Paul K. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Paul K., who was born in 1927 in Carei, Romania. He recalls studying at home with his grandfather, a retired rabbi; disbelieving atrocity stories from Poland in 1940; Hungarian occupation; increased anti-Jewish restrictions in 1942; brief ghettoization in May 1944; transfer to the Satu Mare ghetto; his distrust of the Judenrat; volunteering with his parents for transfer to a work camp; transport to Birkenau; separation from his parents; transfer to Auschwitz, then Monowitz; hospitalization for two months; Allied bombing of the I.G. Farben factories; foraging for food; the death march beginning on January 18, 1945 to Gleiwitz; transfer to Buchenwald; Czechs throwing food into their open rail cars; extreme overcrowding; and liberation by United States troops in April. Mr. K. recounts transport with other children to France; working for the United States Army in Paris, emigration to the United States in 1947 under his uncle's sponsorship; his American relatives discomfort at hearing survivor experiences; and sharing memories with other survivor friends. He discusses the murder of his entire family; his sense he will never be at peace; many atrocities; the importance of other prisoners' help; and he reflects on his own humanity.
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.
Rules and Conventions
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Process Info
compiled by Staff of the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies
People
- K., Paul, -- 1927-
Corporate Bodies
- Buchenwald (Concentration camp)
- Interessengemeinschaft Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschaft.
- Monowitz (Concentration camp)
- Birkenau (Concentration camp)
Subjects
- Postwar experiences.
- Hospitals in concentration camps.
- Child survivors.
- Postwar effects.
- Hungarian occupation.
- Mutual aid.
- Jewish councils.
- Death marches.
- Forced labor.
- Jews -- Romania : Judet -- Satu Mare.
- Jewish ghettos.
- Concentration camps -- Psychological aspects.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Children.
- Jews -- Romania -- Carei.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- Video tapes.
- Men.
- Holocaust survivors.
Places
- Gleiwitz (Poland : Concentration camp)
- Paris (France)
- Carei (Romania)
- Romania.
- Auschwitz (Poland : Concentration camp)
- Carei ghetto.
- Satu Mare ghetto.
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat