Gerhart R. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Gerhart R., who was born in Berlin. He discusses his pre-1933 career as a junior lawyer and state employee in Berlin; his dismissal when Hitler came to power; his departure from Germany in 1933; and his post as legal secretary for the newly created World Jewish Congress (WJC) in Geneva. He relates his struggle for the rights of the Danzig Jews; the successful WJC campaign in 1938 against the anti-Semitic government of Romania; his responsibility to inform WJC officials in Geneva and New York of wartime atrocities; and his sources of information about Nazi medical experiments, deportations, and plans for total extermination in summer 1942. He describes the unwillingness of the allied governments, the Vatican, and the Red Cross to accept or publicize Hitler's plans; his views on the reason for this and for the Allied failure to bomb Auschwitz; and his efforts to solicit money for rescue attempts. Mr. R. also tells of his postwar involvement with displaced persons camps.
Extent and Medium
3 videocassettes (3/4" u-matic)
Conditions Governing Access
This testimony is open with permission.
Conditions Governing Reproduction
Copyright has been transferred to the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies. Use of this testimony requires permission of the Fortunoff Video Archive.
Rules and Conventions
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Process Info
compiled by Staff of the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies
People
- R., Gerhart, -- 1911-2001.
Corporate Bodies
- World Jewish Congress.
Subjects
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- Men.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- Video tapes.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Refugees.
- Refugee camps.
- Jews -- Migrations.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue.
Places
- Berlin (Germany)
- Germany.
- Geneva (Switzerland)
Genre
- Oral histories. -- ftamc