Riva Reikhel

Testimony of Riva (Shmukler) Reichel, born in Vilna, Poland, 1927, regarding her experiences in the Vilnius Ghetto, Vaivara, Kivioli, Stutthof and other places Life before the war. Arrival of refugees from Poland after the outbreak of the war, 1939; pogrom by Lithuanians; German occupation, June 1941; air-raids; escape attempt by the family; capture by the German Army; transfer back to Vilna; restrictions on Jews including termination of studies; detention of men and deportation to Ponary; deportation to the Vilna Ghetto; ghetto life and in hiding during the deportation on Yom Kippur; in hiding with 50 additional Jews during the "Aktion"; digging tunnels and exchanging possessions for food; liquidation of the ghetto, August 1943; deportation to Vaivara; camp life and murder of children; transfer to Kivioli; camp life; transfer to Stutthof; camp life; transfer to Ochsenzoll; camp life and building an electric fence; transfer to Bergen-Belsen; camp life; liberation, 14 April 1945. Return to Vilna; aliya to Israel, 1959.