Berek Rothenberg
Date of birth
01/03/1921
Where were you born?
Name of father, occupation
Shoemaker
Maiden name of mother, occupation
Homemaker
Immediate family (names, birth order)
Parents, five children
Berek Rothenberg was born on Jan. 3, 1921 in Sandomierz, Poland. As a boy, he belonged to several Zionist organizations including the Betar, Macabbi, and Akiva. Following the German invasion of Poland, he was taken by the Germans for forced labor on the railroads, and when released, was sent out by the Judenrat to work on a road crew. In 1942, Berek was taken away to work at the ammunition factory in Skarzysko. In 1944 he was transferred to Buchenwald and assigned to work at Schlieben, a sub camp, where the Panzerfaust was being manufactured. Berek was then transferred to Theresienstadt, where he was liberated on May 8, 1945. After liberation, he traveled around Italy waiting for a chance to move to Palestine but in 1949, Berek moved to the United States to be with his extended family.
When did you come to the United States?
1949
Where did you settle?
Detroit, Michigan
How is it that you came to Michigan?
Had family in Detroit.
Occupation after the war
Factory worker
When and where were you married?
Married in 1950
Children
Three sons
Interviewer:
Levi Smith
Interview date:
05/20/1984
To learn more about this survivor, please visit:
The Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive, University of Michigan
https://holocaust.umd.umich.edu/interview.php?D=rothenberg§ion=69
https://holocaust.umd.umich.edu/interview.php?D=rothenberg§ion=69
