Stella Better

I was born in Vienna, Austria, July 24, 1924. My sister Trude Better was 6 years older, my brother Leo Better was born 12 years earlier than me. My father Max Mortahe Better was born in Poland. My mother Fanny Feige Better née Schmidt was born in Oswieciem, Poland, renamed by the Germans Auschwitz, when they built the camp where they murdered over 1 million Jews.

The Nazis took Austria in September of 1938, and things immediately got worse for all Jews. I saw crowds beating and mistreating Jews. I witnessed an elderly Jewish man forced to scrub the pavement with water he had to bring from the 5th floor in a thimble.

After November 9th (Kristallnacht), we knew we had to leave.

My brother left on an old ship from the Danube with other refugees, and after some hardships, landed in Palestine. He lived in Haifa, had three children and nine grandchildren.

My sister was smuggled across the German border to Holland and eventually emmigrated to New York. She now lives in New Jersey and has 2 children and 3 grandchildren.

My parents were deported to Auschwitz. I was lucky to leave with a Kindertransport train from Vienna in December of 1938; arrived in London 3 days later. I was in London through the time of the German aerial bombardments, better known as the Blitz.

I came to the United States as an American war bride in 1944. I have 2 sons and 2 daughters, 4 grandsons and 5 granddaughters.