Aleksandra Walfisz's family, née Tugendrajch, comes from Warsaw. Her parents survived World War II in the USSR, where her older brother Włodzimierz was born. Aleksandra Walfisz's father served in the Kościuszko Division, with which he returned to Poland in 1944. After his demobilization, he brought his wife and son to Poland. Initially, the Walfisz family settled in the Recovered Territories, but after Aleksandra Walfisz was born in 1948, they moved to Warsaw. Aleksandra Walfisz's father began working at the Passenger Car Factory, and her mother became a librarian. During the March events, Aleksandra Walfisz was studying psychology at the University of Warsaw. In 1970, following her parents' friends, Aleksandra Walfisz emigrated to Sweden. Shortly after her arrival, while working in a hotel in Lund, she met her future husband, Arnold. In Sweden, she resumed her education, completed her studies, and became a medical laboratory technician in the health service. In the 1980s, just before martial law broke out in Poland, she brought her parents to Sweden. Arnold Walfisz's parents, Adam and Celina, came from Wyszogród. They survived World War II in the USSR, where their daughter was born. After the war, the family moved to Wałbrzych. Arnold Walfisz was born there in 1947. He completed primary school and a mechanical technical school in Wałbrzych. In 1967-1969, he did his military service, and after completing it, he took up work at a gas plant in Wałbrzych and married a Polish woman. In the late 1960s, Arnold Walfisz was fired from his job and, under the influence of his mother, decided to emigrate. Due to the difficulties posed by the communist authorities, his wife could not leave Poland. As a result, the couple decided to divorce. Arnold Walfisz left Poland in 1970, and a year later his mother joined him (she died of cancer a year after arriving). Earlier, in 1976, Arnold Walfisz's sister left for the United States. Shortly after arriving in Sweden, Arnold Walfisz met his future wife, Aleksandra. After getting married, he took on several jobs while studying. After finishing his studies, he worked for many years as a work environment engineer, while also producing furniture. He and his wife, Aleksandra, have two children, one of whom lives in Sweden and the other in Israel. NAME OF INTERVIEWEE: Aleksandra and Arnold Walfisz INTERVIEWED BY: Józef Markiewicz RECORDING: Przemysław Jaczewski DATE OF RECORDING: August 19, 2017 COPYRIGHT TO THE RECORDING: POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews MOST IMPORTANT TOPICS: 00:02:55 - Childhood, education, studies at the University of Warsaw, experiences of anti-Semitism in childhood, (Aleksandra Walfisz). English: 00:08:20 - Parents, family history, childhood and school in Wałbrzych (Arnold Walfisz). 00:14:05 - Trips to summer camps, own identity, Mechanical Technical School in Wałbrzych (Arnold Walfisz). 00:16:20 - Families' involvement in Jewish life, attitudes towards emigration from Poland (both Witnesses). 00:18:23 - Difficulties associated with leaving Poland in 1968, family members' departures, marriage to a Polish woman and divorce (Arnold Walfisz). 00:21:08 - Memories of March '68, own feelings during the anti-Semitic campaign, observation of political events, attitudes towards communism (both Witnesses). 00:32:28 - Families' attitudes towards communism. 00:34:15 - Decisions to enter Poland, formalities and preparations for departure, situation of families during departure from Poland. 00:49:26 - Attempt to recruit Arnold for espionage activities, packing and customs clearance (both Witnesses until the end of the study). 01:03:40 - First moments in Sweden, adaptation to new living conditions, help from the Swedish government. 01:14:32 - Contacts with families after emigration to Sweden. 01:37:43 - Children and their families, religiosity and customs of the family, attitude of parents towards Jewish tradition and religion, contacts with the religious part of the family, own identity. 01:53:18 - Relations with the Jewish community in Sweden, Polish Jews in Sweden, attitudes of immigrants in Sweden. 02:04:07 - Reflections on the meaning of emigration, being an emigrant, current attitude to the March events. 02:18:30 - Communist indoctrination in childhood. 02:33:30 - Anti-Semitism in Poland today, family ties to Polishness, visits to Poland. Discover the POLIN Museum's oral history collection: https://sztetl.org.pl/pl/historia-mow... Subscribe to our channel: / @historiamowionapolin Watch the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews channels: POLIN (announcements and reports from events at the Museum): / mhzp2013 Virtual Shtetl (history and culture of Polish Jews): / virtualshtetl Polish Righteous (stories of help provided to Jews during the Holocaust): / polscysprawiedliwi Contact regarding the interview: [email protected] #historiapowiedziona #muzeumpolin #marzec68