Description
Object description
German part-Jewish Mischling schoolchild and member of Hitler Youth in Vienna, Austria and Berlin, Germany, 1933-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Berlin, Germany and Vienna Austria, 1927-1934: family background including having Aryan German mother and Jewish Austrian father; insecurity of early childhood years; life in Vienna, Austria, 1933-1934; attitude towards Jewish grandmother; confusion about Jewish identity and religious beliefs. Recollections of period as schoolchild and member of Hitler Youth in Berlin, Germany, 1934-1945: classification as Mischling; question of discrimination at school and amongst school friends; attending Nazi youth camp, 1941; mother's protest at his receiving Jewish rations cards; joining Hitler Youth; reasons for father's immigration to Palestine, 1934.
REEL 2 Continues: attitude towards father; attitude towards circumcision; concern over Jewish appearance; lack of discussion about politics and racial issues with mother; degree to which he was accepted into Hitler Youth; organisation of Hitler Youth; work with 'Bucket Brigades' during bombing of Berlin; Nazi propaganda; rations; voluntary evacuation to Czechoslovakia; being sent back to Berlin on discovery of his classification as Mischling; bombing of Berlin; contact with father and his early death in 1947.
REEL 3 Continues: relations between his parents; fate of family members during Holocaust; sight of cattle trucks carrying Jewish deportees on railway; attitude of Germans towards Jews; memories of Kristallnacht, 9/11/1938-10/11/1938; attitude towards his part-Jewish identity. Aspects of period as schoolchild in Berlin, Germany, 1945: arrival of Soviet Army, 4/1945; attitude of Germans towards Soviets; contrast between Soviet and American occupation. Aspects of period as civilian in Austria, 1945-1955: sense of responsibility towards mother; question of compensation.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of emigration from Austria to United States of America, 1955: employment; situation for wife. Reflections on Holocaust experience: decision of his son to become Jewish; marriage of cousin to son of former Schutzstaffel (SS) man; how his mother protected him during war; coping with anti-Semitism post-war; gradual acceptance of father's Jewish identity; watching films of liberation of concentration camps in Austria, 1945; degree of anti-Semitism in Austria; confirmation into Christian faith; increase in discussion on Holocaust. Recollections of period as schoolchild in Berlin, Germany, 1939-1945: incident of being stopped by Schutzstaffel (SS).
REEL 5 Continues: Allied bombing of city; destruction of family home, 3/1943; government aid for victims of bombing; attitude towards bombing; character of Berliners; Nazi radio broadcasts; lack of other part-Jewish Mischlings at school.