Samuel W. Holocaust testimony

Identifier
HVT 4398
Language of Description
English
Level of Description
Collection
Source
EHRI Partner

Abstract

Videotape testimony of Samuel W., who was born in Chorzów, Poland in 1927. He recalls his family's affluence; his brother's death in 1936; moving to Kraków in 1939; vacationing in Krynica-Wiés; returning home; German invasion the next day; moving east from Weiliczka to Zalishchyky; Soviet occupation; moving to Lʹviv; attending school; German invasion; returning to Kraków; moving to Wolbrom; his mother arranging a tutor for him and others; a round-up; selection with his mother; her insistence he join his father; her deportation with relatives to Belzec (he never saw them again); deportation with his father to Płaszów; his uncle obtaining a privileged position for him with a German official; the officer providing a pass to Wolbrom for him and his father; returning there; hiding during a round-up; a non-Jew in Słomniki transporting them to Kraków; smuggling themselves into the ghetto; deportation back to Płaszów; working as Kommandant Amon Goeth's personal servant; obtaining extra food for his father; Goeth arranging their transfer to Gross-Rosen; hospitalization; assistance from a Jewish doctor; a death march and rail transport to Bergen-Belsen in late 1944; his father's death three days before liberation by British troops; the high death rate after liberation; observing the camp being burned; living in the displaced persons camp there; and marriage in August 1946. Mr. W. discusses the rebirth of Jewish life in the displaced persons camp; a recent visit there and to Poland with his wife, daughter, and son-in-law; and encountering antisemitism in Poland. He shows photographs.

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

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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.