Interview with Rita Grunbaum,

Interview Summary

Rita Grunbaum first describes her and her husband's moves after the Second World War and describes herself as optimistic throughout the war; then she begins her story, describing her overcoming a learning disability as a child with the help of a compassionate principal, as well as her marriage and having her first daughter in the early years of the war. She describes the intensifying persecution of the Jews at this time, leading up to her family's deportation first to Westerbork transit camp, then to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. She observes that these difficult experiences only strengthened her faith and spurred her to reconnect with Jewish traditions after the war. She describes the hardships of surviving in Bergen-Belsen, not least of which was keeping her grandmother alive. Near the end of the war, she explains, her family was liberated en route to another concentration camp.

Interview Keyword

Bergen-Belsen (concentration camp) Concentration camps. Holocaust survivors. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Jewish family life. Jewish traditions. Judaism. Learning disabilities. Netherlands--History--20th century. Rotterdam (Netherlands) World War Two World War, 1939-1945--Jews.

Interview LC Subject

World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.