Joseph H. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Joseph H., who was born in London, England in 1908. He recalls serving in the civil defense medical corps during the bombing of England; joining the British Army in 1942; and assignment to the Medical Corps. He recounts the stench of putrification for miles as they approached Bergen-Belsen; entering the camp a few days after liberation; shock at the emaciated prisoners and filthy conditions; a joyful response from prisoners when he spoke Yiddish to them; prisoners disfigured by medical experiments and beatings; efforts to prevent the former prisoners from eating too much; and leaving seven days later having helped to treat and transfer those prisoners most in need of aid. Mr. H. recounts the heroism of the British nurses; tough soldiers crying upon entering Belsen; and forcing captured Germans to remove and bury thousands of bodies. He shows photographs of Belsen taken by a fellow soldier.
Extent and Medium
1 videocassette
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
- H., Joseph, -- 1908-
Corporate Bodies
- Bergen-Belsen (Concentration camp)
Subjects
- Video tapes.
- Men.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, British.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Jewish.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, British.
Places
- England.
- London (England)
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat