Richard W. Holocaust testimony

Identifier
HVT 2087
Language of Description
English
Level of Description
Collection
Source
EHRI Partner

Abstract

Videotape recording of Richard W., who was born in Ludwigshafen, Germany in 1931. He recalls his father's arrest and vandalizing of their home on Kristallnacht; his father's incarceration in Dachau and subsequent release; outbreak of war; Allied air raids; deportation with his family to Gurs in 1940; placement with his brother in a children's home in Aspet by the Quakers and others; his mother's death from cancer; attending her funeral; receiving letters from his father; their last visit; their sea voyage to Casablanca with other children, then to Baltimore via Bermuda on a Portuguese ship; living with aunts in New York; and military service in Korea. Mr. W. discusses his lost childhood leading to difficulties relating to his children; reluctance to share his experiences until he spoke at an adult education course; rejecting an invitation to visit his hometown; and his ongoing animosity toward Germans and Germany.

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

  • W., Richard, -- 1931-

Corporate Bodies

  • Gurs (Concentration camp)

Subjects

  • Aid by non-Jews.
  • Postwar experiences.
  • Postwar effects.
  • Survivor-child relations.
  • Video tapes.
  • Holocaust survivors.
  • World War, 1939-1945 -- Children.
  • World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
  • Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
  • Men.
  • Brothers.
  • Quakers.
  • World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue.
  • Family.
  • Antisemitism -- Prewar.
  • Crystal Night, 1938.
  • Child survivors.
  • Kristallnacht, 1938.

Places

  • Ludwigshafen am Rhein (Germany)
  • Germany.
  • Aspet (France)
  • Casablanca (Morocco)

Genre

  • Oral histories. -- aat
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.