Ondrej G. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Ondrej G., a Catholic Romani, who was born in Ruskinovce, Czechoslovakia (presently Slovakia) in 1921, one of ten children. He recounts cordial relations with non-Romani; attending school from age ten to fifteen; working with his father as a blacksmith; persecution of Romas by Hlinka guards after the formation of the Slovak state; vandalism against Romanies; moving with his mother to his sister's home in ľubietová; returning home; finding their house burned down; living with his brother; fear of deportation; enlisting in the military; fighting in the Soviet Union; their commander not discriminating against him and other Romani soldiers; one Hlinka commander persecuting the Romanies; his troop rioting against the Germans in 1944; their commander negotiating with the Germans for their lives; confiscation of their weapons; transfer to Italy as forced laborers; digging trenches; returning home in August 1945; military discharge in December; and marriage in 1946. Mr. G. discusses his postwar work history; raising five children; moving several times; building his own houses; and his hard life.
Extent and Medium
1 videocassette
Conditions Governing Access
This testimony can only be viewed at Yale by Yale faculty and/or students.
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. This testimony or excerpts from it cannot be used for publication.
Rules and Conventions
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Process Info
compiled by Staff of the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies
People
- G., Ondrej, -- 1921-
Corporate Bodies
- Hlinkova slovenská l̕udová strana.
Subjects
- Video tapes.
- Men.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Slovak.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Romani.
- Romanies -- Nazi persecution -- Slovakia.
- Romanies -- Slovakia -- History -- 20th century.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Slovak.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Romani.
- Forced labor.
- Postwar experiences.
Places
- Czechoslovakia.
- ľubietová (Slovakia)
- Ruskinovce (Slovakia)
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat