Oral History

Abraham Lewent describes performing forced labor in Warsaw and increased Polish antisemitism

Like other Jews, the Lewents were confined to the Warsaw ghetto. In 1942, as Abraham hid in a crawl space, the Germans seized his mother and sisters in a raid. They perished. He was deployed for forced labor nearby, but escaped to return to his father in the ghetto. In 1943, the two were deported to Majdanek, where Abraham's father died. Abraham later was sent to Skarzysko, Buchenwald, Schlieben, Bisingen, and Dachau. US troops liberated Abraham as the Germans evacuated prisoners.

Transcript

Critical Thinking Questions

How do oral histories differ from other primary sources such as artifacts, documents, and photographs? What can we learn from different types of primary sources?

How can personal testimonies and oral histories provide insights into the impacts of racism, antisemitism, and ideology?

Explore the motives and pressures that led individuals to abandon their fellow human beings—or to make the choice to help.


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  • US Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection
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