Description
Object description
Polish Jewish civilian living in Pruskow, Poland, 1930s-1940. Interned in Pruskow and Warsaw ghettos, 1940-1941. Escape from Warsaw ghetto. In hiding in Kosow, Poland, 1941-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of life in Pruszkow and Warsaw, Poland, 1930s: family background; education; question of anti semitism; relationship between Jews and gentiles; preparations for war; German bombing of Pruszkow, 9/1939; attempts to escape; belief that the Allies would come to aid of Poland; reaction to parading of German troops through Warsaw; introduction of new rules for Jews; arrest and disappearance of uncle. Recollection of life in Pruszkow and Warsaw ghettos, Poland, 1940-1941: formation of ghetto in Pruszkow; life in ghetto; forced labour; open nature of Pruskow ghetto; transportation to Warsaw ghetto; accommodation; situation in Warsaw ghetto. REEL 2 Continues: deaths of ghetto inhabitants from starvation and disease; attempts of children to smuggle food in from outside the ghetto and punishment for those caught; black market; father's trips to Kosow and friendship with Zylberman family; escaping from the ghetto. Recollections of period in hiding in Kosow, Poland, 1941-1945: situation in Kosow and staying with Zylberman family; reaction to news of German invasion of Soviet Union; awareness of concentration/death camps; smell of burning from nearby Treblinka; attempts to find hiding place for family. REEL 3 Continues: arranging to hide at farm of Jan Goral and his family; digging of shelter under barn for 11 people; secrecy surrounding construction of hideout; description of hideout; living conditions in hideout; lack of exercise; difficulties caused by people using barn above; attempts to pass time; relations between those in hideout; morale in hideout and of Goral family; pregnancy of young woman in hideout; birth of baby; killing of baby by it's mother in order to keep hideout secret; impact of baby's death on those in shelter; news that Germany was losing the war. REEL 4 Continues: birth of baby; story of how his father's friends, the Zylbermans, appealed to Jan Goral to be included in hideout; murder of the Zylbermans by local Poles; liberation of Kosow by Russian troops; emerging from hideout. Recollections of life in Poland, 1945-1946: return to family farm; story of young women who escaped mass grave at Treblinka; impact of period in hiding on health; impact of experience on his parents; handing over of farm to Jan Goral as promised; low number of Jews from Pruszkow that survived. REEL 5 Continues: murder of one of those from hideout by local Poles in Kosow; news of massacre at Kielce, 4/7/1946; family's decision to leave Poland. Recollections of life in Germany and US, 1946: period in DP camp, Bavaria, Germany; emigration to Devonport, Iowa, US; difficulties learning English; employment; period in US Army; posting to Germany; inability of his parents to put Holocaust experience behind them; return visit to Poland with wife; impact of Holocaust experience on life.