I - A little while ago we passed through a station that you quote in your book "La Tregua"

PL - Yes, the trains stopped all the time. It took 3-4 days to cover a distance of about 150 Km. The train had stopped, and I had gotten off and I had met for the first time a Polish civilian, a lawyer, with whom I could communicate, because he spoke German and also French. I didn't know Polish and I don't now and so he had asked me where I was coming from and I had told him from Auschwitz. I still had that striped uniform on. He asked me why, and I answered "I am an Italian Jew". He was translating my answers to some passers-by who had crowded around, peasants and workers. I knew Polish just enough to understand that he had altered my answer from "Italian Jew" to "political prisoner". I protested in French. He quickly answered in French: "it's best for you; Poland is a sad country".

cover includes Marc Chagall sketch

---