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  • Johanna Gerechter Neumann describes Kristallnacht in Hamburg

    Oral History

    Amid intensifying anti-Jewish measures and the 1938 Kristallnacht ("Night of Broken Glass") pogrom, Johanna's family decided to leave Germany. They obtained visas for Albania, crossed into Italy, and sailed in 1939. They remained in Albania under the Italian occupation and, after Italy surrendered in 1943, under German occupation. The family was liberated after a battle between the Germans and Albanian partisans in December 1944.

    Johanna Gerechter Neumann describes Kristallnacht in Hamburg
  • Walter Meyer describes activities of members of the Edelweiss Pirates in Duesseldorf, Germany

    Oral History

    Walter was born in Kassel, north central Germany, but grew up in the Rhineland. As a youth, Walter questioned the German superiority and antisemitism he was taught. His father, an anti-Nazi, refused to allow Walter to enter one of the Adolf Hitler Schools, but did permit him to join the Hitler Youth. However, Walter's rebellious streak led him to hide a Jewish friend in his basement. He also formed a gang that played pranks on young Nazis and helped French prisoners of war. They called themselves Edelweiss…

    Tags: youth
    Walter Meyer describes activities of members of the Edelweiss Pirates in Duesseldorf, Germany
  • Walter Meyer describes his 1943 trial for looting, and the impact of his role in the Edelweiss Pirates on the sentence he received

    Oral History

    Walter was born in Kassel, north central Germany, but grew up in the Rhineland. As a youth, Walter questioned the German superiority and antisemitism he was taught. His father, an anti-Nazi, refused to allow Walter to enter one of the Adolf Hitler Schools, but did permit him to join the Hitler Youth. However, Walter's rebellious streak led him to hide a Jewish friend in his basement. He also formed a gang that played pranks on young Nazis and helped French prisoners of war. They called themselves Edelweiss…

    Tags: youth
    Walter Meyer describes his 1943 trial for looting, and the impact of his role in the Edelweiss Pirates on the sentence he received
  • Preben Munch-Nielsen describes a fishing boat used to carry Jews to safety in Sweden

    Oral History

    Preben was born to a Protestant family in Snekkersten, a small fishing village. The Germans invaded Denmark in 1940. Preben became a courier in the resistance. When the Gestapo (German Secret State Police) began hunting down Jews in Denmark in October 1943, Preben helped hide refugees in houses near the shore and led them to boats which took them to Sweden. Preben himself had to take refuge in Sweden in November 1943. He returned to Denmark in May 1945.

    Preben Munch-Nielsen describes a fishing boat used to carry Jews to safety in Sweden
  • Leif Donde describes his family's escape from Denmark to Sweden

    Oral History

    The Germans occupied Denmark in April 1940, but the Danish government remained in existence and was able to protect Danish Jews. In August 1943, the government resigned after refusing to accede to German demands. German police began to arrest Jews in early October. Leif and his family decided to flee, and were smuggled by fishing boat to safety in Sweden. In Sweden, Leif attended school and his parents worked in a garment factory. The family returned to Denmark after the end of the war.

    Leif Donde describes his family's escape from Denmark to Sweden
  • Tove Schoenbaum Bamberger describes escape to Sweden

    Oral History

    Germany occupied Denmark in April 1940. The Danish government remained in existence and was able to protect Jews in Denmark from anti-Jewish measures. In late August 1943, however, the Danish government resigned after refusing to accede to new German demands. In early October 1943, German police began arresting Jews. Tove and her family decided to flee. They made their way to the fishing village of Snekkersten, from where they were able to sail to safety in Sweden. Tove returned to Denmark in May 1945.

    Tove Schoenbaum Bamberger describes escape to Sweden
  • Tom Veres describes Wallenberg's rescue of members of the Swedish legation

    Oral History

    After the Germans occupied Hungary in 1944, Tom was ordered to work in labor camps and factories. He escaped after a few months and decided to contact the Swedish legation, where he met Raoul Wallenberg in October 1944. Tom stayed in Budapest and, using his training in photography, became active in Wallenberg's efforts to rescue the Jews of Budapest. He made copies of and took photographs for protective passes (Schutzpaesse), and documented deportations.

    Tom Veres describes Wallenberg's rescue of members of the Swedish legation
  • Tom Veres describes photographing Wallenberg's efforts to rescue Jews in Budapest from deportation

    Oral History

    After the Germans occupied Hungary in 1944, Tom was ordered to work in labor camps and factories. He escaped after a few months and decided to contact the Swedish legation, where he met Raoul Wallenberg in October 1944. Tom stayed in Budapest and, using his training in photography, became active in Wallenberg's efforts to rescue the Jews of Budapest. He made copies of and took photographs for protective passes (Schutzpaesse), and documented deportations.

    Tom Veres describes photographing Wallenberg's efforts to rescue Jews in Budapest from deportation
  • Eva Brust Cooper describes hiding after her family received protective papers from Raoul Wallenberg

    Oral History

    Eva was little affected by the war until 1944, when the Germans occupied Budapest. Eva's father was prominent in the Jewish community, and the family was able to retain their apartment in a Jewish star house (a house designated for Jews). In October Eva's parents secured protective papers from Raoul Wallenberg, but the family decided not to stay in a Swedish safe house. They hid in and near Budapest until the Soviet liberation of Budapest in 1945.

    Eva Brust Cooper describes hiding after her family received protective papers from Raoul Wallenberg
  • Sandor (Shony) Alex Braun describes playing the violin for SS guards in Dachau. after two prisoners before him had been killed

    Oral History

    Shony was born to religious Jewish parents in a small Transylvanian city. He began to learn the violin at age 5. His town was occupied by Hungary in 1940 and by Germany in 1944. In May 1944, he was deported to the Auschwitz camp in Poland. He was transferred to the Natzweiler camp system in France and then to Dachau, where he was liberated by US troops in April 1945. In 1950, he immigrated to the United States, and became a composer and a professional violinist.

    Tags: music Dachau
    Sandor (Shony) Alex Braun describes playing the violin for SS guards in Dachau. after two prisoners before him had been killed

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