Saul Ingber

Saul was born to a Jewish family in the small northern Transylvanian town of Moisei, famous for its 18th-century monastery, to which many Christians came on pilgrimage. Saul's family was religious. His father transported lumber to several mills in the area.

1933-39: Saul and his brothers attended a Jewish school held at their neighbor's home. A rabbi led them in prayers and they learned quotations from holy texts. After his schooling he needed to learn a trade, so he decided to become a tailor. Jews were not well-liked in his town. Returning home from work, Saul's father was harassed by several townspeople; to humiliate him, they caught his father and pretended to baptize him.

1940-45: In 1940 Hungary annexed northern Transylvania. Saul was deported to various labor camps until 1944, when he arrived at Ebensee, a subcamp of Mauthausen. He was digging a trench when a guard pulled him out of line. At first he spoke to Saul in a friendly tone, but then he stepped forward and pushed up his chin, demanding, "Where's your God?" When Saul pointed to the sky he punched him in the gut. He repeated his question; he answered the same and he punched Saul in the face. As Saul spit out his teeth he asked again; Saul pointed at him.

Saul was liberated in May 1945 when the U.S. Army reached Dachau. After living in Austria for some time, Saul immigrated to Israel and later moved to the United States.