Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

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Alexander Raab - June 28, 2002

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.

Link to Portraits of Honor Project

1. Introduction
2. Deportation from Jarosław
3. Deportation to Siberia
4. Conditions on Train
5. Sinyuga
6. Family
7. Religious Life
8. Relations with Non-Jews
9. Father
10. German Occupation
11. German Occupation II
12. Impressions of Soviets
13. Conditions in Sinyuga
14. Bodaibo
15. News of War
16. Saratov
17. Death of Father
18. End of War
19. Return to Poland
20. Attempt to Immigrate to Palestine
21. Italy
22. Interned by British
23. Israel
24. Immigration to America
25. Return to Jarosław
26. Talking About Experience