The Roads I Have Traveled

This book is the story of a Jewish Hungarian girl who leads a normal carefree life, until her world begins to crumble as World War II erupts. She recounts how her life changes as the war comes closer and closer to her town, the anguish of her family as they try to escape and get visas to seek asylum in the United States, and the how the insecurity of travel and bureaucracy make this voyage impossible. Her mother is left alone to fend for the whole family. She helps her family the best that she was able to, for she was the oldest daughter. In the midst of these trials and tribulations, she continues to try to live a “normal” life and do what teenagers do. Trusting the leaders of her village, the Jews are ordered to gather at their Synagogue and were then led to trains- only to take a one way trip to what ultimately became the final day for thousands in Auchwitz. She miraculously survives Dr. Mengele and Auchwitz because of her inner strength and audacity to always follow her instinct. The Road I Have Traveled is a historical autobiography where her will to live surpasses any adversity.

This book is the story of a Jewish Hungarian girl who leads a normal carefree life, until her world begins to crumble as World War II erupts. She recounts how her life changes as the war comes closer and closer to her town, the anguish of her family as they try to escape and get visas to seek asylum in the United States, and the how the insecurity of travel and bureaucracy make this voyage impossible. Her mother is left alone to fend for the whole family. She helps her family the best that she was able to, for she was the oldest daughter. In the midst of these trials and tribulations, she continues to try to live a “normal” life and do what teenagers do. Trusting the leaders of her village, the Jews are ordered to gather at their Synagogue and were then led to trains- only to take a one way trip to what ultimately became the final day for thousands in Auchwitz. She miraculously survives Dr. Mengele and Auchwitz because of her inner strength and audacity to always follow her instinct. The Road I Have Traveled is a historical autobiography where her will to live surpasses any adversity.

Juliana Field was born in Hungary on March 24th 1922. She lived between Budapest and Varna. Her family had been landowners and vinegrowers since the 19th Century. The great war depleted their wealth, but the family was able to keep some properties. Because of the uncertainty of World War II, her father left in 1938 for the US to try to get Visas for the rest of the family. She stayed behind with her mother, sister and little brother. They were unable to escape the war and remained in Hungary. The war got closer to them and they were ordered along with the rest of the Jews in Hungary to go to Concentration Camps. She was separated from her family upon her arrival at Auchwitz. While at the concentration camp, she was forced into labor. Because she was a good worker, she managed to stay alive. Her mother and siblings were not so lucky.They were executed by the Nazis upon their arrival. When the war was over, she was freed and went back to Varna to see if any any other survivors had returned to their homes. Eventually her father was able to get her a visa to join him in the United States. She married George Field in Germany. In 1948, her first son Thomas was born in Ulm. Her second son, Robert, was born in New York in 1951. She and her family moved to California where they were able to re-build their lives by opening their own business raising chickens on a rented farm property. In 1956 they moved to San Francisco were the family opened a Deli, and eventually got into the real state business. While raising a family and taking care of the deli, she started writing her memoirs. She survived Hitler, but cancer took the best of her. She died on January 30th 1997.