Description
Object description
Czechoslovakian Jewish civilian in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, 1939-1942; inmate in Majdanek, Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau Concentration Camps, Poland, 6/1942-4/1944; escaped from Auschwitz II-Birkenau Concentration Camp in Poland to Slovakia, 4/1944
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as civilian in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, 1939-1942: question of nature of discrimination; exclusion from gymnasium for being Jewish in Bratislava, 1939; question of his nationality; religious denominations at gymnasium; restrictions placed on Jewish civilians in Slovakia; different distinctions of restrictions against Jewish populace in Slovakia; nature of restrictions placed on Jewish civilians in Slovakia.
REEL 2 Continues: requirement for Jews to wear yellow Star of David; how specific members of the Jewish community were treated by authorities; role of Jewish Council in selecting 'important' members of Jewish community; announcement by Slovakian authorities to send Jews to camps in Poland; reaction to announcement.
REEL 3 Continues: Zionists' attitude towards race and religion; role of Jewish Council and influence of Zionists; question of divisions in Jewish society in Slovakia; attitude towards Zionists; reaction to Zionists allowing younger Jews to be deported; background to becoming inmate in Novaky Transit Camp in Slovakia, 1942.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of train journey from Novaky Transit Camp to Majdanek Concentration Camp in Poland, 6/1942; promises that Jews in Slovakia would join their families; conditions in cattle truck; how civilised behaviour changed during journey; calculating attitude of Schutzstaffel (SS) guards during journey; reception on arrival at Majdanek Concentration Camp, 15/6/1942.
REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of period as inmate in Majdanek Concentration Camp, Poland, 15/6/1942-29/6/1942: nature of systematic and calculated character of train journeys for Jewish deportees; reception of deportees in camp; reaction of deportees to sight of inmates working on Judenrampe; Schutzstaffel (SS) cordon around Judenrampe; his membership of inmate detachment on Judenrampe; simultaneous opening of all cattle truck doors.
REEL 6 Continues: role of Judenrampe inmate detachment; appearance and behaviour of Schutzstaffel (SS) men on Judenrampe; selection of deportees by Schutzstaffel (SS); new arrivals' discarding of luggage; use of lorries to transport new arrivals to gas chamber; question of protesting against situation; nature of inducements used by Schutzstaffel (SS) to get new arrivals to enter gas chambers.
REEL 7 Continues: question of lack of trust of Judenrampe detachment by newly arrived inmates; treatment of those beaten during selection; question of impracticability of resistance on arrival at camp and need for it prior to deportation; character of Schutzstaffel (SS) guards.
REEL 8 Continues: reasons for volunteering for Auschwitz Camp at Majdanek Concentration Camp, 6/1942; inmate task dealing with remains of Soviet prisoners of war. Recollections of period as inmate in Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau Concentration Camps, Poland, 6/1942-4/1944: initial impressions on arrival at Auschwitz I, 6/1942 Camp; processing of new arrivals; roll calls; move to Bllg section of camp.
REEL 9 Continues: character of journey to Bllg section of camp from Auschwitz II-Birkenau Camp; carrying bags of cement; importance of not falling down during task; sight of German inspectors whilst carry bags of cement; question of numbers killed and injured during operation; learning about personalities of kapos; lack of water.
REEL 10 Continues: inmate's attempts to drink infected water; rations issued; opinion of soup; keeping portion of bread ration; theft of bread by inmates; consequences for inmates caught stealing bread.
REEL 11 Continues: question of the Allies bombing Auschwitz; nature of Auschwitz Concentration Camp complex; question of Nazis understanding of human psychology; revolt of first Sonderkommando; how friend was considered an informer.
REEL 12 Continues: question of why Sonderkommando continued to perform their tasks; question of why inmates couldn't believe what was happening to them; reaction of inmate towards gassing of a thousand women.
REEL 13 Continues: description of Sonderkommando; availability of money in camp; question of choice of second Sonderkommando; character of those in Sonderkommando; uprisings in other concentration camps; question of inability to explain to newly arrived inmates their fate.
REEL 14 Continues: question of need to use machinery to carry out of exterminations; decision to escape to Hungary; overhearing guards talking about arrival of Hungarian Jews; security measures to prevent escape from camp.
REEL 15 Continues: description of plan to escape from camp. Aspects of escape from Auschwitz II-Birkenau Concentration Camp in Poland to Slovakia, 4/1944: making contact with doctor in Slovakia; making contact with the Jewish Council in Slovakia.
REEL 16 Continues: character of interview by members of Slovak Jewish Council; question of informing Hungarians about proposed deportation of Hungarian Jews; obtaining false papers; question of taking action to stop transport of Hungarian Jews; visit to Kolozsvar for abortive talk to synagogue congregation.
REEL 17 Continues: dealings with Communist groups; meeting with Josef Weiss; reproduction of Vbra's report on Auschwitz in Josef Weiss' office; question of failure to inform Hungarian Jews of fate if deported; contact with Spanish priest.
REEL 18 Continues: joining Czechoslovakian partisans, 9/1944; question of distribution of his report on Auschwitz; discovery of German propaganda published in newspaper relating to Auschwitz after partisan action in Slovakia, 10/1944; opinion of German guards' motivation in concentration camps; opinion of Jewish Council.