Overview
- Interview Summary
- Victor Lewis describes building Płaszów in 1942; his name being put on the Brinnlitz list by Marcel Goldberg; his involvement with the Polish underground at Brinnlitz; obtaining weapons from the Czech underground; the situation in Brinnlitz after the departure of Oskar Schindler and the role of the underground; the hanging of a Kapo; and the opening of a frozen train of people from Goleszow.
- Interviewee
- Victor Lewis
- Date
-
interview:
1983 May 12
Physical Details
- Language
- English
- Genre/Form
- Documentary films.
- Extent
-
1 sound cassette (90 min.).
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- There are no known restrictions on access to this material.
- Conditions on Use
- Restrictions on use. Permission to copy and/or use recordings in any production must be granted by the Imperial War Museum and by the copyright holder, Thames Television.
Keywords & Subjects
- Topical Term
- Forced labor. Hanging--Czech Republic--Brnenec. Holocaust survivors. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Poland--Personal narratives. Illegal arms transfers--Poland. Kapos. World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Poland. World War, 1939-1945--Jews--Poland. World War, 1939-1945--Underground movements--Czech Republic--Brnenec. Men--Personal narratives.
- Corporate Name
- Brünnlitz (Concentration camp) Płaszów (Concentration camp)
Administrative Notes
- Holder of Originals
-
Imperial War Museum
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- The interview with Viktor Lewis was conducted for a documentary concerning the German industrialist Oskar Schindler by Thames Television for the television program entitled "Schindler." The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum acquired a copy of the interview from the Imperial War Museum in February 1995.
- Special Collection
-
The Jeff and Toby Herr Oral History Archive
- Record last modified:
- 2023-11-16 08:17:06
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn84137
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Oral history interview with Lewis Fagen
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Lewis Fagen describes his pre-war life in Krakow; his father’s bicycle business; the effects of the German invasion on the Jews including forced labor, taking Jewish wealth, and inflicting violence; being in the Płaszów camp in 1942 and the desecration of a Jewish cemetery; his first encounter with Amon Goeth's brutality; other incidents and being fearful; his knowledge of Oskar Schindler and the good conditions at Emalia; his father's friendship with Raimund Titsch; help given to Jews by Julius Madritsch; getting onto the Brinnlitz list; the cynical view of Schindler's motives in helping Jews; his views of Schindler's uniqueness; the appalling treatment at Gross-Rosen; 'deliverance' by Schindler; his feelings on the arrival of women at Brinnlitz from Auschwitz; the lack of productivity at Brinnlitz; the fear instilled by Goeth's visit to Brinnlitz; Schindler's techniques for dealing with Brinnlitz camp commandant Josef Liepold; Emilie Schindler's role nursing his sister, Janka; replacing his glasses; the sacrilege of using Jewish tombstones; Emilie Schindler's behavior to Janka Feigenbaum; the value of Schindler's gift of cloth to Brinnlitz inmates; listening to Churchill's victory speech in Brinnlitz; the involvement of the Polish underground in Brinnlitz; Schindler providing weapons; the uniqueness of Schindler saving whole families; and Schindler's changing motivations, but his desire to protect despite the danger to himself.
Oral history interview with Ruth Goeth
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Ruth Goeth, describes meeting Amon Goeth through business; eventually moving in with Goeth in 1943 and the accommodations at their villa in Płaszów, Poland; visitors to the villa; Goeth's work in setting up Płaszów; her attitude towards the labor camp; her feelings for Goeth; hearing about Goeth’s treatment of prisoners at the camp; her impressions of Oskar Schindler; the freedom of his camp, Emalia; the friendship between Goeth and Schindler; her memories of spending evenings with Goeth and Schindler discussing politics and listening to BBC broadcasts; feeling compelled to be a Nazi during the war; Goeth's parties; Goeth's attitudes towards Jews; witnessing antisemitism as a young woman in Poland; her opinion of Schindler's attitudes; never seeing inside the camp but seeing the stone quarry; her impressions of the living and working conditions for Płaszów inmates; the basis of the relationship between Goeth and Schindler; her efforts to protect her Jewish maids from punishment; Goeth's arrest by SS in 1944; Goeth’s release and the reasons for their visit to Brinnlitz; life at Płaszów during the summer of 1944; leisure time and parties during the war and dening that an SS officer committed suicide during one of the parties; protecting her maids from Goeth; Goeth beating Helen Hirsch; the lack of knowledge of Goeth's treatment of Jews; her regrets and not feeling guilty; and her influence on Goeth.
Oral history interview with Helen Horowitz
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Helen Horowitz describes how she started working in the kitchen at Amon Goeth's villa in Płaszów; Goeth's sadistic cruelty, including routine punishments and holding her responsible for other inmates' actions; Goeth's sadism; first meeting with Oskar Schindler who had a sympathetic attitude and promised to save her from Goeth; Schindler bribing Goeth; receiving savage punishment from Goeth for asking his mistress (Ruth Goeth) to help save her sister; denying he beat her because of her fear of him; Schindler's promise to save her and giving him her savings; particular instances of Goeth's cruelty resulting in damaged ear and cut leg vein and other routine punishments; the story of Schindler promising to save her; Goeth's arrest for corruption; overhearing Schindler's arguments for including children on the Brinnlitz list; Schindler “winning” her from Goeth during a card game; her comparison of Schindler and Goeth; the terror and suffering inflicted on her by Goeth, who ordered fellow inmate to shoot her; his possessiveness of her; and her lasting terror.
Oral history interview with Irika Hirschfield
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Irika Hirschfeld describes the pre-war life for Jews in Krakow, Poland; the effect of antisemitism on the Jewish professional class; her husband studying chemistry; the German invasion and the Jewish persecution; the formation of Krakow Ghetto in 1941; the death of her mother; the liquidation of the ghetto in March 1943; forced labor in the ghetto: unloading coal, cleaning, and working in several factories; breaking stones in Płaszów; Amon Goeth's punishment; the selection for Oskar Schindler's Emalia in June 1943; the safety of Emalia, where there was protection from SS; the story of Schindler saving a particular Jew, Mr Lamus, from execution; work in Emalia; Schindler's concern for her health and how he passed cigarettes to Jews; the drawing up of the Brinnlitz list; an Australian pilot shot down over Emalia; the clothing in Emalia; her imprisonment in Auschwitz en route to Brinnlitz; arriving at Auschwitz, the procedures, Josef Mengele's selections, and her faith in Schindler; her arrival at Brinnlitz and disappointment at the conditions; the women's appearances upon their arrival at Brinnlitz; the harshness of Brinnlitz; her brother's punishment; the deteriorating conditions towards the end of the war; Schindler's birthday in 1945 and the motives for his speech; her feelings on Schindler's departure; and a post-war reunion.
Oral history interview with Richard Horowitz
Oral History
Richard Horowitz, born in May of 1939, describes his recollections of being filmed at age five at the liberation of Auschwitz, Poland by the Soviet Army in January 1945; his mother finding him in a Krakow orphanage; his mother finding his father; his impressions of Auschwitz and being hidden by people while he was there; his vague recollections of Oskar Schindler; his love for potatoes after the war; his attitude towards being saved by Schindler; and the liberation of Auschwitz.
Oral history interview with Henry Kinstlinger
Oral History
Henry Kinstlinger (possibly spelled Kintslinger) describes the working conditions in Julius Madritsch's uniform factory; their food rations; the living conditions at Płaszów; his narrow escape from Amon Goeth on an “illegal” latrine visit; getting on the Brinnlitz list; the treatment of prisoners at Brinnlitz; suspicions of Oskar Schindler's character and motives; distrust and dislike of Schindler; and Schindler's instinct for self-preservation.
Oral history interview with Edith Liebgold
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Edith Liebgold describes the Krakow Ghetto, including the overcrowding, living conditions, forced labor, and identity papers; her selection for work at Oskar Schindler's Emalia; her first impressions of Schindler and believing in his promises; life in Emalia, including the food, living arrangements, and working conditions; incidents illustrating Schindler's kindness towards Jews and respect for their religion; her future husband's transfer to Emalia, which was arranged by Schindler, and his failure to get on Brinnlitz list; her first impressions of Schindler and immediate trust; her experiences in Auschwitz, including her feelings on arrival, the status of Schindler women, her doubts, and maintaining faith in Schindler; working and living conditions at Brinnlitz; Schindler's gift of material to workers at end of war; surviving the war; Schindler's motives in saving Jews; and Schindler taking a father's role at her marriage in Regensburg in 1945.
Oral history interview with Julius Madritsch
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Julius Madritsch describes his hatred of war; choosing Polish industry to avoid conscription in 1939; his feelings for Poland as part of the former Austrian empire; the registration of the Polish workforce; how he and Oskar Schindler saved lives through employment; the arrangement for his workers from the Płaszów uniform factory to join Schindler at Brinnlitz; Raimund Titsch's role; the payments to the SS for Jewish workers; the aim of Madritsch and Schindler to save the lives of workers; Schindler's character; Amon Goeth's character and dealing with him; and his relations with Schindler.
Oral history interview with Murray Pantirer
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Murray Pantirer describes his family in Krakow, Poland; life in Krakow from 1939 to 1941; his decision to volunteer to work for the Germans; building Płaszów in 1942 and witnessing Amon Goeth's first atrocities; the shooting of Diana Reiter; Goeth's reprisal for a work party escapee; the liquidation of the Krakow Ghetto in March 1943 and helping with the body disposal; his siblings being shot by Oder; the story of his parents' murder in 1942; the health aktion in Płaszów in May 1944 and his brother's selection for Auschwitz; his first encounter with Oskar Schindler's kindness in providing food and water for Jews in cattle trucks and the dangers of his action; being sent to Gross-Rosen in October 1944 and getting on the Brinnlitz list; the “miracle” of being saved from genocide; his view of Schindler's motives, including humanity and the importance of bribes and charm; opening frozen railway cars in early 1945 full of Hungarian prisoners, saving as many people as they could, and Emilie Schindler's efforts to help nurse the survivors; Schindler's reaction upon seeing the event; his tribute to Schindler in naming building works after him and raising money for the Oskar Schindler Scholarship at Jerusalem University; Schindler's changing attitude towards Nazism; and the non-productivity of Brinnlitz illustrating Schindler's humanity.
Oral history interview with Mietek Pemper
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Mietek Pemper describes the relationship between Itzhak Stern and Oskar Schindler; Stern's influence to save Jews; General Julius Schindler's inspection of the Płaszów armaments factory; the conversion of Płaszów to concentration camp on January 10, 1944; his experiences as Amon Goeth's stenographer from March 18, 1943 to September 1944; Goeth's indiscriminate brutality and inconsistencies of character; the relationship between of Schindler and Goeth as well as their characters; Schindler's motives for relationship with Goeth; his comparison of Schindler and Julius Madritsch; the health selection at Płaszów May 7, 1944; his knowledge through access to secret documents; Schindler's attempts to save Płaszów Jews and his motives; the poor quality of Brinnlitz production; the non-productivity of Brinnlitz, which was covered up by Schindler; Schindler's attitudes towards Jews, his concept of Schindlerjuden, and his post-war failures; Schindler's relations with Brinnlitz camp commandant Josef Leipold; and how Schindler maneuvered his transfer to the battle front in May 1945.
Oral history interview with Ludmilla Pfefferberg
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Ludmila Pfefferberg, who was from Łódź, Poland, describes the conditions in the Krakow Ghetto, including the selections, accommodations, work certificates, and the aktions; Płaszów living conditions and work; arriving at Auschwitz October 1944, their treatment and her belief in Oskar Schindler; hearing about the Brinnlitz list; Poldek Pfefferberg's errands for Schindler; more details about Auschwitz, including the appalling living and sanitary conditions, roll calls, selections, sleeping conditions, hunger, and the smell; arriving at Brinnlitz and the women's appearance; her first impressions and Schindler's welcoming speech; seeing her husband; believing they were safe; their living conditions; the comparison of Auschwitz to Brinnlitz; Schindler's protection; unskilled workers and the non-productivity of Brinnlitz; and her feelings upon liberation.
Oral history interview with Richard Rechen
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Richard Rechen describes his work as Oskar Schindler's car mechanic at Emalia in 1944 and his surprise at the working conditions; Brinnlitz’s non-productivity; hearing news of D-Day on the car radio; sharing Schindler's love of cars; more details on hearing about the D-Day news; relaying Churchill's victory broadcast over loudspeaker at Brinnlitz; preparations for Schindler's departure and volunteering to go with him; the journey with Schindler: an encounter with Soviet troops, Schindler losing diamonds when the car was looted, an encounter with US troops, and Schindler posing as a concentration camp inmate; his attitude towards Schindler; his reaction to Schindler's death in 1974 and the transfer of Schindler's body to Israel; his views of Schindler’s motives for being a Nazi; and his closeness to Schindler.
Oral history interview with Henry Rosner
Oral History
Henry Rosner describes his experiences as inmate of Płaszów camp from 1943 to 1944; playing violin in the camp; the character of the camp commandant, Amon Goeth; Goeth's party guests; Oskar Schindler's demonstrations of sympathy towards him; a story of how his melancholic music influenced a SS officer to commit suicide; Schindler reclaiming Rosner's violin; his experiences as an inmate of Płaszów and Auschwitz camps between 1943 and 1945; the kindness of a SS officer en route to Auschwitz; seeing the women in a transport train leaving Auschwitz; his opinion of Schindler; an incident of SS brutality sickening Schindler; Schindler's behavior at Goeth's parties; and his impressions of Schindler.
Oral history interview with Mary (Manci) Rosner
Oral History
Mary (Manci) Rosner describes her pre-war life in Krakow, Poland; being married to a musician (Henry Rosner); life in the Krakow Ghetto: the work, the fear of aktions, and the liquidation in March 1943; becoming a barrack supervisor at Płaszów; her responsibilities as block eldest: taking the blame and punishment and being forced to witness executions; Amon Goeth's character, including his love of Henry Rosner's music and frightening presence; Oskar Schindler's gift to Henry Rosner; Schindler's Brinnlitz list; the bribes given to get on list; Schindler's love of music ensuring place on list for the Rosner family; the story of Henry Rosner arriving at Auschwitz as the women were leaving; her experiences at Auschwitz: the procedures upon arrival, the cold and hunger, and the punishments from the block elder; her doubts about Schindler’s list; the significance of tattoos; seeing her husband and son arrive at Auschwitz as she departed and the SS guard passing a message; conditions at Brinnlitz; Schindler returning Henry's violin to her; and her opinion of Schindler and his motives.
Oral history interview with Leo Rosner
Oral History
Leo Rosner describes his experiences as an inmate of Płaszów, Brinnlitz, and Gross-Rosen camps from 1943 to 1945; playing accordion at Amon Goeth's parties at Płaszów; Goeth's violent threats; the atmosphere of the parties; his first impressions of Oskar Schindler; Schindler's list; the differences between Płaszów and Brinnlitz; the story of Schindler retrieving Rosner's accordion from Gross-Rosen; his fears for his wife's safety in Auschwitz; Schindler's character; Goeth protecting the Rosner family and his unpredictable nature; the SS need for music; Schindler's drinking; the unlikelihood of surviving the war and being saved by Schindler; Schindler's character; the non-productivity of Brinnlitz; and their debt to Schindler.
Oral history interview with Marthe Scheuer
Oral History
Marthe Scheuer describes meeting Oskar Schindler in 1939; meeting Amon Goeth; Schindler's help; her first impressions of Schindler and her later knowledge of his character and life: compassion, charm, disbelief in Nazism, hatred of the treatment of Jews, work for Abwehr in Poland, and relationship with Jews; aspects of his double life in Krakow, Poland: his talking and drinking abilities, the war events crystallizing his views, gaining trust of the officials, his motives, his relationship with Goeth, and his insularity; Schindler's delight in buying a car in Berlin, Germany; Schindler's love of admiration; the journey from Brinnlitz with Schindler and his wife, Emilie, at end of war; Schindler's means and motives for saving Jews; the motivation behind his wartime success; Schindler's manipulation of people; the story of buying the car in Berlin illustrating his love of show; Schindler's motives for saving Jews; her first impressions of Schindler and his involvement with Abwehr at Krakow; the introduction of antisemitic measures; Schindler's feelings towards Jews and his desire to help people; Schindler endangering his own life by remaining at Brinnlitz; Schindler's personality, methods and motives, reasons for lack of success after war, and Sudetenlander characteristics; the escape from Brinnlitz at end of war; and Brinnlitz Jews providing Schindler with a testimonial letter.
Oral history interview with Emilie Schindler
Oral History
Emilie Schindler describes her first impressions of Oskar Schindler in 1927; their early married life in Sudetenland; Schindler's work for Abwehr; his arrest and release upon German invasion of Sudetenland in 1938; Schindler's motives for joining the Nazi party; details of Schindler's intelligence work; reasons for his move to Krakow and taking over enamel works; his continued links with Abwehr; the approach to Schindler made by Doctor Sedlacek of the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in 1942; life in Krakow, Poland; Oskar Schindler saving Jews by employing them; the necessity of bribing Amon Goeth and SS officials; socializing with the SS; Schindler's arrest and aiding his release; the decision to move to Brinnlitz and having the move arranged with authorities; Schindler's arrest on suspicion of complicity with Goeth; the SS inspection of Brinnlitz while Schindler was under arrest; the story of how Schindler secured the release of women from Auschwitz; details about Brinnlitz: conditions and work situation, Schindler's financial position, overcoming critical food shortages by trading vodka, supplying the SS garrison, and Jews stealing food; the story of a frozen train of Hungarian prisoners and nursing the survivors; refusing to cremate the Jewish dead; the SS search for black market cigarettes; leaving Brinnlitz in May 1945 accompanied by Marthe Scheuer; Oskar Schindler's love of life; reasons for the Schindlers helping Jews; Oskar Schindler's character; losing possessions while fleeing from Soviet troops; the effect of the escape on Oskar Schindler, the reasons for his post-war failure in Argentina, and his desertion of Emilie; and her attitude towards him.
Oral history interview with Sol Urbach
Oral History
Sol Urbach, born in October 25, 1926, describes his pre-war life near Krakow, Poland; his family living in Romania from 1928-1933 then returning to a town outside Krakow; avoiding the Krakow Ghetto; being selected for Oskar Schindler's Emalia 1942; details about Emalia; Schindler warning Jews of the ghetto liquidation and keeping workers at Emalia; losing family in the liquidation; Schindler's enjoyment of life and business and his contacts with the German military and SS; the reduction of the Emalia workforce in August 1944; being selected by Schindler; the politics of the Brinnlitz list; the crash of an Australian pilot over Emalia in the summer of 1944; his chance selection for Emalia; his work there and relationship with Schindler; and the reduction of the Emalia workforce in August 1944.
