Ruth H. Holocaust testimony

Identifier
HVT 1704
Language of Description
English
Level of Description
Collection
Source
EHRI Partner

Abstract

Videotape testimony of Ruth H., who was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1928, the only child of an affluent family. She recalls a beautiful life; German occupation in 1939; her father's disappearance; living with her mother and grandmother; her aunt's suicide upon receiving deportation notice; their deportation to Theresienstadt in 1942; extreme hunger; their transfer to Auschwitz in 1944; separation from her grandmother; assignment to the family camp; slave labor clearing bombing rubble in Hamburg; clandestinely receiving food from French POWs; a death march to Bergen-Belsen; liberation; transfer to a hospital in Sweden; hearing from a cousin in New York; emigration to join her; her mother's death (she never fully recovered); marriage; her daughter's birth; and divorce. Ms. H. discusses the limitations of words to describe their suffering; surviving due to her mother; not sharing her experiences after the war; nightmares; her daughter's former lack of interest in her story and more current interest; a recent trip to Prague with her daughter; and continuing fondness for Prague.

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

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Places

Genre

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.