Jewish Survivor Esther talks about her lack of awareness of wartime political events while hiding in Italy. She describes her liberation by members of the Jewish Brigade. Esther speaks of her struggle with identity which ensued after liberation from living in both hiding and under a false name.
liberation, jewish survivor, clip, female, esther bem / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Liberator James recalls 10 days of fighting Germans until they surrendered. While searching for a place for the American soldiers to stay for the night, he encountered a barrack with prisoners. He describes the horrors of those images as well as his efforts to get medical attention to the survivors.
liberation, liberator, clip, male, James Hayes / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Survivor Irene recounts her experience of being liberated by the British Army from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany in April 1945. She describes that by the time of her liberation she was too sick and too desensitized by her experiences to feel any emotions even though she realized the war was over.
liberation, jewish survivor, clip, female, Irene Weiss / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Liberation is typically characterized by the arrival of Allied forces. Interviewees tell of liberation from concentration camps, or during death marches, or may describe liberation upon emergence from hiding.
liberation, tcv / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Survivor In New York City on September 11, 2001, Miriam contrasts her Holocaust experiences with the events transpiring at the very time of her interview. Miriam notes her desire to protect her children and grandchildren from the hatred she experienced.
post-war, jewish survivor, clip, female, miriam tauber / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Survivor Romana describes growing up in a small Polish town after the war and how her family had to give up most of the space in their home according to Communist rule. They were forced to live together with a family that had an abusive father who tried to attack Romana and her mother.
post-war, jewish survivor, clip, female, romana farrington / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Survivor Malka Baran remembers working with children in a displaced persons' camp and notes that it was this work that helped her resume a normal life after the Holocaust. Gender: Female DOB: January 30, 1927 City of Birth: Warsaw (Poland) Country of Birth: Poland Ghettos: Czestochowa (Poland : Ghetto) Went into hiding: No Other experiences: displaced persons camps
post-war, jewish survivor, clip, female, malka baran / Sunday, May 5, 2013
These are accounts of life after genocide—including, but not limited to, experiences after liberation from captivity or emergence from hiding—and often includes a message for future generations.
post-war, tcv / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Cambodian Genocide Survivor Phansy details how she was affected by losing both her parents and children during the genocide. Born: December 10, 1950City of Birth: Phnom Penh (Cambodia)Country of birth: CambodiaCooperatives: Kandal province (Cambodia); Pursat province (Cambodia)Liberated by: Vietnamese armed forcesLiberation location: Pursat province (Cambodia)  
family loss, cambodian survivor, clip, female, phansy peang / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Survivor of Genocide in Rwanda Emmanuel talks about the last time he saw his pregnant cousin alive. Born: January 10, 1975City of Birth: Rutonde (Rwamagana, Rwanda)In hiding: Kicukiro (Kigali, Rwanda)Liberated by: Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)Liberation location: Nyamirambo (Kigali, Rwanda)
family loss, rwandan survivor, clip, male, emmanuel gatali / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Survivor of Genocide in Rwanda Venuste describes losing his daughter right before his eyes. Born: 1953 City of Birth: Kabagali (Gitarama, Rwanda) In hiding: Kicukiro (Kigali, Rwanda) Liberated by: Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) Liberation location: Nyanza (Kicukiro, Kigali, Rwanda)  
family loss, rwandan survivor, clip, male, Venuste Karasira / Sunday, May 5, 2013
These are survivors’ accounts of losing loved ones in the midst of genocide.
family loss, tcv / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish SurvivorVladka was involved in the illegal youth organization, Zukunft, which helped to clandestinely provide literature, music and education in the Warsaw ghetto. Their contributions lifted the spirits of the ghetto inhabitants and encouraged them to believe that their current situation would eventually pass.
united nations, un, women, clip, jewish survivor, female, vladka meed / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Roma-Sinti SurvivorJulia describes how her family’s lack of awareness of war events led to their incarceration at Auschwitz II-Birkenau.Gender: FemaleDOB: 4/15/1926City of birth: EisernCountry of birth: GermanyCamps: Schlieben (Germany), Auschwitz II-Birkenau (Poland)
united nations, un, women, female, clip, Julia Lentini / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Survivor Anita was selected to become a member of the women’s camp orchestra as a cellist. Despite being out of practice, she felt no danger in auditioning for this role since they desperately needed a cellist. Playing in the orchestra kept her safe during the war. DOB: 1/1/1925 City of birth: Breslau Country of birth: Germany Camps: Bergen-Belsen (Germany) Other exp: prisons, identity concealment  
united nations, un, women, female, clip, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Survivor Agnes describes her experience working in the camp hospital at Auschwitz II-Birkenau and her good fortune for her work assignment as a medical assistant. She attributes her survival to her cousin, a prisoner doctor, for giving her this opportunity. DOB: 5/3/1926 City of birth: Satu Mare Country of birth: Romania Ghettos: Satu Mare (Romania) Camps: Salzwedel (Germany), Auschwitz (Poland), Braunschweig (Germany)  
united nations, un, women, female, clip, Agnes Kun / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Anna helped to smuggle gunpowder collected from the factory where her sister worked to Sonderkommando prisoners at a crematorium in Auschwitz II-Birkenau. The Sonderkommando led a revolt that destroyed the crematorium, and almost all of them were killed along with Anna’s sister and three other female prisoners who helped to organize the uprising.
united nations, un, women, clip, female, anna heilman / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish SurvivorEsther points out the people who, even in those difficult war years, inspired great acts of altruism. She recognizes the courage and compassion of those who offered help to victims of the Holocaust.DOB: 6/23/1930City of birth: OsijekCountry of birth: YugoslaviaWent into hiding: YesOther exp: identity concealment 
united nations, un, women, female, clip, esther bem / Sunday, May 5, 2013
A collection of clips featuring women speaking about their experiences during the Holocaust and that appears in the study guide "Women and the Holocaust: Courage and Compassion," produced in partnership with the United Nations in 2011.
women, united nations, tcv / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Holocaust Survivor Mr. Rosmarin plays Schubert's Serenade on his harmonica, one of the pieces he played during his incarceration in the concentration camps. His ability to play the harmonica helped save his life during the war.
music, jewish survivor, clip, male, performance / Sunday, May 5, 2013
This set of clips from the Institute's archive showcases survivors before the camera performing music that helped sustain them during the Holocaust.
music, tcv / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Holocaust Survivor Morris talks about spending Rosh Hashanah—the holiday commemorating the start of the Jewish New Year—in a labor camp in Frankfurt an der Oder in 1944. He recalls pleading with the camp barber not to shave his hair, because it was Rosh Hashanah.
religious, religion, holiday, rosh hashana, male, clip, morris ostreicher / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Holocaust Survivor Ruth talks about the decision to fast on Yom Kippur—also known as the Day of Atonement—in Auschwitz II-Birkenau as a form of resistance. Gender: FemaleDOB: 1928City of birth: CuheaCountry of birth: RomaniaGhettos: Dragomiresti (Romania)Went into hiding: NoOther experiences: Concentration camps: Auschwitz II-Birkenau (Poland), Bergen-Belsen Germany); Displaced persons camps  
religion, religious, holiday, yom kippur, female, clip, ruth brand / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Holocaust Survivor While in hiding in Poland, Nechama chose to sneak into the ghetto so that she could celebrate Rosh Hashanah, pray with other Jews, and hear the shofar being blown. She recalls the atmosphere in the ghetto and her interactions with family and friends who were living in the ghetto.
religion, religious, holiday, rosh hashana, female, clip / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish SurvivorRita describes the clandestine celebration of Kol Nidrei services on Yom Kippur in the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp. She remembers it to this day, especially during Kol Nidrei services on Yom Kippur. 
religion, religious, holiday, yom kippur, kol nidrei, female, clip, rita hilton / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Holocaust Survivor Esther explains how cigarettes were obtained in her barrack in exchange for a shofar. She remembers the joyful feeling upon hearing the shofar blowing during a celebration of Rosh Hashana- the holiday commemorating the start of the Jewish New Year- in the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp.
religion, religious, holiday, rosh hashana, clip, female, esther jungreis / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Holocaust Survivor William recalls the joyful celebration of Simhat Torah-the holiday marking the completion of weekly Torah readings- with Rabbi Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rebbe, holding a Sefer Torah (Torah scroll) - in the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp. The celebration took place even though the barrack was surrounded by German soldiers.
religion, religious, holiday, simchat torah, simhat torah, male, clip, William Stern / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Holocaust Survivor Rabbi Jungreis remembers the ritual circumcision, Brit Milah, performed on a baby eight days after his birth in front of the Holy Ark at the synagogue in the Szeged ghetto. Jacob relates that rather than a joyous occasion, it became a sad one in which the quorum of ten Jewish men—a Minyan—cried bitterly and pronounced that “now his fate is sealed.” The baby, however, survived the war and later became a Hasidic Rabbi in Williamsburg, New York.
religion, religious, jewish survivor, ritual, ceremony, brit milah, bris, male, clip, Jacob Jungreis / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Holocaust Survivor Mr. Einhorn remembers the observance of Yom Kippur- also known as the day of atonement-at the Schwientochlowitz Concentration Camp. He explains how the candles were made and of the use of potatoes as candle holders. He recites the Jewish prayers chanted quietly and so emotionally by the prisoners in the camp. He believes that even G-d was crying with them.
religion, religious, holiday, yom kippur, clip, male, jewish survivor, stefan einhorn / Sunday, May 5, 2013
Jewish Holocaust Survivor Mr. Strauss remembers the observance of Shabbat in Buchenwald as a form of spiritual resistance. The prisoners continued to chant the Jewish prayers even under the threat of death.
religion, religious, observance, shabbat, shabbos, clip, male, Manfred Strauss / Sunday, May 5, 2013

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