Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

Joseph Gringlas - January 14 & 22, March 18, 1993

Contents

Joseph Gringlas was born in Ostrowiec, Poland. Following the German invasion, Mr. Gringlas was seperated from his family and transported to a forced-labor camp in Blizyn, Poland. After approximately one year, he was transferred first to Auschwitz-Birkenau and the to the sub-camp, Monowitz, where he was reunited with his brother. In 1945, the camp was liquidated and Mr. Gringlas was sent on a forced-march to Gleiwitz and then on to Dora-Nordhausen, where he and his brother were liberated. After the war, Mr. Gringlas spent several years in Landsberg, Germany, immigrating to the United States in 1951.

  1. Pre-War Life
  2. Relations with non-Jews
  3. Family
  4. Size of Family
  5. Deportation of Family
  6. Religious Life
  7. Pre-War Politics
  8. German Invasion
  9. Ghetto
  10. Forced Labor
  11. Transferred to Blizyn
  12. Blizyn
  13. Punished in Blizyn
  14. Labor in Blizyn
  15. Conditions in Blizyn
  16. Food in Ghetto
  17. Conditions in Ghetto
  18. Siblings
  19. Labor in Blizyn II
  20. Guards in Blizyn
  21. Transport to Auschwitz-Birkenau
  22. Conditions on Train
  23. Arrival at Auschwitz-Birkenau
  24. Disinfection
  25. Birkenau
  26. Labor in Birkenau
  27. Conditions in Birkenau
  28. Transferred to Monowitz (Buna)
  29. Reunited with Brother
  30. The Krankenbau
  31. Buna
  32. Conditions in Buna
  33. Kapos in Buna
  34. Liquidation of Buna
  35. March to Gleiwitz
  36. Nordhausen
  37. Importance of Continuing to Work
  38. Allied Bombing
  39. Liberation
  40. Injured
  41. Return to Poland
  42. Polish Anti-Semitism
  43. Warsaw
  44. Travel to Germany
  45. The Beriha
  46. Brother's Marriage
  47. Pre-War Life
  48. Mother
  49. Father
  50. Polish Anti-Semitism
  51. Religion
  52. Separated from Family
  53. Fate of Family
  54. Arrival at Auschwitz-Birkenau
  55. Selections in Birkenau
  56. Being Tattooed
  57. Conditions in Barracks
  58. Smuggling Letter
  59. Punishment in Birkenau
  60. Gleiwitz
  61. Landsberg
  62. Wedding in Landsberg
  63. Work with Beriha
  64. Brother's Immigration to America
  65. Life in Landsberg
  66. Immigration to America
  67. Reunited with Brother
  68. Telling Story
  69. Aid Agencies
  70. Attending High School
  71. Friends
  72. Children
  73. Celebrations
  74. Effects of the Holocaust
  75. Talking about Experiences
  76. Value of Work
  77. Nightmares
  78. Grandchildren
  79. Son-in-Law
  80. Importance of Telling
  81. Return to Poland
  82. House in Ostrowiec
  83. Krakow
  84. Auschwitz-Birkenau
  85. Reasons for Returning
  86. Family
  87. Conclusion

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