Description
Object description
Austrian Jewish civilian in Vienna, 1929-1938; refugee in Riga, Latvia, 1938-1941; interned in Nowosibirsk and Karaganda camps, Soviet Union, 1941-1947
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Vienna, Austria, to 1938: family, education and memories of childhood; political situation; changes following Anschluss with Germany; family; religion and attendance at synagogue; background of friends in Vienna; changes following Anschluss with Germany; organisation of departure; reactions on leaving Vienna, 4/1930; siblings; arrival of German troops; activities during stay in Cologne; relationship with civilians; journey to Riga. Aspects of period as refugee in Riga, Latvia, 1938-1941: reception from Jewish community; details of work in refugee centre and as waiter; details of Riga including population and language.
REEL 2 Continues: work laying radio wires; contact with mother; life in Riga; work in factory including arrival of Russian Army; changes to life after Russian occupation; change of passport to German; details of arrest, 21/6/1941. Aspects of period as civilian interned in Soviet Union, 1941-1947: conditions during train journey into Russia; details of Nowosibirsk camp including accommodation; memories of friend; details of work undertaken; sleeping arrangements including heating and light; rations including casualties from malnourishment.
REEL 3 Continues: relationship among inmates; background of inmates including details of guards; question of social activities; winter weather; contact with women; knowledge of war; departure from camp and journey to Karaganda; details of camp; contact with family; knowledge of Russian language; physical state including delousing; morale including details of end of imprisonment, 6/1947; dreams about camps; humerous moments from imprisonment.
REEL 4 Continues: details of journey to Karaganda, 1942; description of camp including sleeping arrangements; population of camp; latrines; lights made; rations; new accommodation built by Polish inmates; area around camp; further details of rations; roll call; details of agricultural work undertaken; farm animals in camp; building of dam and irrigation channels; washing facilities; clothing; duties around camp; period working in Russian settlement including sleeping arrangements; medical facilities including health problems suffered.
REEL 5 Continues: assistance received from Red Cross; improvements in rations; news of war's end and subsequent interviews; description of journey to Vienna; arrival in Vienna; survival and morale in camps; accommodation for guards including heating system and work undertaken on it; details of work in salt mines; treatment from guards; relationship among inmates; morale; contact with women.
REEL 6 Continues: help given to fellow inmates including capture of field mice for food; reflections on time in camps; learning of family's fate; accommodation and civilian work in Vienna; decision to leave Austria; background to move to Uruguay; life in Montevideo. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1950s: emigration to London; civilian work; involvement with different charities including Leo Baeck Lodge in London; work after return to Vienna.
REEL 7 Continues: return visits to Vienna; reflections on earlier experiences in Vienna and survival of Holocaust; philosophy for life; further details of Leo Baeck Lodge.
REEL 8 Continues: details of camp fire brigade including story of occasion when called into action; story of vomiting on fellow inmate; story of losing cows; shoes made in camp; footwear and clothing situation.