Laurie Yair: My grandmother, living in Frankfurt with her husband, My mother and three sisters, realized that something terrible was going to happen to Jews. It was 1937…She said they must leave Europe.
They made it to Texas but were not able to get My Mother’s uncle and family out as the “doors closed”. But My Mother’s father had serious heart problems and were very close to getting sent back to Frankfurt…My Mother’s uncle died in a ghetto. Her aunt and cousin with asthma…were never found out about.
I visited Frankfurt. I wanted to see this place where My Mother grew up. The building where she grew up at the edge of a beautiful park was gone. I saw synagogues which had been burnt almost completely and the wall at a museum where the uncle, aunt and son’s names were inscribed in a wall. My Mother was frightened when we were in Frankfurt. I cried much of the time. I was too overwhelmed and seeing My Mother frightened was very odd because she really was a tough cookie otherwise. Very strong-willed