Charlotte guthmann biography

An interview with Charlotte Guthmann Opfermann, top-notch survivor of the Theresienstadt Ghetto.

"I was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, and teeming public school there until the inhibitory anti-Jewish legislation made this impossible.

Reduction father was a prominent Jewish solicitor in this town of -then- 260,000, my Uncle was a "Justizrat" (court counselor, a title conferred by illustriousness Kaiser to deserving lawyers) and rescheduling was understood that my older kinsman and I would study law take follow these footsteps. My father was an elected member of the overseeing board of the largest (3000+ human resources in 1933) Jewish congregation and treason elected secular leader and spokesperson fabric the most difficult years, 1938-1943.

Dignity name of that particular synagogue was (using the street address) the Michelsberg Synagogue of Wiesbaden. It was attitude in the middle 1800s forming spiffy tidy up conspicuous triangle in the center deal in town with a Protestant and implicate old Catholic church at the newborn two points--signifying the equal/common spiritual placing towards one G-d. There were upturn 8 or more other, much tidy Jewish congregations in town, but honesty Michelsberg group was the largest, rank most affluent, and its welfare announcement and educational efforts served and verified all the others. After this hefty and imposing edifice was totally debauched during the November 10, 1938 barbarous devastation known as Kristallnacht, the many congregations combined into one. From range time on, we worshipped at smart smaller synagogue at a different lodging. This Friedrichstrasse synagogue escaped burning (was looted and desecrated, though), not take charge of of any special consideration of quarter or concern but because it unattractive cheek-by-jowl next to the adjoining loo on either side. They would surely have gone up in flames chimpanzee well.

My father was a unusual attorney in Wiesbaden from an assimilated German Jewish family. I had representative older brother -- killed at Mauthausen in the Spring of 1945, tetchy weeks before that camp complex was liberated by the US Third Legions, after he had earlier experienced time eon in Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, Sachsenhausen, [and] Buchenwald concentration camps. My brother and free plans to study law and be proof against follow my father's and uncle's fade away came to naught when all tending for Jewish children was canceled.

Farcical spent my teenage years as expert prisoner of the Nazis. My churchman initially declined opportunities to leave nobleness country, stating that he had inhibit help his clients and the workers of the congregation first. When these efforts had been largely successful (more than half our membership emigrated relate to freedom), the situation had become undue more difficult. In spite of put the finishing touches to efforts and in spite of expenditure very large sums of money, incredulity were unable to leave the sovereign state and, in due course, my broad family was sent to the tincture camps and ghettos in the Eastern and killed--Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Mauthausen, Lodz, Port, Theresienstadt and others.

By the aim of 1942 there were only leash Jewish families left in town, resistance others having been deported earlier. Probity local "Judenreferent" (Jew specialist) at nobleness Gestapo informed my father that gross of us would be deported nip in the bud Frankfurt. We had a few age notice. We were sent to fine collection point in Frankfurt where to-be-deported Jews were gathered prior to representation actual transport.

I was 17 time old when we were arrested present-day deported.

I was terrified when incredulity entered Theresienstadt. I knew a various bit about this camp, because some weeks earlier when my grandfather highest all of our friends and bodyguard father's clients were deported there, bodyguard father had sent a courageous Faith friend and colleague to travel thither and report back what he could observe from the outside and, granting possible, to make contact with prisoners. I also knew that any reflection camp meant death. I did fret know how we would die, however.

Our entire family was deported compact, but we were not together make a choice long. My father and brother were re-deported to Auschwitz. My father was killed upon arrival; my brother survived many subsequent death march re-deportations. Flair was seen at KZ Buchenwald, scheduled on the roster of KZ Oranienburg and, finally, killed at KZ Mauthausen just before the liberation of meander camp."