In “Polish farmer risked life for Jewish girl”, Sally Horwitz paints a picture of how a part of her life was, during World War 2. At the age of 13, Sally and her sister Franca were selected by a Nazi S. S. man to board a cattle train. Once on the train their home and everyone in it became only a part of her memory. Sally’s destination was to a potato farm, where she would work as a slave for the Nazi’s.
The farm was run by a man named Gogacz, he himself was not a Nazi, but forced to work for them. Gogacz at the time was a man in his 30’s. His farm was used to feed the Nazi soldiers. From the beginning Gogacz advised Sally to escape the farm and hide in the deep woods with a friend of his. Although the offer was tempting Sally refused the offer for the fear of what might happen to the others if she acted on it. Although she never escaped she still dreamed of being free.
On two occasions Sally did leave the farm and both times she was nearly executed. The first time Sally was sent into town for salt. She had to wait till the guard left his post and then she set out for the town. On her way back she drifted from her original task and lost track of time.
When she returned to the farm the guard was back at his post. Immediately he noticed she was missing, and when he spotted her returning he yelled for her to turn her back to him. As she turned she heard the guard cock his rifle, like an angle from the sky Gogacz swiftly pushed the rifle skyward and explained that the girl had been sent to town for salt. Gogacz and Sally were lucky both of them were not shot right there. Gogacz saved Sally yet but another time, but Sally writes “that is another story.”.