Rudolph G. Holocaust testimony

Identifier
HVT 1128
Language of Description
English
Level of Description
Collection
Source
EHRI Partner

Abstract

Videotape testimony of Rudolph G., who was born in Libau (now Liepa?ja), Latvia in 1918. He recalls his religious upbringing; his father's death when Mr. G. was thirteen; repairing watches in his family's jewelry store; and apprenticeship to a local watchmaker. Mr. G. describes the Soviet occupation; German invasion in June 1941; bombing of Libau; anti-Jewish measures; deportations; round-ups; mass shootings, which included his brother; transport of his mother and sister to Ri?ga (he never heard from them again); and repairing watches for the German army. He tells of Jews forced to destroy synagogues and Torahs; mass killings on Yom Kippur in 1941 and in February 1942; ghettoization in June 1942; and liquidation of the ghetto on Yom Kippur in 1942. Mr. G. recounts deportation to Kaiserwald; experiences of forced labor, beatings, and hunger there, and at Ereda (where he met his future wife and her mother), Goldfilz and Stutthof, where he gave an extra bread ration to Cantor Gregor S. He relates his liberation on March 11, 1945 by Soviets; conscription into the Soviet army; working as a watchmaker; escaping to Munich; locating his girlfriend and her mother; marriage on September 25, 1946; emigration to New York in June 1949; their son's birth; and working as an watchmaker.

Extent and Medium

2 videocassettes

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.

Related Units of Description

  • Associated material: Gregor S. Holocaust testimony (HVT-104), Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies, Yale University Library.

Rules and Conventions

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Process Info

  • compiled by Staff of the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies

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This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.