Kestenberg Archive

EH was born in February 1938 in Spiser-Neudorf, Czechoslovakia. EH's father had served as an officer in the Czech army and was classified by the Czech government as a “useful Jew”. This status safeguarded the family and prevented their early deportation. However, after some time the status was nullified. The family escaped to the mountains of Czechoslovakia where they sought shelter in a farm barn. After hiding in the mountains for sometime, EH and his family experienced a mini-liberation. The area in which they were hiding was liberated by the partisans during a battle wtih the Germans. The family thought it would be safe to return to their home town. Once they returned, EH began his schooling. He attended a Jewish school as the Jews were no longer permitted to attend non-Jewish schools. They were later deported and eventually taken to Poland. When the transport reached Poland they stopped at a camp but it was overpopulated and could not accept their transport. They continued to Ravensbruck work camp. EH was with his mother in the women's camp; his father was in the men's camp. EH's father perished in Ravensbruck. EH and his mother were forced on a death march to Bergen-Belsen. He mentions the terrible conditions in the camp - people suffering from malnutrition and near-death starvation. ; In Bergen-Belsen, EH's mother fell sick and died in the hospital section. After his mother's death, EH was helped by a Czech woman in the camp. When the camp was liberated, EH was totally emaciated. The Americans set up tents, EH remained there for a couple of months and was then moved to Sweden. He was very ill with tuberculosis and was hospitalized for a year in Sweden. He began school in Sweden, and then returned to Czechoslovakia where he was adopted by his aunt and uncle. Again, he was in hospital for a year. He then attended a convent school and following that a regular Catholic school. EH became involved in the Jewish youth movement Hashomer Hatzair. EH wanted to make aliyah through Youth Aliyah, but his aunt and uncle did not want him to leave for Israel. They remained in Czechoslovakia; but in 1953 moved to Kaschau, when EH's uncle's business was nationalized. EH did not connect very well to the culture and mentality in Kaschua. He eventually left the city to pursue his chemistry studies in Bratislava. EH describes that in the aftermath of the war and while he was an adolescent, he had strong Jewish affiliations even though he was not religious. He felt strongly Jewish but was an atheist. In Bratislava EH married and had two daughters. In September 1968, the situation worsened so EH and family moved first to Vienna and then to Switzerland.