Marie P. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Marie P., who was born in Albi, France to Polish immigrants in 1941. She recounts living with her parents in Milhars (her father was in hiding while her mother posed as a French peasant); her sister's birth; often staying with other families (she later realized it was during German raids); learning never to talk about her parents during these stays; attending Catholic services; not attending school; the war's end; moving to Paris; emigrating to the United States in 1951; learning she was Jewish; trying to be as American as possible; and marriage at nineteen. Mrs. P. discusses her baptism at birth as a safety measure; retrospectively realizing they hid their Judaism in postwar France due to antisemitism; her parents' reluctance to talk about their wartime experiences; her interest in music and dance which she attributes to the influence of attending and enjoying Catholic masses; training as a therapist; participating in a hidden children's organization which provides the safety and security she is always seeking; visiting France and her plans for a return visit; and her strong Jewish identity.
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
- P., Marie, -- 1941-
Subjects
- Women.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- Holocaust survivors.
- Video tapes.
- Hiding.
- Aid by non-Jews.
- Christian converts from Judaism.
- Child survivors.
- Family.
- Identification (Religion)
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Children.
- Postwar effects.
- Postwar experiences.
- Antisemitism -- Postwar.
Places
- France.
- Albi (France)
- Paris (France)
- Milhars (France)
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat