Huberman, Alfred (Oral history)

Polish Jewish civilian in Pulawy, Parchatka and Zwolen ghettoes, 1939-1942; inmate of Skarzysko Kamienna labour camp, 1943-1944; inmate of Czestophowa, Buchenwald and Theresienstadt, 1944-1945

REEL 1: Recollections of period in Poland, 1926-1943: daily life and living conditions in village of Pulawy; family; religious worship; Jewish life and culture; education; problem of anti-Semitism; question of integration into Polish community; languages spoke; awareness of growth of Nazism in Germany; description of German air attacks and evacuation to nearby town; memory of German tanks and troops; returned to Pulawy and description of destruction of village; moved into grandparents house in Jewish ghetto area; death of sister in air raid; description of daily life in Pulawy ghetto; evacuated to Jewish ghetto in village of Parchatka, 29/Dec/1939; daily life and conditions; story of Jewish escapee being shot and helping to bury him. REEL 2 Continues: question of non-Jewish looks; story of returning to Pulawy; story of escaping to Jewish ghetto in Zwolen; employment on farm; story of lilacs; description of round-up of Jews and process of selection for work. Aspects of period as inmate of Skarzysko Kamienna labour camp, 1943-1944: allocated to Work C and description of work filling shells with TNT; problem of skin turning yellow; daily routine and working conditions; description of camp and barracks; food rations; shift work; death of inmates; selection and hanging of inmates; story of refusing offer to 'go home'; lack of adequate washing and sanitary facilities; story of milk; memory of arrival of Hungarian Jews and robbing them of possessions, 1944; question of deteriorating physical condition and problem of hunger and cold. REEL 3 Continues: story of burying escaped prisoner; question of survival rate of inmates; treatment by guards and methods of punishment; story of Jewish kapo 'Fat Abraham'; comparison of survival rate of male and female inmates; memory of inmates committing suicide on electrified fences; memory of gas wagons; question of losing will to live; story of German and briefcase; memory of camp concert; problem of typhus in camp and nature of medical treatment; opinion of Ukrainian guards and comparison with Germans; question of survival in camp; involvement in acts of sabotage; story of eating Swiss cheese full of maggots; improvement in conditions, 1944. Aspect of period as inmate of Czestophowa and Buchenwald camps, 1944-1945: description of move to camp and nature of work in steel factory; daily routine and living conditions; story of death of father; problem of lice. REEL 4 Continues: awareness of war situation; description of six day journey to Buchenwald camp; reception process and attitude to German guards; disinfected and issued with camp uniform; description of accommodation in barracks in old stables; roll-calls; lack of adequate sanitary facilities; story of carrying soup to other barracks; comparison of living conditions with other inmates; question of 'Kangeroo' courts and punishments; memory of hearing Hitler's Christmas speech, 1944; given injections and issued with striped uniform; sent to Rehmsdorf camp, 1/1945. Aspects of period in Rehmsdorf camp, 1945: description of camp and living conditions; proximity of oil refinery and continual Allied air raids requiring rebuilding of camp and refinery; death rate in camp; story of obtaining employment on farm; attitude to German peasants; story of inmate going mad with noise of bombing raids; question of homosexual activity with young boys in camp; problem of health continuing to deteriorate and coughing blood. REEL 5 Continues: comments on mixed nature of inmates in Rehmsdorf and Buchenwald camps; attitude to chances of family's survival; question of social distinction among Jewish inmates; death rate in Rhemsdorf and problem of disease, hunger and bombing raids; story of being forced to carry loads back to camp after work; story of digging up unexploded bomb; description of journey to Theresienstadt, 1945; story of train being bombed and stealing food from hotel; high death rate during forced march to Theresienstadt; question of prisoners only being killed away from populated areas; attitude of Czech civilians to prisoners. Aspects of period as inmate in Theresienstadt, 1945: description of camp and accommodation in military barracks; story of hunger strike after cut in food ration; story of liberation by Russian troops and release; description of congestion on roads. REEL 6 Continues: reaction of Russian officers to conditions in camp and question of retribution; attitude to Germans; story of stealing strawberries; problem of eating unsuitable food and deaths from dysentery; problem of contracting TB; description of improvements in conditions and medical treatment; story of Polish Jews returning because of anti-Semitism in Poland; story of being offered chance to emigrate to Palestine, Switzerland or England. Recollections of post-war life in GB: description of journey to GB via Prague and Germany with group known as 'The Boys', 1945; arrival in Carlisle and reception by Jewish women; state of health of boys; moved to Windermere and opinion of accommodation; treatment for TB; question of learning English; story of trying to locate family. REEL 7 Continues: story of finding sister and other relatives in France; family losses during the Holocaust; story of meeting relatives in Hove; question of readjusting to normal family life; reaction to locating sister; attitude to experiences during Holocaust; further comments on 'The Boys'; story of employment as tailor in Brighton; reunions with 'The Boys'. REEL 8 Continues: further comments on education; attitude to establishment of state of Israel; question of pride in Jewish identity; story of Rumanian sadist; effects of Holocaust on life and family; story of meeting wife; description of 45 Aid Society and activities; question of compensation for Holocaust victims; reflections on period of Holocaust and attitude to treatment of Jews in camps.