Bernard Hirsch
"I hope it will never come to something like this and no one will have to go through this again. I hope my children will have a better life than me. Don’t be bitter, keep your head up high. "
Name at birth
Bernat Hirsch
Date of birth
05/28/1920
Where were you born?
Where did you grow up?
Petrovice, Slovakia
Name of father, occupation
Chaim,
Farm, grocery store, bar
Maiden name of mother, occupation
Zenny Greenwald,
Helped with husband's work
Immediate family (names, birth order)
Parents, three brothers and five sisters
How many in entire extended family?
Large extended family
Who survived the Holocaust?
Only me
In 1941, at age of 21, I was in the Slovak army. Jews had to wear different uniforms than non-Jews and could not carry guns, only shovels. I went home for Passover in 1942 and learned that my younger brother had already been taken. I knew that passing trains were filled with Jews. I had received a postcard from my father saying “we are all fine.” I had a non-Jewish army superior who warned me and gave me his uniform and papers to reach other Jews in the woods. I joined the Partisans.
In 1949, I received a letter from an aunt living in the United States seeking any survivors. I responded and came to Detroit.
To learn more about this survivor, please visit
The Holocaust Memorial Center Oral History Collection
https://www.holocaustcenter.org/visit/library-archive/oral-history-department/index-summaries/
https://www.holocaustcenter.org/visit/library-archive/oral-history-department/index-summaries/
The Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive, University of Michigan-Dearborn
Where did you settle?
Detroit, Michigan
How is it that you came to Michigan?
In 1949, I received a letter from an aunt living in the United States seeking any survivors. I responded and came to Detroit.
Occupation after the war
Carpet cleaning business
Spouse
Hermina Haber Hirsch
Children
Henry, Daniel, and Steven
Grandchildren
Twins: Julie and Andrea, Ryan and Stacey Hirsch, and Michelle
What do you think helped you to survive?
Righteous Gentiles. Luck allowed me to survive. It was “Bashaert.” (Yiddish: It was meant to be) Fight for your life, I did everything to survive.
What message would you like to leave for future generations?
I hope it will never come to something like this and no one will have to go through this again. I hope my children will have a better life than me. Don’t be bitter, keep your head up high.
Interviewer:
Charles Silow
Interview date:
08/05/2011
Experiences
Survivor's map
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