyright information ©
Clara Franklin (2018)
The right of Clara Franklin to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781788233309 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781788233316 (Hardback)
ISBN 9781788233323 (E-Book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2018)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Foreword
This story evolves in one of Europe’s oldest countries: Poland. King Bolesław I Chrobry was the first king to be crowned in 966 and the last Polish monarch was Stanisław August Poniatowski who reigned from 1764 till 1795.
Through the centuries, every war in Europe has affected Poland. Between 1500 and 1900 Poland has been divided by larger and stronger countries. Everybody took a part of Poland: Russia, Germany, Austria, Prussia and Hungary. Poland rebelled against this, which led to revolution in 1795. General Tadeusz Kościuszko was the leader of the revolution.
The first University in Poland, the University of Kraków, was founded in 1364. Kraków was the capital city of Poland for 500 years. Poland was the birthplace of many famous people, such as Nikolaus Copernicus, Frédéric Chopin, Marie Skłodowska Curie and Pope John Paul II (Cardinal Karol Wojtyła) who was the first non-Italian Pope.
Finally, after World War I ended in 1918, Poland regained full independence until Hitler made his presence felt. On 1 September 1939 Germany attacked Poland declaring the start of World War II. Resulting in massive devastation and destruction, World War II tore families apart. Most cities in Poland and Europe were burned and levelled to the ground. Poland lost six million people; half of them were Polish Jews.
But I am not here to tell readers Poland’s history. I am here to tell one individual’s story. She is only one of many thousands of women who were locked up in concentration camps and went through hell and back. Each of these women could tell her own story.
Prologue
My Aunt Steffa, a dressmaker, was well known before the war. I hadn’t seen her for some years. After my father had been killed, I was taken with my two brothers and my mother to work camps in Germany. As I was too young to work, we were soon separated.
After the war I returned to Poland, wanting to find out what had happened to my family, still hoping they were alive and would get in touch. Meanwhile, Aunt Steffa took me in and looked after me. I was not yet fifteen.
One day, the doorbell rang. ‘Coming, coming,’ Steffa called as she made her way to the front door. There stood Ottavia, the daughter of a family Steffa knew well. She had worked for Ottavia’s mother and grandmother for many years. She hadn’t seen Ottavia for a long time but had recently received a letter from her.
Steffa greeted her like a long-lost granddaughter. ‘My God, it is so nice to see you again! You look so beautiful and so mature, just like your mama. I lost all hope that I would ever see any of you again and then your letter came. Believe me, I had to sit down to open it. How much time do you have for me?’
‘As long as I leave before dark so I’m home before Mark gets back.’
‘So let’s make ourselves a nice cup of tea. You have to tell me everything .’ Steffa put the kettle on and placed three cups on the table.
‘Why three cups?’
’Because, Ottavia, I have a visitor, my young niece Clara who has returned from Germany. She won’t be any trouble. She’ll go to her room. She has plans to go to the cinema later on.
After the introductions, I took my cup of tea and said, ‘Ladies, you probably have a great deal to talk about. I’ll be in my room, Aunt Steffa.’ I walked out, leaving the door of my room ajar.
Sipping my tea, I started to listen to the conversation which was taking place in the next room. After a few moments of hearing the murmur of words, I stood up and went quietly back into the living room. I sat down on a chair in the corner, listening intently to the story Ottavia told about her life in a concentration camp.
And so, dear readers, this was for the first time I heard Ottavia telling her story to my aunt. After hearing the horrifying story of her life, it stayed in my mind for a very long time. During the next few years I read many stories about the concentration camps. Time passed and memories faded. Then Ottavia’s story started to find its back into my mind until the last few years when I began to write: first Angel Wings and then Entwined Lives . Memories of this story which I heard 65 years ago began to re-emerge and linger in my mind, until finally I told myself, why not? So, after much research and lot of reading, Ottavia’s Story was born.
Chapter 1

The Road to Hell
It was 2 a.m. on 25 May 1942. ‘ Aufmachan! ’ (Open up!)
Loud thumping on the Goldlink’s front door echoed throughout the house. For the past two years they had been expecting – but also dreading – that sound, especially during the last few months. The town of Poznan had been buzzing with whispers: Anyone with the tiniest drop of Jewish blood, be ready. The death trains are rolling in.
Ottavia was nearing the end of her pregnancy. She and her family were fully prepared. They slept half-dressed and wore their underwear under their pyjamas. Next to the beds were sets of clothing in larger sizes to fit over their pyjamas. Ottavia had her mother’s old trench coat at the ready to conceal her pregnancy. Each of them had a small overnight bag packed with one change of clothes. Ottavia had prepared one extra bag with the necessities for a newborn baby in which was hidden a little leather pouch bag containing her precious jewellery.
By the time the second bang came Jacob was halfway to the door.
‘ Raus, raus !’ (Out, out!) You have five minutes.’ Ottavia ran to the kitchen and grabbed a container of water for their little boy Marcus. A truck half-full of people just like them was waiting outside their house.
When they got down from the truck they looked around and saw lots of German soldiers and Polish railway employees, running around and shouting orders in their own languages. At the station stood a cattle train.
The Goldlink family huddled close together. The reality of the horror of it had just struck home. The fear in everybody’s eyes was indescribable. They were ordered to board the cattle train. Jacob jumped up and Ottavia handed Marcus to him. Jacob got down on his knees to help his wife up. It was very hard for her with a swollen belly. A man standing behind her helped to lift her into the truck.
‘Thank you, sir,’ she said.
The two men’s eyes met.
‘My God, Dr Slade, you’re here, too? Give me y