Kestenberg Archive

RW was born in Ludwigshafen, Germany in November 1931 into an upper middle class traditional family. His grandfather was a cantor and dean of a Hebrew School and very respected in the community. His father was a salesman and his mother was a social worker and worked as a kindergarten teacher. RW's first memories of the holocaust are from Kristallnacht when his father, grandfather and uncles were arrested and sent to Dachau and his home was completely vandalised. His grandfather was released that night and his father was released about six weeks later. In 1939-1940 they suffered from nightly air raids from the RAF and the French Air Force. In October of 1940 the family was deported to Gurs camp in Southern France. RW remembers the French guards treated them nicely. Every month some of the children were freed by a relief organization and after about four months RW, his brother and 46 other children were taken to an orphanage named Mason du Pupil in Cascasone. RW was not hungry there but he suffered from malnutrition. He was in charge of taking the sheep out to graze in the meadows and in his free time would play ball. They were allowed to visit Jewish families in the area for the weekends, and a rabbi would come and perform the Friday night services. While there RW's mother passed away in Gurs from cancer. ; In June of 1942, RW and his brother were allowed to immigrate to America and their father, miraculously, got a pass to leave the camp for a day and see them off at the dock . Soon after, RW's father was sent to a death camp and killed there. In America, RW and his brother lived with two different aunts, sisters of their mother, in New York City. At age 11, RW started formal schooling for the first time and remembers it being extremely difficult to learn the language and make up the material. In 1952, RW was drafted in the US army and fought in the Korean War. RW is married and has two sons. Throughout the years he has been active in the community's education system. RW found it difficult to play with his children when they were young or share with them his experiences as they've grown. He is a bit inhibited and has difficulty in expressing his emotions.