Generation After Oral History Project: Paula Peltz Interview Marquette University Libraries The Generation After Oral History Project Marquette University Libraries Department of Special Collections and University Archives Interviewee: Paula Peltz Interviewer: Unknown Interviewer & Michael Phayer Date of Interview: 1983‐19‐03 Terms of Use: Material on cassettes may be used anonymously until the year 2000 1 Generation After Oral History Project: Paula Peltz Interview Marquette University Libraries Phayer: ‐‐interview today, March the 19th, with Mrs. Peltz. Mrs. Peltz now lives in Miami, Florida but she formerly lived here in Milwaukee for 16 years. This interview is taking place in Milwaukee as I said on March the 19th. So Mrs. Peltz I just wanted to explain a few things, how we’re going to do this, we’re going to ask you some ordinary questions about your life before you came over here and just let the interview kind of go along as, wherever you want to take it. Is that alright? Peltz: It’s ok. Phayer: Are you comfortable? Peltz: I am comfortable. Phayer: Are you, do you wish you were in Florida? Instead of here doing this? Peltz: Yes, I wish so because it’s too cold here. Phayer: You’re too cold. Well, I don’t think we have any more sweaters for you. Peltz: I am comfortable in 2. [laughs] Phayer: How long have you been here now? Peltz: 10 days. Phayer: 10 days. And when was the last time you were in Milwaukee? Peltz: [Unintelligible] the 8th [unintelligible]. Unknown Interviewer: ‐‐ January. Peltz: The 8th of January. Phayer: 8th of January? Peltz: Last year. Phayer: Last year? Peltz: Yes. And they had a bigger storm than now. Phayer: Oh yeah, that was, I remember that. That was really a bad one. No, I was in California then, and came back and it was a big storm. Awful. Peltz: It was impossible to stay. I had to go back right away. Phayer: Well I think we’re ready to start. [audio cuts out] 2 Generation After Oral History Project: Paula Peltz Interview Marquette University Libraries Phayer: Now Mrs. Peltz I understand you came from Poland. Could you tell us what area of Poland you came from and where you were born? Peltz: Oh, I was born in Germany but I came to Poland when I was 3 years old. Phayer: Oh you were born in Germany? Peltz: Yes. Phayer: And then you came to Poland when you were 3. Why was the reason for that? Peltz: Oh there were very hard times in Germany and my, my parents had relatives in Poland so they came. They originally were from Poland, many years ago. Phayer: Yeah, so approximately what time was this? Peltz: Oh I came in 1918 to Poland. Phayer: 1918? You, your family returned from Germany to Poland, so this was immediately after World‐‐ Peltz: ‐‐after World War I. Phayer: Immediately after World War I. And you decided to go back to Poland rather than‐‐ Peltz: I didn’t. Phayer: No [laugh]. Peltz: I was too young to decide. Phayer: ‐‐rather than to Germany, they decided that—And you were born then in Germany? Peltz: In Germany. Phayer: About, during World War I? Peltz: Yes. Phayer: I see. And, because I know that there were a number of Jewish Poles who became displaced persons right after the war, they went to Germany but later they were not given citizenship. But your family decided to go right back‐‐ Peltz: [Unintelligible] Phayer: In Poland. And where did you go then? Peltz: Oh we lived in Radom for many years. Phayer: And where is that? 3 Generation After Oral History Project: Paula Peltz Interview Marquette University Libraries Peltz: This is between Warsaw and Krakow. It’s 105 kilometers from Warsaw. Phayer: I see. South of Warsaw. Peltz: South, south, southeast of Warsaw. Phayer: And how large a city was that? Peltz: We don’t take into consideration our metropolitan cities but at that time it was a large city. Phayer: It was a large city at that time. Peltz: A large city, yes. Phayer: What would you guess? Peltz: Oh, it must have been 140,000 people and it was considered a large city. Phayer: Oh sure, that would be a large city. Peltz: Yes. Phayer: So, you lived there then for about how many years? Peltz: Oh, I lived there until I was 16 years old. Phayer: Until you were 16 years old. Good. So you really grew up there. Peltz: Yes. Phayer: And so then you had moved back there because, back to Poland, because you had other family there. Peltz: Yes. We had relatives there and‐‐ Phayer: Who—In that same city? Peltz: We were comfortable in our home, yes, this was after the war, everything was destroyed. I’m a war baby, I’m still a war baby. Phayer: But that city was not destroyed during the way. Peltz: The city before, it wasn’t destroyed, but it was, it was a, there was no food there. They were the time of ersatz, it started. Phayer: Yeah, sure. Peltz: In Poland it’s a little bit different. Phayer: So you lived there with your‐‐ 4 Generation After Oral History Project: Paula Peltz Interview Marquette University Libraries Peltz: Parents. Phayer: ‐‐your parents. Who all lived in your house? Peltz: We were comfortable. My father had a lumber mill. Phayer: He had a lumber mill? Peltz: Yes. He was from Poland, in the foresters so, we were very comfortable. Phayer: And, so you lived there, with your‐‐ Peltz: And mother. Phayer: With your father and your mother Peltz: And then came other children. Phayer: How many other children? Peltz: 4 more. We had 5. Phayer: So you were the oldest? Peltz: I’m the oldest. Phayer: You’re the oldest. Peltz: Yes and then I have, had 2 brothers, a sister and a brother. Phayer: 2 brothers, a sister, and another brother. And what were all their names? Peltz: Their names are, I shouldn’t say in Polish because in Polish we had different names. Phayer: Whatever you want. What did you call them when you were growing up? Peltz: Allah [transcribed phonetically], Perrets [transcribed phonetically], Rebekah and My‐yorek [transcribed phonetically]. Yes, it’s Polish. Phayer: So you were the oldest of the children. Peltz: The oldest of the brood. Phayer: And what were the age differences? Peltz: 2 years, a year and a half, 2 years. Phayer: So you were all pretty much the same age, so you would grow up playing with them. 5 Generation After Oral History Project: Paula Peltz Interview Marquette University Libraries Peltz: We are not the same age anymore because 2 brothers are alive, a sister and brother are [unintelligible]. Phayer: But as you were growing up there you were‐‐ Peltz: Yes. Phayer: ‐‐close enough in age, you could‐‐ Peltz: Yes, yes. Phayer: ‐‐play and‐‐ Peltz: Yes. It wasn’t like that in Europe, the boys had to go to a, they went to a special parochial school. Phayer: The boys did not have to? Peltz: The boys went. Phayer: Oh the boys went. Peltz: I didn’t. I went to public school. Phayer: Well before that, when you were just little little children‐‐ Peltz: Little children. Phayer: ‐‐what’s the earliest thing you remember about growing up before you went to school? Peltz: I remember our lumberyard and the trees with fruit and the people working there and often just it was, I have very good memories. Phayer: Did you go down and play in the lumberyard? Peltz: Yes, yes. My mother was there and my father and I didn’t want to stay with the maid at home, they always put me with her, just to play and to be around them, yes. We were very family‐oriented. [Unintelligible] as babysitters. No, the maid was to clean and to cook but not to take care of the children. Phayer: So you would go down with your brothers and sisters and you would play‐‐ Peltz: Yes. Small brothers and sisters no. I didn’t go to school until I was 6 years old because I read and wrote already by that time so they had to take me in school but it was 7 years old when we start school, but my brothers, the 2 of them, they went to the yeshiva. This meant they went to a parochial school when they were 3 years old. Phayer: Oh really? 6 Generation After Oral History Project: Paula Peltz Interview Marquette University Libraries Peltz: Oh yes, my father took them there and they would stay there all day long till they got back and then we picked them up. They had to learn‐‐ Phayer: From 3 years old? Peltz: Yes. A boy had to develop his mind. Phayer: And, and that was just for the boys, the girls‐‐ Peltz: No, not the girls but when a girl was smart, she was [unintelligible]. Picking up everything from the boys, yes. Phayer: Why was that? Peltz: Oh it was, this was, this was, it was, I don’t know. It’s a family tradition. It was like that. But I knew everything that they knew. Phayer: You had picked it up. Peltz: Yes. And‐‐ Phayer: And how much younger was the first one, first born? Peltz: 2 years. And the other one 2 years. So it was a difference of 4 years. But I picked up everything. They didn’t pick up but I did. I used to dance [unintelligible]. Phayer: What was your mother and your father like? Do you remember being very close to your father? Peltz: Yes.