Bernard Hirsch

"I hope it will never come to something like this and no one will have to go through this again. I hope my children will have a better life than me. Don’t be bitter, keep your head up high. "

Name at birth

Bernat Hirsch

Date of birth

05/28/1920

Where were you born?

Petrovice, Slovakia We were the only Jewish family in the village.

Where did you grow up?

Petrovice, Slovakia

Name of father, occupation

Chaim, Farm, grocery store, bar

Maiden name of mother, occupation

Zenny Greenwald, Helped with husband's work

Immediate family (names, birth order)

Parents, three brothers and five sisters

How many in entire extended family?

Large extended family

Who survived the Holocaust?

Only me

In 1941, at age of 21, I was in the Slovak army. Jews had to wear different uniforms than non-Jews and could not carry guns, only shovels. I went home for Passover in 1942 and learned that my younger brother had already been taken. I knew that passing trains were filled with Jews. I had received a postcard from my father saying “we are all fine.” I had a non-Jewish army superior who warned me and gave me his uniform and papers to reach other Jews in the woods. I joined the Partisans.

In 1949, I received a letter from an aunt living in the United States seeking any survivors. I responded and came to Detroit.

Where did you settle?

Detroit, Michigan

How is it that you came to Michigan?

In 1949, I received a letter from an aunt living in the United States seeking any survivors. I responded and came to Detroit.

Occupation after the war

Carpet cleaning business

Spouse

Hermina Haber Hirsch

Children

Henry, Daniel, and Steven

Grandchildren

Twins: Julie and Andrea, Ryan and Stacey Hirsch, and Michelle

What do you think helped you to survive?

Righteous Gentiles. Luck allowed me to survive. It was “Bashaert.” (Yiddish: It was meant to be) Fight for your life, I did everything to survive.

What message would you like to leave for future generations?

I hope it will never come to something like this and no one will have to go through this again. I hope my children will have a better life than me. Don’t be bitter, keep your head up high.