Our town "Mishlinetz" was quiet and calm, the people happy and content. The Yidden were learned and versed in Torah and chassidis. The Talmud Torah had the best teachers available and tzedokah was a high priority. Being that the folk were chassidsh, throughout the year different Rebbes would pass through and spend a Shabbos with us. Mishlinetz was affluent town- there was a legend in town that before the first world war, some years they couldn't find any poor people to give matonos levyonim to.
Our nice peaceful life in town came to a shattering end.
It started on a Friday morning in Elul of 5699, when we awoke to see the streets streaming with members of the Polish army. Our town was in between Krakow and the Polish- Slovakian border and the soldiers were going to protect the front from the attacking German enemy. For twelve hours they marched though town tank after tank row after row of soldiers. All marching with the Polish pride "We will finish them off quickly, we will soon return home victorious!"
The story of two brothers Reb Menachem Mendel Zatzal and Reb Moshe Zatzal during the darkest time of history.
Translated from a memoir written in Yiddish by a family member. Told in a first person account of R' Menacem Mendel zatzal.
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