Steffi W. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Steffi W., who was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1926, the younger of two children. She recalls her family's assimilated lifestyle; being impressed by Rabbi Joseph Carlebach when attending synagogue; attending public school; transfer to a Jewish school when Mein Kampf was read in class; increasing anti-Jewish restrictions; her father and brother emigrating to Uruguay in October 1938; observing evidence of Kristallnacht the next day; emigrating with her mother to Montevideo in December 1939; socializing with the German immigrants; learning the fates of relatives after the war, most of whom had emigrated or were killed; meeting her future husband, a German immigrant; marriage in Houston, Texas in 1948; deportation to Hamburg in 1951 due to their affiliation with the Communist Party; and antisemitic incidents. Ms. W. discusses not identifying as a Jew, but as a human being; her brother's emigration to Israel; and her focus on her grandchildren. She shows photographs and documents.
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
- Carlebach, Joseph, -- 1883-1942.
- W., Steffi, -- 1926-
Subjects
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Children.
- Jewish children in the Holocaust.
- Jews -- Migrations.
- Jewish refugees.
- Kristallnacht, 1938.
- Deportation -- United States.
- Identification (Religion)
- Holocaust survivors.
- Video tapes.
- Women.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- Postwar experiences.
- Antisemitism -- Postwar.
- Antisemitism -- Prewar.
- Crystal Night, 1938.
- Child survivors.
Places
- Houston (Tex.)
- Montevideo (Uruguay)
- Hamburg (Germany)
- Germany.
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat