Rosa Rusoinik
"There should be peace in the world and the Jews should not have more troubles. Let us hope for the Geula (Hebrew for the Redemption) once and for all."
Name at birth
Rosa Greizdorf
Date of birth
01/28/1922
Where did you grow up?
Riga, Latvia
Name of father, occupation
Yisroel Greizdorf,
Sold fabrics to stores
Maiden name of mother, occupation
Fayga Auspovat,
Homemaker
Immediate family (names, birth order)
Parents and four children: Riva, me , Berel (Boris), and Gershon
How many in entire extended family?
About 30
Who survived the Holocaust?
My mother and the four children
In the summer of 1940, Germany invaded Latvia. I was married to Aaron Rusoinik who was in the Latvian army. During the chaos of the invasion, Aaron and I were separated. I fled with others into Russia away from the advancing Germans. I did not know what had happened to my husband and family.
I later became friends with a gentile family who hid me in a cellar of their farm. I contracted malaria, typhus, and lived in constant fear of being discovered. I lay in hiding in the ground in the cellar of the farm.
When the war ended, I returned to Riga, Latvia. I was later reunited with my husband and my mother and siblings, the latter who were in a labor camp in Russia. I learned that my father died at the age of 32 while serving in the army.
Where were you in hiding?
In the ground in the cellar of a farm in Russia
Where did you go after being liberated?
Back to Riga, Latvia and in 1972 my husband and I moved to Israel.
Occupation after the war
Cleaning Store Owner
When and where were you married?
1940 in Riga, Latvia
Spouse
Aaron Rusoinik,
Tailor
Children
Our daughter Ella died in 1974 of a blood disease while we were visiting my brother in America. I remained in Detroit and raised my granddaughter who was 4 years old
Grandchildren
One: Geula Great grandchildren Two: Ella and Aaron
What do you think helped you to survive?
Being young and healthy.
What message would you like to leave for future generations?
There should be peace in the world and the Jews should not have more troubles. Let us hope for the Geula (Hebrew for the Redemption) once and for all.
Interviewer:
Charles Silow
Interview date:
09/09/2009
Experiences
Survivor's map
