Avraham B. Holocaust testimony

Identifier
HVT 3806
Language of Description
English
Level of Description
Collection
Source
EHRI Partner

Abstract

Videotape testimony of Avraham B., who was born in Koněšín, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (presently Czech Republic) in 1906, one of five brothers. He recounts moving to Kunowitz; learning songs from soldiers during World War I; attending school in Uherské Hradiště; participating in Zionist youth groups, including Tehelet Lavan, Makkabi Hatsair, and Maccabi; cordial realtions with non-Jews; studying law in Brno; military training in Litoměrǐce and Terezín; practicing law; German invasion; his father's death; moving to Prague in 1939; working with Jacob Edelstein in the Jewish Agency for Palestine organizing emigration; contact with Karel Fleishman, Dr. Erich Munk, Dr. Ervin Elbert and Otto Zucker; helping his youngest brother emigrate to Palestine in 1940; deportation to Theresienstadt with his mother, brother and sister-in-law, and their child; working as a carpenter; visiting his mother daily; sham improvements for a Red Cross visit and production of a propaganda film; attending cultural events; Rabbi Leo Baeck blessing him when he was deported to Auschwitz; transfer to Kaufering three days later; slave labor felling trees, then cement work; quarantine for dysentery and typhus; remaining with a friend whose relative assigned them privileged work; a death march to Allach; liberation by United States troops; returning to Prague; reunion with one brother and his mother; and working for the Zionist Organisation and the Joint. Mr. B. discusses the camp hierarchies; Edelstein's leadership; friends in the camps; celebrating Jewish holidays and singing in the camps; his belief he survived because he never lost hope; and seldom discussing his experiences until recently. He shows documents, objects, and clothing.

Extent and Medium

5 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

Corporate Bodies

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.