William F. Holocaust testimony

Identifier
HVT 2892
Language of Description
English
Level of Description
Collection
Source
EHRI Partner

Abstract

Videotape testimony of William F., who was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1915 the only child of a Jewish mother and Catholic father. He recalls attending public school, gymnasium, and university; working as a librarian at Vienna University; the Anschluss in March 1938; his mother's chocolate business being closed due to anti-Jewish restrictions; arrest for not wearing a swastika; incarceration in Dachau; his father's death (he never learned how he died); slave labor digging fortifications; becoming the body carrier for his barrack; keeping some hope despite his belief he would never be released; release due to his mother obtaining a false request from friends in England for him to work as a librarian; traveling to London, then to southern Wales; working as a lumberjack; earning his fare to the United States; military service as an interpreter in Mississippi; marriage; and establishing a successful chocolate business. Mr. F. discusses learning his mother was deported to Poland in May 1942 (she did not survive); wonderful treatment in Wales by non-Jews; and his inability to hate.

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

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.