Irving Altus - June 2, 1982
Reflections on Experiences
Well, does the past ever interfere with your life today?
No.
Are there times when um, particular situations occur, like uh, do you remember um, at holiday time or images?
Well, now--the beginning, yes. But now it seems the thing, no.
So do you have nightmares about it?
No, I never had.
Wife: Oh, you yell in dreams ??? many times.
Not, not mentioning from the thing.
Wife: ???
Not many times. See, I don't like when you talk for me.
It's not...
No, I don't like it. Because I can take care. I never have dreams. I've had dreams of they're chasing me more now for my grandchildren. Not from the camp or Nazis, never. I never had dreams about this.
You don't think Germany...
Things which the--that my wife just mentioned, but not from the camps.
It's not related to that.
No. I just worries about the kids, you know. Somebody wants them, take them. But not the things.
Did the--this is your...
But not--I...
...grandchildren, but did you have that with your children also?
No, no, really. I never, never. This is lucky too. I never had what people have, bad dreams and things like that. I never had this.
And then are you more at ease talking about your--do you talk with other survivors about your experiences?
I don't know, especially when you, when we get, we do talk about sometime, but I'll tell you the truth. Over and over, I don't like to repeat the same thing. War is more, anything else new is not--and how many times can you, you know. So even to be honest to you, when sometime you know, you got to get and start talking again, I, I don't like it. I just walk away and start something with somebody else, I mean. Because it's the same thing again and again and again. It seems like it's you know, like uh, like--nothing to accomplish. Nothing, I mean, to talk what we didn't do or thing. But again in the camp and again and... But not that I don't want to know about it. You understand my point, I'll do, as you see you know, I'm a, I'm a great you know, I'm helping a lot. I'm, I'm one of the dues to build the, the Holocaust Center. I am from the first uh, I'm a member in the B'nai Brith for thirty years, as long as I'm here, I'm a member in the She'erit ha-Peletah since we started. I'll uh, belong any place if they need my donation. You know, maybe I'm not going to be involved a lot, but as a member or to pay my dues, anytime. But in the She'erit ha-Peletah with the rabbi and the synagogue, we used to go to, to, to have a minyan at the rabbi's house, I mean. With the rabbi I will do anything you know, whatever I can. I work with the rabbi hand in hand, I mean. I'm like they say from the few closest friends, which--yeah. And I'm not religious or something, but I like the rabbi as a friend, as a person. And I want to do what we do just now, I do want to do. I'll give him some money, whatever I can, you know. This I do when I want something should be here and, in the, the future generation whoever. I am very much for this, I want the people to know what happened. With money and a little work, whatever I have to do, I'll do. I am for, I, I, I want this to be. Yes.
That's good. Maybe that's an appropriate thing uh, place to stop.
Yes, yes.
Or do you have anything else that...
Right. I am very much for this and I want it and I told my friends and whatever I can do. Anything.
Okay, well, thank you very much. Let me, I'll stop it now.
You're welcome.
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