Jewish survivors of the Holocaust
Reifer, Shmuel (1 of 18) The Living Memory of the Jewish Community
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Type
sound
Duration
00:30:41
Shelf mark
C410/083
Subjects
Camp experiences
Recording date
1990-03-28
Is part of (Collection)
The Living Memory of the Jewish Community
Recording locations
Interviewee's home
Interviewees
Reifer, Shmuel, 1920- (speaker, male)
Interviewers
Gould, David (speaker, male)
Recordist
Gould, David
Abstract
Born Chrzanow, Poland, part of orthodox Jewish community; some 12,000 Jews in all in town, more than a third of population. Discusses history of town. Family had worked in timber since foundation of town; traded more with Germans than Poles; explanation of Polish rural economy as it pertained to timber. Discussion of grandfather's business and personality; intensely religious Hassid; responsible for most of Shmuel's religious education. Discussion of grandmother. Discussion of Hassidism.
Description
Interviewee's note: Born in Chrzanow, between Krakow and Katowice in Poland. Family history; timber trade; very orthodox Jewish community. Discusses simultaneous rise of Hitler and pogroms in Poland. Hid from Nazis on invasion of Poland; 132 neighbours massacred in local sports field. Lived in Chrzanow 'ghetto' until 1943, until Nazi deportations necessitated escape with father and brother to Sosnowice; father bribed SS guard to get sent as labourers to local farm. Winter 1943, Nazis begin liquidation of small labour camps and farms; sent to IG Farben plant in Blechammer, then railway in Reichenbach, then Krupps factory in Marskadt. 1944, sent to Gorlitz camp and then Zittau; describes life in both camps. 1945, Red Army liberates camp. After liberation found surviving family and stayed in Poland until 1949 and then moved to Switzerland; met wife there, and moved with her to Stamford Hill in London, working in book trade.
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