Jacob W. Holocaust testimony

Videotape testimony of Jacob W., who was born in Wolbrom, Poland in 1920. He recalls antisemitism from 1936 to 1939; friendships with non-Jews; German invasion; expulsion from school; a mass killing in a forest which included his brother; his other brother's death in the Polish army; transport to Auschwitz; and separation from his parents whom he never saw again. He describes transfer after three weeks to Auenrode; cruel treatment of many by a kapo who had been a family friend; a German civilian worker who saved his life; a friend's subterfuge which provided extra time for Mr. W. in the infirmary; transfer to Hirschberg; the death march; transport to Weimar, then Buchenwald; hiding to escape being killed; and lying on a pile of bodies when liberated by American troops. Mr. W. recounts hospitalization near Weimar; returning to Poland; finding only six surviving Jews in his town; returning to Germany; marriage; nightmares; being turned back in Cyprus en route to Palestine in 1946; and emigration to the United States. He describes meeting the kapo from Auenrode and accusing him of having "hundreds on his conscience" and the kapo hanging himself that night.

1 videocassette