The company manufactured coats famously worn by Prince Philip and Harold Wilson. They set up a textile business and Joseph patented a new cloth called Gannex. Margaret and Joseph chose to create new lives in Britain as Joseph’s father already lived in England. She discovered the truth about her father’s disappearance and that her mother had committed suicide in a concentration camp. Margaret was euphoric at regaining her freedom and being reunited with Alik, however the enormity of what had happened quickly became apparent. They were liberated in July 1944 when the Soviet army reached Kaunas. They had to remain silent during the day and at night Margaret taught Joseph Russian and he taught her English. They remained in their hiding place for nine months with the help from their friends who risked their lives to do so. Margaret, Joseph and his mother escaped the ghetto by sneaking away from a slave labour brigade to their hiding place in the attic of a local factory. “Joseph, unlike so many others who hoped against hope, was absolutely sure that we were going to be exterminated and if we wanted to stay alive we had to somehow get out of this hellish ghetto.”
Before going into hiding Margaret found a friend outside the ghetto to look after Alik. He convinced Margaret to marry him and to go into hiding with him and his mother. Joseph was convinced that the Jewish people were going to be killed so set about trying to find a place to hide. Joseph refused to accept the conditions of the ghetto and smuggled luxuries such as food and gramophone records in despite risking his life to do so. Margaret’s life changed when she met Joseph Kagan.
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