"In July 1942, my mother, my little sister and I were sitting on our suitcases and packages, near our house, waiting for a truck to take us to a ship outside the German ring around Leningrad. The city was being evacuated of unnecessary women and hungry children who made no contribution to the city's defense. There were rumors of an imminent German onslaught. We were to go to Lake Ladoga, to the ships, which crossed the lake under the fire of German planes. From atop our pile of luggage, I took a farewell look at our house, our yard and No. 7 across the street, which stood there sooty, ruined...
"In July 1942, my mother, my little sister and I were sitting on our suitcases and packages, near our house, waiting for a truck to take us to a ship ...
