William Justis, Jr. testimony
- Date
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1945-2013
(inclusive)
- Language
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English
- Extent
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1 folder
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of William G. Justis, Jr.
Consists of typed testimony written by William (Bill) Justis, Jr., in 2013 regarding his experiences as an Army Ranger during World War II, including the days he spent at Buchenwald immediately after the camp's liberation.
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Record last modified: 2018-02-06 14:25:38
This page: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn79336
Also in William G. Justis Jr. collection
The collection consists of two pieces of 1 RM Buchenwald scrip and typed testimony from 2013 relating to the experiences of William (Bill) G. Justis, Jr., a soldier in the 5th Ranger Battalion during World War II, who was stationed as a guard at the newly liberated Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany.
Date: 1945 April-2013
Buchenwald Standort-Kantine concentration camp scrip, 1 Reichsmark, acquired by a US soldier after liberation
Object
Buchenwald Standort-Cantine scrip valued at 1 Reichsmark found by 19 year old William Justis Jr., a US Army ranger, on the counter of the canteen in Buchenwald concentration camp a few days after its liberation on April 11, 1945. Buchenwald, with 88 subcamps, was a major source of forced labor, and the scrip was issued as part of an incentive system to increase production. Justis was deployed to Europe in March 1945 where he volunteered for the First Platoon Company “C” 5th Ranger Battalion. In April, as the battalion advanced through Germany, they noticed an increasingly offensive odor. The next morning, they were told that they were at Buchenwald concentration camp, which was entered on April 11 by US troops. Justis's company was assigned to security duty, tasked with making sure that no inmates left the camp. Germany surrendered on May 7 and the battalion remained on occupation duty in the Weimar region.
Buchenwald Standort-Kantine concentration camp scrip, 1 Reichsmark, acquired by a US soldier after liberation
Object
Buchenwald Standort-Cantine scrip valued at 1 Reichsmark found by 19 year old William Justis Jr., a US Army ranger, on the counter of the canteen in Buchenwald concentration camp a few days after its liberation on April 11, 1945. Buchenwald, with 88 subcamps, was a major source of forced labor, and the scrip was issued as part of an incentive system to increase production. Justis was deployed to Europe in March 1945 where he volunteered for the First Platoon Company “C” 5th Ranger Battalion. In April, as the battalion advanced through Germany, they noticed an increasingly offensive odor. The next morning, they were told that they were at Buchenwald concentration camp, which was entered on April 11 by US troops. Justis's company was assigned to security duty, tasked with making sure that no inmates left the camp. Germany surrendered on May 7 and the battalion remained on occupation duty in the Weimar region.
