Paul O. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Paul O., who was born in Hajdu?hadha?z, Hungary in 1924, the oldest of four children. He recalls thinking a German-Jewish visitor was exaggerating stories of persecution; meeting his future wife in Debrecen; rabbinical studies in Budapest; draft into a Hungarian forced labor battalion in 1944; remaining with friends from rabbinical school; serving on the Russian front; escaping with his friends; rejoining his unit when he realized escape was impossible; feigning illness to be sent back to Hungary; return to the front lines when his ruse was discovered; changing his papers to indicate he was stationed in Budapest; being sent to Sa?toraljau?jhely, then Budapest; a Jew in hiding telling him to go to the Swiss consulate where he found friends from rabbinical school; visiting relatives; obtaining Swiss protection for them; liberation by Soviet troops in January 1944; learning about the death camps in spring 1945; reunion with his future wife and his father (the rest of his family had been killed); marriage; traveling to Germany; his father's emigration to Palestine; and theirs to the United States. Mr. O. discusses his children's relationship with his father.
Extent and Medium
3 videocassettes (3/4" u-matic)
Conditions Governing Access
This testimony is open with permission.
Conditions Governing Reproduction
Copyright has been transferred to the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies. Use of this testimony requires permission of the Fortunoff Video Archive.
Rules and Conventions
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Process Info
compiled by Staff of the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies
People
- O., Paul, -- 1924-
Subjects
- Holocaust survivors.
- Forced labor.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Conscript labor -- Hungary.
- Escapes.
- Mutual aid.
- Video tapes.
- Men.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- False papers.
- Postwar experiences.
- Hiding.
- Aid by non-Jews.
- Survivor-child relations.
Places
- Sátoraljaújhely (Hungary)
- Debrecen (Hungary)
- Budapest (Hungary)
- Hajdúhadház (Hungary)
- Hungary.
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat