they were told they have to leave their home. they were forced to emigrate. they were allowed to leave with one document. this is kind of the passport which is even not called passport because it is a one way document which means you could only leave poland and never come back. reporter: one way. one way. they were allowed as you see here to have with them only $5, nothing else. reporter: my uncle alex gelbert got one of those one way tickets out of poland. in 1968 he was 20 and in medical school. do you remember the moment when you realized you had to go? yes. it was very unpleasant because i was pulled out from this fairly protected environment to a situation in which i am essentially a nobody. you would have an official stand