Perla B. Holocaust testimony

Identifier
HVT 3500
Language of Description
English
Level of Description
Collection
Source
EHRI Partner

Abstract

Videotape testimony of Perla B., who was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 1925. She recalls her mother had converted from Catholicism to marry her father; their affluence and orthodoxy; destruction of their apartment during German bombing in April 1941; assistance from Serb friends; her father registering as a Jew (her mother was exempt as a born Catholic and she was exempt due to her age); her father's incarceration in Topovske Šupe; visiting him there; his deportation in November (they never saw him again); her mother obtaining documents proving her family had been Catholic for 200 years, thus exempting her (Perla) from deportation; baptism in 1942; working as a babysitter; her mother working in the Italian embassy, and obtaining a job for her there; the ambassador's wife helping many Jews escape; the ambassador's transfer when the Germans found out; remaining in the embassy; liberation; and she and her mother working for the Jewish cafeteria. Ms. B. notes she never converted back to Judaism since her baptism was invalid; she and her mother observing Jewish holidays; continuing gratitude to Serbs who helped them; anger that Topovske Šupe is not marked or memorialized; and the fates of many Jewish relatives.

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

Subjects

Places

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.