John F. Holocaust testimony
Abstract
Videotape testimony of John F., who was born in Vienna, Austria in 1917. He recalls his mother's Sabbath observance; the death of one younger sister; outbreaks of antisemitism; studying medicine; membership in Zionist organizations; the Anschluss in 1938; confiscation of his father's business; illegally traveling to Venice in August; staying with an aunt in Trieste; returning to Venice; traveling to Zurich on a tourist visa; his father's arrest after Kristallnacht; attempting to obtain visas to China for his parents and siblings in Bern; resuming his studies; helping his professor smuggle his son into Switzerland, resulting in his arrest for espionage; detention in Zurich, Saint Gall, and Leysin; release in 1944; continuing his studies; being sent to Flims from 1945-1946 because he was still under suspicion; learning of Auschwitz from survivors; practicing psychiatry in Geneva; his father's death in 1949; emigration to the United States in 1954; and marriage in 1957. Dr. F. discusses his sister's prewar emigration to England; his parents' survival in France; and visiting his mother annually in Vienna until her death in 1986.
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
- F., John, -- 1917-
Subjects
- Mutual aid.
- Postwar experiences.
- Zionist organizations.
- Men.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Personal narratives.
- Holocaust survivors.
- Video tapes.
- Refugees, Jewish.
- Antisemitism -- Prewar.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, Jewish.
- Jews -- Migrations.
Places
- Venice (Italy)
- Trieste (Italy)
- Austria.
- Vienna (Austria)
- Leysin (Switzerland)
- Flims (Switzerland)
- Zurich (Switzerland)
- Saint Gall (Switzerland)
- Geneva (Switzerland)
- Bern (Switzerland)
Genre
- Oral histories. -- aat