Excerpt about the welcome message of engineer Gogleata, commander of the state farm in Vigoda.
Sonia Palty, „Evrei, treceţi Nistrul!”, Cluj-Napoca: Dacia, 2006
Sonia Palty, „Evrei, treceţi Nistrul!”, Cluj-Napoca: Dacia, 2006
Sonia Palty
The Forced Labor and the Deportation to Transnistria
For almost four years, the Decree-Law no. 3984 / 4.12.1940 was the foundation of the forced labor regime to which the Jews of Romania were subjected.
At the end of June 1942, a new series of instructions was issued on how the Jews were to perform forced labor. Those who were guilty of "minor" misconduct (delays, neglect, rebellious attitude) were physically punished (25 blows) while lack of conscientiousness shown at work, evasion from work, leaving the site without consent are punished with deportation to Transnistria (General Instruction No. 55500 of June 27, 1942). The one found guilty was deported, but also his extended family (wife, children, parents).
SONIA FOLLENDER (Palty) was born on June 11, 1928, in Bucharest. She was a student at Saint Joseph School in Bucharest. In October 1940, following the Decree by which Jewish students are excluded from state schools, she became a Focşeneanu Jewish High School student.
In September 1942, her father, Alfred Follender, was found guilty of absence from forced labor and was deported to Transnistria. His wife (Ozica Follender) and his daughter (Sonia Follender) are deported along with him. Sonia was 14 years and 3 months old.
The Follender family was part of a group of 284 Bucharest Jews punished with deportation to Transnistria for violating the forced labor regime. The train left Bucharest Triaj station on September 22, 1942. They crossed the Dniester to Tighina, made a short stop in Odessa, and then disembarked at Vigoda station. In Vigoda, they are assigned to the state farm in the locality under the command of the agronomist engineer Gogleaţă.
In January 1943, they were moved to Bogdanovka after passing through the Alexandrovca state farm. At Bogdanovka, they are imprisoned in the buildings of the former local pigs` farm.
Sonia Follender was repatriated at the end of November 1943. Of the 284 Jews deported with her from Bucharest, only 254 returned. The rest died in Transnistria.
At the end of June 1942, a new series of instructions was issued on how the Jews were to perform forced labor. Those who were guilty of "minor" misconduct (delays, neglect, rebellious attitude) were physically punished (25 blows) while lack of conscientiousness shown at work, evasion from work, leaving the site without consent are punished with deportation to Transnistria (General Instruction No. 55500 of June 27, 1942). The one found guilty was deported, but also his extended family (wife, children, parents).
SONIA FOLLENDER (Palty) was born on June 11, 1928, in Bucharest. She was a student at Saint Joseph School in Bucharest. In October 1940, following the Decree by which Jewish students are excluded from state schools, she became a Focşeneanu Jewish High School student.
In September 1942, her father, Alfred Follender, was found guilty of absence from forced labor and was deported to Transnistria. His wife (Ozica Follender) and his daughter (Sonia Follender) are deported along with him. Sonia was 14 years and 3 months old.
The Follender family was part of a group of 284 Bucharest Jews punished with deportation to Transnistria for violating the forced labor regime. The train left Bucharest Triaj station on September 22, 1942. They crossed the Dniester to Tighina, made a short stop in Odessa, and then disembarked at Vigoda station. In Vigoda, they are assigned to the state farm in the locality under the command of the agronomist engineer Gogleaţă.
In January 1943, they were moved to Bogdanovka after passing through the Alexandrovca state farm. At Bogdanovka, they are imprisoned in the buildings of the former local pigs` farm.
Sonia Follender was repatriated at the end of November 1943. Of the 284 Jews deported with her from Bucharest, only 254 returned. The rest died in Transnistria.