My sister Ruth (Zeidman) went to Israel and wrote a book “A Star in the Darkness” later re-titled “Light in the Darkness.”  She was very active in Israel educating others as to what happened during the Holocaust.  Her book focused on how to stay positive and maintain your humanity and human decency.  Ruth died last year.  Two paternal uncles went to Israel in the early 1930’s.                               

I had a vibrant and happy childhood, my childhood was great!  There was a lot of love and affection in our family, we all loved each other.  My older brother Mendel was very helpful in that he used to help out in the family business.  My father owned a soap factory and the product, Jubus Soap, was high quality soap (both laundry detergent and bath powder).  I remember how the soap was made and that its packaging included both the family name and the image of a fish. 

 

Our family was very prosperous and that our home was on a boulevard.  Our home was very luxurious, with many rooms and indoor plumbing, including hot and cold running water.  I had a large and loving family.  Both sets of grandparents, all four died of natural causes prior to the war.  We had frequent family get-togethers and I fondly remember my grandmother’s annual Purim (deliverance of the Jews from Persia and the plot for wholesale slaughter by Haman) party.

            

I remember that when the Nazi’s initially came to power, the situation did not seem so dire. Initially all they seemed to want do was check homes and look for weapons.  As time went on, the situation worsened and our family was relocated to smaller quarters.  We lived in two or three rooms, later we were moved to even smaller quarters at a second ghetto.

 

Our family went into hiding in a bunker. One night my older brother Mendel went outside to open-up a pipe that had closed because it was dangerous.  Mendel was taken easily by the Nazis and killed.  I remember that when the ghetto was liquidated, my mother and younger brother Yisrael were taken and shot.  My father was selected early too.

 

My four sisters worked for Director Litt who owned a munitions factory.  The director liked me…saved my life.  During a selection, Director Litt intervened, argued with the Nazis, made several phone calls and saved approximately thirty boys, one of whom was me.  He took us to his munitions factory, it was a pleasure, he gave us food, good soup, and bread.  We slept in bunk beds.  

 

In January of 1945, the Russians were approaching and the Nazis opened the gates and told everyone to run…we went on a forced march and then were on trains to the concentration camps. 

 

At Gross Rosen concentration camp I was separated from my sisters.   As the Allies continued to liberate camps I was moved to Dora concentration camp and was briefly in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in April, 1945.   There was typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp even the Nazis were afraid to go in.  I was put in an outer building. 

 

I remember that the family tried to salvage our family photographs and took them to both the ghetto and the concentration camps until the Nazis finally confiscated them at Bergen-Belsen.  A photograph of each of my parents is all that I have left of my family’s photographs.

 

I have very happy memories of the liberation.  It was great!  I was afraid of the Russian troops.  The British didn’t have much; they gave us some cigarettes, not much. The American troops were wonderful and gave me chocolate.  

 

I remember being told that I could just walk out and how wonderful it felt to be free when my friends and I left the camp.  We were hungry.  We walked to a farm house and saw a large sack of sugar.  I picked it up and put it on my shoulder.  That sugar saved my life. I saw Nazis hiding, afraid.  My strongest memories of this time period were of food and freedom.   

I did not want to talk about the Holocaust for many years. I did not want people to feel sorry for me.

 

I do talk about my experiences now. I’m OK, I’m happy. Thank G-d I’m OK. Thank G-d for my children, they are healthy and educated. Thank G-d that G-d was with me and saved me.

 

I have been very involved in Holocaust studies and related activities. I have made several trips to Poland. I feel that it was important to see where my father died.