Dmitrii M. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of Dmitrii M., who was born in Cherkasy, Ukraine in 1927. He recalls his prosperous family; observing Jewish holidays; German invasion in 1941; the influx of refugees; fleeing, with his parents and sister, to Kremenchuk in July and Poltava in August; his father's draft; German occupation in September; fleeing alone to Gradizhsk, then Cherkasy; losing contact with his mother and sister; living with his grandmother and cousin; learning his grandmother was shot in November and of the Babi Yar massacre; living in an orphanage in Kiev as a non-Jew; acquaintances who did not reveal his identity; ignoring conversations about Jews; fleeing to Smela in December; working in an invalids' home, posing as a Ukrainian orphan; obtaining false documents in February 1942; traveling from village to village; praying for survival; working on a farm near Kobelyaki; traveling to Kremenchuk; working in another town; witnessing a round-up of Jews in March 1943; learning from partisans of the liberation of Kiev; his liberation; and reunion with his mother and sister in 1953. Mr. M. discusses his lost youth; continuing to purport to be Ukrainian, despite marrying a Jew; dreams and terror during the war; and not sharing his experiences before.
Extent and Medium
3 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
- M., Dmitrii, -- 1927-
Subjects
- Postwar experiences.
- Partisans.
- Prisoners of war -- Ukraine.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Psychological aspects.
- Dreams.
- Identification (Religion)
- Hiding.
- Aid by non-Jews.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Ukraine.
- Child survivors.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- Video tapes.
- Men.
- Faith.
- Refugees.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Children.
- Orphanages -- Ukraine.
- Holocaust survivors.
Places
- Smela (Ukraine)
- Kiev (Ukraine)
- Hradyzสนk (Ukraine)
- Ukraine.
- Poltava (Ukraine)
- Kobelyaki (Ukraine)
- Kremenchuk (Poltavsสนka oblastสน, Ukraine)
- Cherkasy (Ukraine)
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat