“Fire, fire!”
 
At the end of the first week, on Saturday, as we were all in our cabins enjoying breakfast, we suddenly heard the cry “Fire, fire, it's burning!”.

In the Jewish cabin, the stove had started a smouldering fire in the woodwork.

The organizers

“In the morning at breakfast, Issy, from the Jewish group, came running in, saying that there was a fire in their cabin. We left everything standing and ran to the Jewish cabin, where smoke was already billowing out. One of us immediately called the fire department, but they would need an hour to get to us, since our camp was located on a steep mountain meadow at 1800 metres altitude. So it was immediately clear to everybody that we would have to put out the fire ourselves. Quickly we organized a bucket-brigade to fetch water. Meanwhile some people started rescuing people's belongings. Two boys broke open the woodwork with axes to expose where the fire was smouldering. With fire-extinguishers and with water we managed to put out the fire. By the time the firemen arrived – some nice fellows about 16 years of age, with big brass helmets and smart uniforms – they could only stand around looking sheepishly and wondering what to do.”

David (a Jewish boy)

“Oblivious to everything, I was sound asleep in my bed. Suddenly I was awakened by Genrich's crying out “Fire, fire! It's burning!” It was just 10 in the morning and I thought Genrich was making one of his jokes again. But then Issy came in and confirmed that there really was a fire. There weren't any flames yet, but plenty of smoke. I packed my things and ran outside. I saw how the organizers had begun fighting the fire. Luckily, we quickly got it under control.

By the way, I must remark, it was Shabbat, our Jewish day of rest. On Shabbat, Jews are forbidden to start fires or to put them out, but we all pitched in, because we weren't all that extreme in our religious observance.”