Bamber, Helen Rae (Oral history)

British civilian in Mildenhall and London, GB, 1939-1945; served with Jewish Relief Unit in GB and Germany, 1943-1947

REEL 1 Background in London, 1925-1939: memories of parents including details of father's work including helping Jews leave Nazi Germany; story of listening to speech by Hitler; activities with gang aiming to disrupt British Union of Fascists' marches; memories and influence of Aunt Mina; description of fascist marches; feeling of being different as child; contact with German Jewish refugees including health. Aspects of period as civilian in Mildenhall and London, GB, 1939-1945: evacuation of school to Mildenhall, 1939-1940; adopted family; rations; air raids and story of plane crash; outbreak of war; return to London; air raids; education including details of secretarial course undertaken; learning and opinion of shorthand. REEL 2 Continues: building of air raid shelters; story of air raid during fire watching duties in Holborn and lasting effects of experience; story of neighbour losing an eye; outburst of culture in London; description of dances; story of aunt's death in an air raid at Café de Paris; memories of aunt; relationship with Polish airmen during voluntary work in YMCA canteen including account of Polish airmen crashing planes into Germans; voluntary work with Jewish troops; details of Jewish Relief Unit; knowledge of Holocaust in Europe. Aspects of period as civilian with Jewish Relief Unit in GB, 1943-1945: further details of unit; details of training for work abroad at Endsleigh Place, London; opinion that lacked helpful skills; posting as Henry Lunzer's assistant; relationship with parents and need to help Holocaust survivors. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of early maturity and signs of it; selection for work in Germany with Henry Lunzer; assessment and clearing for work aboard; funding, make-up and role of unit. Aspects of period as civilian with Jewish Relief Unit in Germany, 1945-1947: setting-up of headquarters in Eilshausen; description of journey to Eilshausen including stay in Calais and markings on uniform; communications; details of unit presence at Bergen-Belsen; concerns while at Eilshausen; relationship with United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration and Military Government; feelings before first visit to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp; scenes and smell on arrival; visits to barracks and role at camp; impressions of displaced persons and reactions to situation; description of talks with displaced persons; reactions of survivors to their experiences and importance to be receptive; details of hospital at camp. REEL 4 Continues: story of boy taken from Bergen-Belsen to Ireland; change in attitude towards displaced persons; details of theatre established at Bergen-Belsen; problems with being able to give displaced persons what they desired; attempts of displaced persons to get to Poland including passes required to leave camp; relationship of Headquarters with Military Government including story of work as negotiator; relation of lack of understanding of authorities to situation of refugees and asylum seekers in Britain, 2006; story of husband, Rudi Bamber; visits to and work at camp in Kaunitz; story of Jewish woman in a German hospital.