Readers Remember

The day was Friday, Sept. 1, 1939, in Krakow, Poland. I was 18 years old.

The day began as days had begun for the past three years: I got up at 6 a.m., dressed, ate the breakfast that my mother had prepared for me, and before 6:30, I left for work.

It was a nice September morning, so I walked. It usually took me about a half an hour to get to the factory where I worked, but about halfway there the air raid siren began to sound. I took cover in a nearby apartment building. With no planes in sight or any explosions, I continued on and arrived at the factory a few minutes late, shortly after 7 a.m.

Soon the sirens were sounding again. There were rumors that the Germans had crossed the Polish border, and by noon it became official: The war had begun. We spent most of the day in the factory’s basement preparing a bomb shelter.

By Wednesday morning, just five days after the war had begun, the first German patrols arrived in the city. Before the day was over, Krakow was completely occupied by the Nazi army. German military units were stationed at all government buildings and at all main thoroughfares. The Germans immediately established a military government, from which over the next 5 1/2 years would come many of the infamous orders and decrees of the Nazi regime.

JOSEPH SOSKI

Encino

What do you recall most about the 20th century? In 200 words or less, send us your memories, comments or eyewitness accounts. We will publish as many as we can on this page until the end of the year. Write to Century, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, or e-mail century@latimes.com. We regret we cannot acknowledge individual submissions. Letters may be edited for space.