Description
Object description
German schoolchild living in Berlin, 1922-1939; emigration to France, 1933; lived in France, 1933-1935; emigration to GB, 1935; lived in London, 1935-1940; served as NCO with 93 Coy, Pioneer Corps in GB and North West Europe, 1940; served as NCO with 93, 220 and 249 Coys, PC in GB and North West Europe, 1940-1944; served as NCO interpreter with No 10 Amplifier Unit, Psychological Warfare Unit, 21st Army Group in North West Europe, 1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Weissenfels and Leipzig, Germany, 1913-1933: Jewish family background and social circumstances; education including sporting activities and absence of anti-Semitism; effects of war, 1914-1918, including father's service with German artillery unit and food rationing; studying law and journalism at Leipzig and Berlin Universities, 1931-1933; attitude to Hitler and story of students response to lecture, 1932; background to election of Hitler, 4/1933; opinion of Mein Kempf; introduction of anti-Semitic race laws; background to decision to emigrate to France, 1933; loss of family business, 1933; story of cycling across French border to avoid German border guards. Recollections of period living in Paris, France, 1933-1935: assistance from Jewish organisation; conditions in former barrack accommodation; studying law at Sorbonne University; problems with French language and leaving university.
REEL 2 Continues: delivery work for photographic laboratory; work in restaurant kitchen; moving in with relatives' flat; situation of family in Germany and visit from mother; arrest and deportation by French police; background to securing visitor's visa to GB. Recollections of periods in Golders Green, Edmonton and Fulham, London, 1935-1940: reception; living in Golders Green; assisting uncle in selling costume jewellery; story of meeting law professor from Leipzig University and securing work as private tutor to Squadron Leader Herbert Brackley; nature of duties as private tutor, 1935-1938, including visit to Morocco and summer holidays in Dinant, France; clerical work for chemical firm, 1939-1940; background to emigration of family to GB, 1938-1939; prior work with furniture firm in lodgings in Edmonton, 1938-1939; attending secretarial course; integration with non-refugee community; first aid training and duties with St John's Ambulance Brigade in Edmonton, 1938-1939; story of meeting wife.
REEL 3 Continues: fate of family members remaining in Germany and France; role as driver for mobile surgery unit for Fulham Hospital and ARP training; reactions to statement relating to 'enemy aliens' by Home Secretary Sir John Anderson on outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; role as ARP warden assisting in evacuation of school children from Hoxton to Luton, 9/1939; role as ARP warden enforcing blackout and civilian reaction; nature of ARP post; registration as 'enemy alien' in Fulham; background to securing letters of support on volunteering to join army, 9/1939; parents' move to Newbury; call up; 12/1939; Period with 93 Coy, Pioneer Corps at Kitchener Camp, Richborough, 12/1939-1/1940: train journey; relationship with local civilians and instructors; conditions of service.
REEL 4 Continues: morning routine; drill; question of tradesmen; initial absence of weapons training; map reading; PT; rifle training; prior medical and grading as 'C4' due to foot problem; subsequent regarding as 'A'. Recollections of period at Rennes, France, 1/1940-6/1940: Channel crossing, 1/1940; food rations; barrack accommodation; duties unloading trains, making airfield and building depots; role on promotion to lance corporal due to linguistic abilities; relationship with French civilians; German air raids on installations an, lack of anti-aircraft defences and casualties; situation, 5/1940; period detached from unit to Dunkirk; building air raid shelter on beach; view of evacuation and German air attacks; personal morale and effect of Churchill coming to power, 6/1940; story of reconnoitring beach at St Malo.
REEL 5 Continues: train journey to St Malo; evacuation by fishing boat to GB, 6/1940. Period in GB, 1940-1942: period at Alexandra Palace Transit Camp, 6/1940; reactions of family; building beach defences on east coast including tank traps, supervision by Royal Engineers, removal of signs, barbed wire, question of compensation for farmers, laying mines, machine gun post and pillboxes; move to Ilfracombe, ca 10/1940; formation of Pioneer Corps for 'enemy aliens'; relationship with civilians; promotion to corporal and selection of squad from weapons training; weapons training course at Thornley Bank including relationship with civilians, exercises with live ammunition, machine guns, grenades, Sten gun and rifle grenades; training role on promotion to sergeant; relationship with recruits, NCOs and officers; pay; nature of sergeants' mess and reception as German. Period in training role with 220 Coy, PC at Newbury Racecourse, 1942. Period with 249 Coy, PC at Hoddom Castle, New Mills and Lewes, 1943-1944.
REEL 6 Continues: training and routine duties; move to New Mills; billets and relationship with family; failed application to join Glider Pilot Regt; visit from girlfriend; move to Lewes, 1944; building air raid shelters; continuation training. Aspects of operations in France, Belgium and Netherlands and 6/1944-12/1944: Channel crossing and landing at Arromanches, Normandy, ca 8/6/1944; situation; attachment to RE unit and role assisting in unloading ships; air war situation; guard duties and supply role; German air raids; advance to Paris, ca 8/1944, including search for German snipers and reception from French civilians; question of fate of relatives living in Paris; unloading ships and V2 attacks during period at Antwerp; question of food rationing in Belgium; relationship with Belgian civilians; move attached to Canadian logging unit to Ardennes sector; work in saw mills; priority evacuation due to German status during German Ardennes offensive, 12/1944.
REEL 7 Continues: latrines and story of man nearly shot by guard; move to Brussels. Recollections of period as interpreter with No 10 Amplifier Unit, Psychological Warfare Unit, 21st Army Group in Netherlands and Germany, 1945: prior psychological warfare course including training in use of wireless receiver, broadcasting equipment and machine gun; composition of unit and relationship with Intelligence Corps; promotion to staff sergeant; nature of armoured car and equipment carried; attachment to Guards Div; use as forward observation post; prior training on psychological warfare course; loudspeaker broadcasts of prepared texts to German civilians; story of accident whilst driving across pontoon bridge over Rhine; story of talking to German civilians; story off close escape from road land mine; story of coming under German fire; story of entering Belsen Concentration Camp including unburied bodies, broadcasting to inmates, state of inmates, arrest and subsequent execution of SS medical officer who he had previously met at Leipzig University, ca 1931.
REEL 8 Continues: attitude of German civilians following death of Hitler, 4/1945; story illustrating SS refusal to surrender on capture of their headquarters in Hamburg; nature of SS bunker; search for James Joyce and his subsequent execution; state of Hamburg and docks; question of VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; move to Luneberg Heath; role interviewing senior German officers including attitude of units facing Soviets, opinions of Doenitz, question of allowing retention of side arms, question of lack of cooperation and identification of war criminals; problem in food supply for German POWs; demobilisation arrangements; attending ceremony at Arch de Triumph, Paris; role organising billets, treatment by German dentist; question of non-fraternisation with German civilians.
REEL 9 Continues: question of black market activities; continuation of loudspeaker broadcasts to German civilians and British troops; relationship with German civilians and question of responsibility for war crimes; return to GB and customs reaction to looted wirelesses. Demobilisation, 12/1945. Post-war career: reporting to police station and British naturalisation, 1947; return to work for chemical firm; teaching evening classes and lecturing; attitude to French and Germans.
