Irene Opdyke Scrapbook
A Letter To The Deceased...
Dear Janek,
I don’t even know why I’m writing this letter to you. You won’t be able to read it, and that’ll make me even sadder. Anyhow, the war is over now. It’s been over for a few months, but I don’t think that anyone who survived it will ever forget it. I still haven’t found any of my family yet and it frightens me. It makes me ask questions whether they may be dead. But, I still fight on, because we now have to start over new. I’ve found that my friends who I hid are still alive and I’ve met with one of them, and I am on my way to meet the others. I still can’t help but think what my life would be like right now if you were still alive. I probably would be happier and have more of a reason to live. I regret that I wasn’t able to stop you that night. I should have held on to you, and never let you go. It’s still hard for me to live on without you, but I try. I hope you were next to me when the war ended. I had this overwhelming feeling of happiness, knowing that all the hardships were over, all that I had lived for paid off, because I was still here. Although I’ve lost you, maybe my family, and many others, I’m still one of the fortunate people. But I still, still hope that you were here next to me.
Yours truly,
Irene Gut
I don’t even know why I’m writing this letter to you. You won’t be able to read it, and that’ll make me even sadder. Anyhow, the war is over now. It’s been over for a few months, but I don’t think that anyone who survived it will ever forget it. I still haven’t found any of my family yet and it frightens me. It makes me ask questions whether they may be dead. But, I still fight on, because we now have to start over new. I’ve found that my friends who I hid are still alive and I’ve met with one of them, and I am on my way to meet the others. I still can’t help but think what my life would be like right now if you were still alive. I probably would be happier and have more of a reason to live. I regret that I wasn’t able to stop you that night. I should have held on to you, and never let you go. It’s still hard for me to live on without you, but I try. I hope you were next to me when the war ended. I had this overwhelming feeling of happiness, knowing that all the hardships were over, all that I had lived for paid off, because I was still here. Although I’ve lost you, maybe my family, and many others, I’m still one of the fortunate people. But I still, still hope that you were here next to me.
Yours truly,
Irene Gut
A Letter To Family
Dear Tatus and Mamusia,
I long to see you both, and I wish to see my sisters as well. I have no way of knowing if you have gotten my letters these past few months, but it comforts me to think that you are reading them. When I returned from the forest I had no way of knowing if I would ever see you again. But, I had hope nonetheless. And now a similar hope drives me, I know that we will be reconnected once the war is over. Every day I lead a comfortable lifestyle, but I fear that I cannot be thankful as long as Janina, Bronia, Marysia, and Wladzia are all in a coal mine. I think about them all the time and I wish that it could be me instead of them. The other night while I was preparing supper in the kitchen, I heard gunshots and detonations. I looked out the window and I saw several Jews being killed by the SS. I was about to scream when I realized where I was. I was a room away from several German Officers. I am afraid. I want to see you again, I want to be comforted by your voices and I want everything to be back to the way it was. These past two years have felt like a million. I have had to grow up so much faster than I would like. I am eighteen years old, and I feel as though I am one hundred. It almost seems selfish, when others are suffering worse than I. It has been my attitude to look out for myself. I always felt that we as the Polish have enough problems already. More than can be dealt with. I can’t ignore others, and their suffering any longer. I don’t care about the consequences. I need to be able to live with myself and my choices in the future. I need to act.
Yours Truly,
Irene Gut
I long to see you both, and I wish to see my sisters as well. I have no way of knowing if you have gotten my letters these past few months, but it comforts me to think that you are reading them. When I returned from the forest I had no way of knowing if I would ever see you again. But, I had hope nonetheless. And now a similar hope drives me, I know that we will be reconnected once the war is over. Every day I lead a comfortable lifestyle, but I fear that I cannot be thankful as long as Janina, Bronia, Marysia, and Wladzia are all in a coal mine. I think about them all the time and I wish that it could be me instead of them. The other night while I was preparing supper in the kitchen, I heard gunshots and detonations. I looked out the window and I saw several Jews being killed by the SS. I was about to scream when I realized where I was. I was a room away from several German Officers. I am afraid. I want to see you again, I want to be comforted by your voices and I want everything to be back to the way it was. These past two years have felt like a million. I have had to grow up so much faster than I would like. I am eighteen years old, and I feel as though I am one hundred. It almost seems selfish, when others are suffering worse than I. It has been my attitude to look out for myself. I always felt that we as the Polish have enough problems already. More than can be dealt with. I can’t ignore others, and their suffering any longer. I don’t care about the consequences. I need to be able to live with myself and my choices in the future. I need to act.
Yours Truly,
Irene Gut
The Start of It All
Dear Tatus and Mamusa,
I didn’t know that when I left I may not see you for a long time. It has been a while since we last saw each other, and so much has happened. When the Germans first attacked us, there was so much chaos. I couldn’t see anything. I felt like I was being blindly dragged on by the need to help people. The wounded were everywhere in the hospitals. The doctors and nurses were everywhere, it was so scary. I have hardly anytime to sleep, even less to write this letter. I’m scared Mamusa, I wish you were with me to take care of me, like you did all the little animals we always brought to you, back before all this had started. I miss those times. I have very little time to finish, and though I’m not even sure this letter will reach you, for I can only hope it will, I will finish it at least.
I haven’t been able to write for a small while, Tatus, Mamusa. I’m sorry. But I agreed to help the soldiers, and agreed to help stop these Germans from tearing apart our home piece by piece. I don’t want to sit by and watch as this war progresses knowing I can at least play some small, maybe, insignificant role. I do fear for my life here, but at least im trying. Mamusa, Tatus, I hope you both remain safe till the end of this war, as I hope I do. I wish very much I was with you know, so that I would know I would not be going through this war on my own, even if that it only for the time being.
Yours truly,
Irene Gut
I didn’t know that when I left I may not see you for a long time. It has been a while since we last saw each other, and so much has happened. When the Germans first attacked us, there was so much chaos. I couldn’t see anything. I felt like I was being blindly dragged on by the need to help people. The wounded were everywhere in the hospitals. The doctors and nurses were everywhere, it was so scary. I have hardly anytime to sleep, even less to write this letter. I’m scared Mamusa, I wish you were with me to take care of me, like you did all the little animals we always brought to you, back before all this had started. I miss those times. I have very little time to finish, and though I’m not even sure this letter will reach you, for I can only hope it will, I will finish it at least.
I haven’t been able to write for a small while, Tatus, Mamusa. I’m sorry. But I agreed to help the soldiers, and agreed to help stop these Germans from tearing apart our home piece by piece. I don’t want to sit by and watch as this war progresses knowing I can at least play some small, maybe, insignificant role. I do fear for my life here, but at least im trying. Mamusa, Tatus, I hope you both remain safe till the end of this war, as I hope I do. I wish very much I was with you know, so that I would know I would not be going through this war on my own, even if that it only for the time being.
Yours truly,
Irene Gut
