John S. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of John S., who was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1908. He recalls his family's assimilated life and strong German identity; his father's service in World War I; experiencing bombardments during the First World War; playing field hockey in London, Paris, and Berlin; rejection from Germany's Olympic field hockey team in 1936 and law school due to antisemitism; emigrating to the United States in 1936 after bribing an official for a visa; sponsoring his sister's and brother's emigration; his parents' arrival; volunteering for military service in 1942; marriage in 1943; service in Europe; interrogating German POWs, including Ju?rgen Stroop; returning to the United States; and playing for the United States Olympic field hockey team in 1948. Mr. S. discusses his career as an investment banker; his kindness to German POWs because he believes anyone, including himself if he had not been Jewish, could have been a Nazi; being honored by the German government; pride in being Jewish; and supporting the U.S. Holocaust Museum. He shows photographs.
Extent and Medium
2 videocassettes
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
- Stroop, JuĚrgen, -- 1895-
- S., John, -- 1908-
Subjects
- Men.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- Holocaust survivors.
- Video tapes.
- World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- Refugees, Jewish.
- Jews -- Migrations.
- Antisemitism -- Prewar.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, American.
- Postwar experiences.
Places
- Berlin (Germany)
- Paris (France)
- Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
- London (England)
- Germany.
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat