The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-09-19

na under circumstances that can only be a matter of conjecture. and another sister has made her way to England. Still another brother and nephew are in a civilian refugee camp in Canada where they have been transferred by the British gov- ernment; and a sister, her husband and one child have had the good fortune to find refuge in New York City.
 Through the intercession of Con- gressnlan J. Joseph Smith at the request of William T. Farrington, city editor of The Democrat, Mrs. Safian has succeeded in getting passports for several members of her family. Her 78-year-old father was brought to this country two years ago. and he, together with two nieces, now live with her. Other members of the family, who when last heard from were living in Es- sen, Berlin, and other German cities now have completely vanished.
 Mrs. Safflan is bending every ef- fort to secure the release of her brother and nephew from the ciVil- ian refugee camp in Canada. The two, together with all other German refugees in England at the out break of hostilities in Europe, were held as prisoners of war. Later they were transferred to the dominion and their status changed to that of civilian refugees.
 Plans Trip
 Through the agency of the Cen. tral Committee for Internal Refu- gees, an organization with head quarters in Montreal, working grat- uitously for the release of interned emigreS, Mrs. Saft1an hopes soon to be able to affect their liberation. With this end in view she expects in the near future to make trip to Canada.
 The brother now residing in New York escaped from Austria, and sue. ceeded in reaching Latvia. By tortu- ous means he finally arrived in America. He has personal knowledge of the infamous methods employed by the Nazis.
 He tells of the periodic round-ups engaged in by the National Social ists. Tn Vienna, members of the Gestapo, soldiers and petty officials began a systematic search of the city one evening. Like predatory wolves hunting in packs they sought out thousands of Jewish men, snatched them from their families, and herded them together. Then they assembled their captives in a huge room, large enough to hold all of them, but too small to permit anything but standing posture. Finally they shut all the windows, locking them securely, and barred every means of egress from the place.
 Unable to sit or lie down they were obliged to remain standing erect | Ill night, and when the supply of oxygen in the room began to run low, many perished from suffoca- ion. The remainder, enervated and ;tupefled by the horrible exper- ence, were shunted away to con- :entration camps.
 In the latter, the treatment ac. ,orded prisoners is common know edge here. Large numbers would be made to occupy single room, and t was not infrequently that guards | would enter, and without provoca- ion single out two or three of their number, take them out to the camp grounds, and cold-bloodely 'liqui- late" them.
 Reflnements of the customary Nazi overt savagery were practices involved in the deportation of un- wanted non- -Aryans.
 Those unfortunate persons were given summary notice to leave the country within a short time after When the time had elapsed, they were escorted to the border and told to cross. Arriving in he neighboring country, they were sent back to Germany, since none possessed passports. This would 60 on night after night, old md young wearily making the trek pack and forth across the border, lntil the NaZi patrols tired of the 
 Entertains Hope
 Mrs. Saffian has not abandoned | nope of some day being able to se- ;ure papers from the immigration which will allow her rel. ltives in Shanghai to embark for America. For the duration of the Eu- 'opean war, the likelihood is slim indeed that she will be able to ar- 'ange for the removal here of her lister in Vienna, and her brother n Italy.
 She does feel, however, that if and when this can be managed, a new md happier existence will have be- ,un for all concerned. Mrs. Saffian S a firm believer in the American way of life, and is convinced that he worlds salvation lies with uni- 'ersal adoption of the principles of democracy. A personal incident best estifies that her convictions are not merely theoretical.
 Tn January of 1889 naturalization sessions were being conducted in he Waterbury Court of Common Pleas. Mrs. Saffian had applied for ,itzenship, but about a week prior o the day for which the examina- ions were scheduled, she con- racted pneumonia and was hospi- alized. Determined, nevertheless hat she would secure her papers, he obtained the consent of hospital authorities to be taken to the court oom in a stretcher. Accordingly, phile still weak and convalescent, he was wheeled before the judge, uestioned. sworn in and made itizen.