Mayer Lebovic

"People of all kinds, of different religions, communities should stop hating each other, stop killing each other. It’s a better world without hatred and prejudice. Children should never have to go through this. Also, for Israel to stay as a homeland for the Jewish people. We live in America, in France, England and so on, but without Israel, we are in the same situation as in the 1930’s in Europe. We need Israel to exist forever."

Date of birth

08/03/1925

Where were you born?

Ugla, Czechoslovakia

Where did you grow up?

Tecso, Czechoslovakia

Name of father, occupation

Chaim, Sold grain, wood, and salt

Maiden name of mother, occupation

Batya, Homemaker

Immediate family (names, birth order)

Parents and seven sons

How many in entire extended family?

About 70-80

Who survived the Holocaust?

Only me and my two cousins

My father, one of my brothers, and I were together. My father was killed in April, 1945. My brother was killed one day before liberation. I weighed 62 pounds at the end of it all. I was a walking skeleton.

Name of Ghetto(s)

Tecso

Name of Concentration / Labor Camp(s)

Auschwitz Birkenau / Bunzlau / Flossenbürg / Mauthausen

Occupation after the war

In the military, the Israeli Army. In the U.S. I became a general manager in a linen company.

Spouse

Helena Davidovic, Dressmaker

Children

Harry, Batya Zahava

Grandchildren

Three

What do you think helped you to survive?

I give credit to my father who was like an eagle watching over the two boys to save us. And destiny, you don’t know, we didn’t know what was waiting for us.

What message would you like to leave for future generations?

People of all kinds, of different religions, communities should stop hating each other, stop killing each other. It’s a better world without hatred and prejudice. Children should never have to go through this. Also, for Israel to stay as a homeland for the Jewish people. We live in America, in France, England and so on, but without Israel, we are in the same situation as in the 1930’s in Europe. We need Israel to exist forever.