Bill G. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Bill G., who was born in Satu Mare, Romania in 1930. He recalls his large and close, extended family; pervasive antisemitism; Hungarian occupation in 1940; anti-Jewish measures; his parents' disbelief that anything could happen to them; his older brother moving to Budapest; German occupation in 1944; ghettoization; deportation with his parents and sister; German guards taking over from Hungarians in Kos?ice; separation from his family in Birkenau (he never saw his mother again); his initial psychological trauma; help from prisoners in adjusting; his decision to be mentally tough; transfer to a children's barrack in Auschwitz; deportation to Meldorf; slave labor; assistance from two German guards; helping two Hungarian boys; evacuation by train; an unsuccessful escape attempt; and liberation by United States troops. Mr. G. recounts Red Cross assistance; reunion with his father; their return to Satu Mare; learning his brother and sister had survived; traveling to Germany with his brother in March 1946; emigrating to Canada with a children's transport; his siblings and father joining him; and marriage in 1962. Mr. G. discusses the importance of luck to his survival, and sharing his experiences with his children.
Extent and Medium
3 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
- G., Bill, -- 1930-
Corporate Bodies
- Auschwitz (Concentration camp)
- Birkenau (Concentration camp)
- International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Subjects
- Survivor-child relations.
- Postwar experiences.
- Jews -- Romania -- Satu Mare.
- Concentration camps -- Psychological aspects.
- Forced labor.
- Child survivors.
- Antisemitism -- Prewar.
- Hungarian occupation.
- Aid by non-Jews.
- Mutual aid.
- Holocaust survivors.
- Video tapes.
- Men.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Children.
- Jewish ghettos.
Places
- Meldorf (Germany : Concentration camp)
- Children's block (Auschwitz)
- Satu Mare ghetto.
- KosĚice (Slovakia)
- Satu Mare (Harghita, Romania)
- Romania.
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat