Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

Sonia Nothman was born in Chmielnik, Poland in 1922. When the war started, Sonia was visiting family in Łódź. She returned to Chmielnik, but due to her Polish language skills, was able to move between Chmielnik and Łódź. In 1941, a ghetto was established in Chmilenik and Sonia, along with her family, was placed in the ghetto. In 1942, Sonia, her brother and one sister were deported to the Skarzysko-Kamienna forced labor camp. In 1944, Sonia was sent to Czenstochow. From there she was sent west into Germany proper where she and her sister were marched to several labor camps (Bergen-Belsen, Berga, Dachau and Allach). They were liberated by the American Army in 1945.

An interview with Alexander Raab a Holocaust survivor, conducted by Dr. Sidney Bolkosky, Professor of History at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Alexander Raab was born in 1933 in Jarosław, Poland. Following the German invasion in 1939, the German’s deported the Jews of the area over the San river, into territory newly annexed by the Soviet Union. Following a brief stay in Grudek, the family was deported to Siberia by the NKVD. After an arduous journey, the family spent time in the cities of Sinyuga and Bodaibo. During this period, Alexander’s father was sent to a labor commando, where he perished. In 1943 or ‘44, the family was sent west to the city of Saratov. After the end of the war, they went to Świdnica, Poland. Alexander attempted to illegally immigrate to Palestine via Italy. Interned by the British, he spent several years on the island of Cyprus and was finally successful in reaching Israel in 1948. He immigrated to America in 1962.

Nathan Nothman was born on July 15, 1925 in Krakow, Poland. Following the German invasion of Poland, he, his parents, and his three brothers and sister were forced to move into the Krakow-Płaszów ghetto. Nathan and his father worked for the Nazis as plumbers and were allowed to leave the ghetto for work until his father was sent to Auschwitz and killed. In 1943 when the ghetto was liquidated, Nathan was then sent to the Płaszów concentration camp and then to Gross-Rosen in 1944 and was assigned to work detail on the Steinburg in both camps. He was then sent to Flossenburg to work on the railroads in 1945. Nathan and his friend escaped during a death march and walked to Laufen to be rescued the the American Army. He stayed in the Laufen DP camp and then transferred to the Ainring DP camp where he met and married his wife. Nathan was also reunited with his sister and mother after the war and together they moved to the United States in 1950.

Abraham Mondry was born in Mlawa, Poland and with the outbreak of war, his family was deported to the Warsaw ghetto. Before, during, and after the war, Abraham actively worked as a smuggler on the black market. Abraham spent three years at Auschwitz where he served as a nurse aid to Dr. Mengele. With the liquidation of Auschwitz, he was marched to Ebensee where he was soon liberated by American forces. Recovering from health problems, Abraham lived in Italy where he continued his black market activities until 1949 when he immigrated to the United States.

An interview with Herman Opatowski, a Holocaust survivor, conducted by Paul Canchester. Herman Opatowski was born in Kielce, Poland. After German invasion of Poland in 1939, Herman, along with his mother, father and eight siblings, were placed in a make-shift ghetto in Kielce. While in the ghetto, Herman was used as a forced laborer by the German authorities. At some point, his family was sent “East,� most likely to the Treblinka death camp. After being separated from his family, Herman was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where he remained until the camp was liquidated in early 1945. He was then sent on a forced march westwards, but managed to escape from the column. Heading eastward, he eventually met the Soviet Army.