Charlotte's memoirs, Oct. 8, 1991

In June 1941, the Nazis attacked Gorzd (Gargzdai), Lithuania, Baum's birthplace, and transported all of the Jewish women and children to Anelishke. During this time, Baum's family was trying to secure emigration papers. Instead of receiving visas for the United States, they received visas for Shanghai and had to report to the ghetto in Rīga, Latvia. Around July 1943, Jews in Rīga were being transported to Kaiserwald concentration camp. In 1944, with the Soviet Army advancing, the camp inmates were placed on a boat and sailed to Danzig (Gdansk), Poland, where they were placed in another camp. After the required work was finished, Baum and others were led on several death marches. In January 1945, after a five-day death march, Baum and others were liberated by the Soviet Army.