Kestenberg Archive

FG was born in Olkusz, a small town near Sosnowiec to an affluent Hassidic family. She was one of five children and the family lived together with her maternal grandparents. FG's grandmother raised the children while her mother worked at the family store. FG's family was very serious and she does not remember having fun as a child. Her parents did not show their love often but she was pampered. FG suffered from antisemitism incidents in school. Although FG and one brother were meant to go to America to join relatives already there, the relatives delayed the process and the beginning of the war halted plans of leaving. FG still feels anger about this. The German invasion put an end to FG's education and the family business was liquidated. In 1940 they were forced out of their home and into a shack. On March 12 1942 the Gestapo came looking for FG and physically tore her from her mother's arms to send her to a labor camp. This was the last time that she saw any of her family. She was sent to Klettendorf, near Breslau, where she stayed for a year and a half. After that camp was liquidated she was sent to Ludwigsdorf, where she worked in an ammunitions factory. She is ashamed in retrospect that she did not try to fight back or sabotage the weapons she was making. In the camps she was very naïve and did not know how to look out for herself, putting others first. Singing with the other girls helped her, as did the dream of one day reaching America. FG was liberated by the Russians, but hearing rumors of how they raped women she and a friend fled to the American zone. She returned to Olkusz to look for relatives but found none. The local Poles refused to help her or return any of her belongings, advising her to leave. ; In Olkusz FG met her future husband, who was also looking for family. Together they went first to Reichenbach and then to Munich, where they were married in December 1945. In 1947 FG, pregnant with her first child, and her husband were able to join her relatives in the USA. However her relatives treated FG poorly, looking down on her. They also discouraged her from talking about her experiences. Life in America was difficult and FG never found time to finish her education. FG's older son is very nervous and her relationship is better with her younger son. Neither is very interested in her past. FG's husband suffered a stroke a few years earlier and since then she has cared for him and her life has become very difficult. Recently she has started attending a child survivor group and going to synagogue. FG has also started talking more about her past. She struggles with guilt that she was the only family member who survived.