Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

Nathan Nothman - November 30, 1982

Contents

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 by 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.

  1. Introduction
  2. Family
  3. Being a Jew in Poland
  4. Education
  5. Religion
  6. Blood Libels
  7. Anti-Semitism
  8. Gentile Friends
  9. Life Before the War
  10. Life Before the War II
  11. Germans Invade Kraków
  12. Harassment by SS
  13. The Kraków-Płaszów Ghetto
  14. Life During Occupation
  15. The Judenrat
  16. Father Taken Away
  17. Ghetto Splits
  18. Work Detail
  19. Cleaning up the Ghetto
  20. Cleaning up the Ghetto II
  21. Commanders of Płaszów Concentration Camp
  22. Punishment in Kraków-Płaszów
  23. Work Detail in the Steinberg
  24. Brutality in Płaszów
  25. Meeting Himmler
  26. Life in Kraków-Płaszów
  27. Punishment in Gross-Rosen
  28. Transfer to Flossenburg
  29. Attempting to Escape
  30. Running Away
  31. Traveling to Laufen
  32. Rescued by the American Army
  33. Orders to Move into Ghetto
  34. Fate of Mother and Sister
  35. Conditions of Ghettos and Concentration Camps
  36. Life After Liberation
  37. Losing a Friend in Camp
  38. Health Conditions
  39. Placing Blame
  40. Relations with Germans
  41. Going Back to Kraków
  42. Finding Sister and Mother
  43. Moving to Detroit
  44. Sharing Experiences
  45. Physical Problems from Camp Life
  46. Talking to Other Survivors
  47. Feelings on Religion Now
  48. Memories
  49. Conclusion

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