Norman T. Holocaust testimony

Identifier
HVT 4459
Language of Description
English
Level of Description
Collection
Source
EHRI Partner

Abstract

Videotape testimony of Norman T., who enlisted in the British military in early 1940. He discusses training; landing in Europe in June 1944; arriving in Celle, Germany on April 14, 1945; learning Bergen-Belsen concentration camp was nearby; arrival there on April 15; being overwhelmed with piles of rotting corpses and the condition of the prisoners; encountering Josef Kramer, the Kommandant; providing food for the prisoners, not realizing it would kill them; a large number of deaths; interrogating Kramer and others; wanting to shoot him and other guards but restraining himself based on his training; other soldiers shooting Germans; encountering a woman prisoner whom he decided to marry; proposing a few days later; leaving a document with her when he had to leave verifying their engagement; and their marriage in a synagogue in Lübeck on October 7, 1945. Mr. T. notes none of the German he encountered showed remorse or admitted guilt but claimed they just followed orders; not sharing his or his wife's story with their children or others, wanting to protect her; returning to Belsen in 1945 at the invitation of the German government; and subsequently speaking to schools with his wife about their experiences.

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. The testimony or excerpts from it cannot be used for publication.

Related Units of Description

  • Related material: Gena T. Holocaust testimony wife, Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies, Yale University Library.

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.