Paul M. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Paul M., who was born in Berlin, Germany to Polish immigrants in 1922. He recalls involvement in Zionist organizations; attending a Jewish school; the decision of some relatives to emigrate in 1933; a beating by Hitler Youth in 1934; his parents' decision to leave following a Gestapo interrogation in 1936; their journey to Palestine via Austria and Trieste (his parents had money smuggled to them in Italy); their emigration to the United States in 1938; attending high school; cessation of communications from family in Europe after 1939; being drafted in 1942; encountering antisemitism while training in South Carolina; transfer to France with an intelligence unit in August 1944; interrogating German prisoners, including a concentration camp Kommandant; meeting survivors; and returning to the United States. Mr. M. discusses the deaths of many relatives who remained in Europe; his belief that the Allies did not bomb concentration camps due to indifference; not really understanding the scope of the Holocaust until his postwar return to the States; and interrogating a German who insisted that photographs of him committing war crimes were of his twin brother. Mr. M. shows photographs.
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
- M., Paul, -- 1992-
Subjects
- Holocaust survivors.
- Video tapes.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- Refugees, Jewish.
- Men.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- Zionist organizations.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Jewish.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, American.
- Jews -- Migrations.
- Postwar experiences.
- Antisemitism -- Prewar.
Places
- Trieste (Italy)
- Palestine.
- Austria.
- Germany.
- Berlin (Germany)
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat