MIGS: The Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies

Memoirs of Holocaust Survivors in Canada

Published by the
Concordia University Chair in Canadian Jewish Studies (1)

Series Editors
Mervin Butovsky and Kurt Jonassohn

Assistant Editor
Karin Björnson

Introduction

The project to collect unpublished diaries and memoirs written by Holocaust survivors in Canada was initiated some years ago by Professors Mervin Butovsky and Kurt Jonassohn. They thought it important that these documents be preserved as a valuable part of the historical record because their contents would differ in significant ways from interview testimonies. Some of these differences are explored in a paper. (2)

The collected manuscripts were deposited in the Archives of Concordia University with the addition of an abstract and a list of key words with explanations. The location of towns and villages was ascertained by consulting standard reference works. The location of camps was facilitated by consulting Weinmann who identifies over 2,000 camps. (3) These memoirs are now accessible to interested scholars by consulting the Concordia University Archives.

At the present time we are launching the project Memoirs of Holocaust Survivors In Canada that will enable us to bring these testimonies to a wider audience. Therefore, at irregular intervals, time and funds permitting, we are issuing some of these materials on the Internet. In addition, a small number of copies will be printed for deposit in relevant libraries and Holocaust Centres.

In all cases, the authors or their representatives have given permission for this form of publication, with the provision that they will continue to retain the copyright.

The abstracts and key words of all of the manuscripts collected to date are available below and the following volumes of memoirs are currently available.

Vol. 1: Kalmen Wewryk, edited, translated and transcribed by Howard Roiter, To Sobibor and Back: An Eyewitness Account. ISBN 0-88947-347-1

Vol. 2: Marcel Braitstein, Five to Ten: The Story of a Hidden Child. ISBN 0-88947-348-X

Vol. 3: Nahum Meir Halpern, From Slavery to Freedom. ISBN 0-88947-349-8

Vol. 4: Jacob Gutman, A Survivor's Memoir. ISBN 0-88947-355-2

Vol. 5: Marcus Lecker, I Remember: Odyssey of a Jewish Teenager in Eastern Europe.
ISBN 0-88947-351-X

Vol. 6: Rose Ickovits Weiss Svarc, Forces of Darkness: Personal Diary of Rose Ickovits Weiss Svarc from 1938 to 1946. ISBN 0-88947-355-2

Vol. 7: Charles Kotkowsky, Remnants: Memoirs of a Survivor. ISBN 0-88947-356-0

Vol. 8: Konrad Elkana Charmatz, Nightmares: Memoirs of the Years of Horror Under Nazi Rule in Europe, 1939-1945. ISBN 0-88947-357-9

Vol. 9: Memories from Hungary: An Anthology. ISBN 0-88947-358-7

a- Gisele Schwartz-Somlo-Foti, Through the Eyes of a Child
b- Irene Romer, Courage and Despair
c- Pal Romer, Letter to Agi
d- Agnes Simon, A Child's Story
e- Dolly Tiger, We Lived in Historical Times

Vol. 10: David Jacobs, Remember Your Heritage. ISBN 0-88947-359-5

Vol. 11: Marian Finkielman, Out of the Ghetto: A Young Jewish Orphan Boy's Struggle for Survival. ISBN 0-88947-368-4

Vol. 12: Perec Zylberberg, This I Remember. ISBN 0-88947-361-7

Vol. 13: Sam Smilovic (Smiley), Buchenwald 56466. ISBN 0-88947-368-4

Vol. 14: Meyer Kron, Through the Eye of the Needle. ISBN 0-88947-368-4

Vol. 15: Witnesses Speak: An Anthology. ISBN 0-88947-369-2

a- Minna Aspler, My Other Life (As Told to Inge Packer).
b- Hyman Gutman, What I Remember as a Survivor.
c- Myra Gutman, Vivid Recollections of a Survivor.
d- Rachel Phillipson Levy, An Odyssey Revisited.
e- Miriam Reich, The Holocaust Recalled.
f- Andrew Savin, Dreaming and Survival.
g- Koineh Schacter-Rogel, A Letter from the Ukraine.
h- Veronika Schwartz, A Survivor's Memoir.
i- Babey Widutschinsky-Trepman, What Makes Babey Run?

Vol. 16: Michael Zimmermann, How I Survived the Wars and Peace: My Life in the Gulag. ISBN 0-88947-370-6

Vol 17: Helen Rodak-Iszo, The Last Chance to Remember. ISBN 0-88947-371-4

Vol 18: Emery Gregus, Occupation and Liberation, 1944-1945: Aftermath: The Post-War years: Remembrances. ISBN 0-88947-372-2

Vol 19: Andrew Salamon. Childhood in Times of War. pp.. 189. ISBN 0-88947-373-0

Vol 20: Guenther Ludwig Zilversmit. From Holland and Back. pp. 56. ISBN 0-88947-383-8

Vol 21: Leslie Vertes. Can you stop the wind? My Autobiography. pp. 133. ISBN 0-88947-384-6

Vol 22: Alexandre Citrome. 50 ans de ma vie. pp. 202. ISBN 0-88947-385-4

Vol. 23: Benjamin Kujawski. My Long Road to Freedom. pp. 180. ISBN 0-88947-386-2

Vol. 24: Rachel Shtibel. The Violin. pp. 77. ISBN 0-88947-387-0

Vol. 25 Nelli Rotbart. A Long Journey: A Holocaust Memoir and After: Poland, Soviet Union, Canada. pp. 188. ISBN 0-88947-403-6 Vol. 26 Abraham Zylbering, A Survivor Remembers: The Gulag and Central Asia. pp. 125. ISBN 0-88947-404-4

Vol. 27 Anthology Three. ISBN 0-88947-346-2

a- Gerta Fink. Ditti’s Story: Fragments From The Past. pp. 47.
b- Adam Shtibel. Testimony of a Teenage Survivor. pp. 41.
c- Olga Sher. Olga's Story. pp. 36.
d- Albert Fuchs. My Experience From November 9th to 16th 1938. pp. 17.
e- Gabriel Miller. Eye-Witness to History: A Survivor's Testimony. pp. 19.

Vol. 28 Paula Frankel-Zaltzman. Haftling (Prisoner) No. 94771. pp. 150.
ISBN 0-88947-406-0

Vol. 29 Margrit Rosenberg Stenge, Narrow Escape to and from Norway, Margrit's Story. pp. 62. ISBN 0-88947-407-9

Vol. 30 Benjamin Kujawski, Haunted by Images: drawings and Commentary on the Holocaust. pp.145. ISBN 0-088947-427-3
(This volume is not available on the net.)

Vol. 31 Lev Bilich, What I Will Always Remember: Pre War / Wartime / Post-War In Russia (Soviet Union). pp. 24. ISBN 0-88947-428-1

Vol. 32 Vera Koveski, Terror and Survival: A Family History. pp. 118. ISBN 0-88947-429-X

(1) Support has been provided by the Secretary of State, Multiculturalism, Ottawa, the Institute for Canadian Jewish Studies, and the Chair in Quebec and Canadian Jewish Studies.

(2) Mervin Butovsky and Kurt Jonassohn, "An Exploratory Study of Unpublished Holocaust Survivors Memoirs." MIGS Occasional Paper, February 1997.

(3) Weinmann, Martin, ed. Das nationalsozialistische Lagersystem (CCP). (Frankfurt am Main: Zweitausendeins, 1990). A valuable source for locating camps mentioned in the memoirs.