רחל אלון‮־‬מרגלית

This is the story of David Placzek, the eldest son of Jewish idealistic pioneers in Palestine - a German mother and a Czech father. In a rich and unique language, David describes what everyday life was and how he survived the Holocaust, far from his homeland and home. He interweaves his personal history with the history of the world, memories that contain first-hand impressions and historical facts alike.
It is a testimony of the kindness and evil of Mankind, of its ability to create or destroy, a long and winding story of one man, during one lifetime, in an era in which winds of change ruined and founded people and nations. It demonstrates how rash or rational decisions, of a person standing before opening or closing gates, determine the course of the rest of his life.
David concluded writing his memoirs in 2004 in Melbourne, Australia. Before passing away in September 2008, David asked to be cremated and that his ashes would be scattered at Port Phillip Bay, his point of entry, as to say how much he found Australia to be his home. He left behind only a computer file copy of his story. After receiving his family’s permission, as his beloved niece, I was honored to bring David’s story to print in 2016.
We dedicate it to David Placzek, in loving memory.