Ilse W. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Ilse W., who was born in Berlin, Germany in 1915. She recounts her father's service in World War I; her parents' prosperous businesses; celebrating Jewish holidays with her large and close extended family; destruction of their synagogue on Kristallnacht; arrest and immediate release; her brother's emigration to Palestine and her sister's to England in 1939; obtaining visas for Shanghai; traveling to Genoa to board a ship; being prevented from leaving by the outbreak of war; marriage; internment with her mother in San Fele and Potenza (men were interned elsewhere); her son's birth; her husband's death from appendicitis; hiding from the Germans in Bella, with assistance from the local Italians; liberation by the Jewish brigade of the British army; leaving for the United States from Aversa with her son and parents in 1944 under a special war refugee act; being escorted by Ruth Gruber (she wrote a book about the experience); living in Fort Ontario refugee camp; Eleanor Roosevelt's visit; a concert by Isaac Stern; release in January 1946; and two subsequent marriages. Mrs. W. discusses the friendliness and generosity of Italians toward them. She shows photographs and documents.
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
- Gruber, Ruth, -- 1911-
- Roosevelt, Eleanor, -- 1884-1962.
- Stern, Isaac, -- 1920-2001.
- W., Ilse, -- 1915-
Corporate Bodies
- Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter.
Subjects
- Holocaust survivors.
- Video tapes.
- Kristallnacht, 1938.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- Women.
- Mothers and daughters.
- Mothers and sons.
- Refugees, Jewish.
- Jews -- Migrations.
- Hiding.
- Antisemitism -- Prewar.
- Crystal Night, 1938.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Prisoners and prisons, Italian.
- Postwar experiences.
- Aid by non-Jews.
- Husband -- Death.
Places
- Germany.
- Berlin (Germany)
- Genoa (Italy)
- Potenza (Italy)
- Bella (Italy)
- San Fele (Italy)
- Aversa (Italy)
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat