Joseph W. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Joseph W., who was born in Kuro?w, Poland in 1924, the oldest of three children. He recounts antisemitic harassment at school; his father's Polish military service; German invasion; briefly fleeing with his mother and siblings; his father's return; forced labor in Janiszo?w; he and his brother escaping a round-up in Kon?skowola (he never saw his mother and sister again); returning home; reunion with his father; hiding by himself on farms and in fields, then in a forest with other Jews, including an aunt; leaving to find food; learning the others had been killed; receiving food from a local woman; taking care of a maternal aunt in hiding; their capture by German soldiers; escaping (his aunt was killed); liberation by Soviet troops in 1944; draft into the Polish division of the Soviet army; battling against the Germans in Praga; transfer to Katowice; learning his father had been killed by the Armia Krajowa; reunion with his brother; deserting; traveling with his brother to ?o?dz?, then illegally to Bratislava, Vienna, Wels, Salzburg, and Badgastein; and emigration to the United States in 1949. Mr. W. discusses several captures and escapes; not trusting anyone, which helped him to survive; and difficulties sharing his experiences with his children.
Extent and Medium
4 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.
Rules and Conventions
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Process Info
compiled by Staff of the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies
People
- W., Joseph, -- 1924-
Corporate Bodies
- Poland. -- Polskie Siły Zbrojne. -- Armia Krajowa.
Subjects
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Soviet.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Polish.
- Antisemitism -- Prewar.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Jewish.
- Fathers and sons.
- Brothers.
- Draft -- Poland.
- Draft -- Soviet Union.
- Jewish children in the Holocaust.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Children.
- Escapes.
- Forced labor.
- Men.
- Video tapes.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- Holocaust survivors.
- Antisemitism -- Postwar.
- Mutual aid.
- Survivor-child relations.
- Postwar experiences.
- Hiding.
- Child survivors.
- Aid by non-Jews.
- Forests.
Places
- Praga (Warsaw, Poland)
- Janiszów (Poland)
- Łódź (Poland)
- Katowice (Poland)
- Poland.
- Końskowola (Poland)
- Kurów (Lublin, Poland)
- Salzburg (Austria)
- Bratislava (Slovakia)
- Vienna (Austria)
- Wels (Austria)
- Badgastein (Austria)
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat