Emerich Grinbaum Oral History

Emerich Grinbaum Oral History

An interview with Emerich Grinbaum, a Holocaust survivor, conducted by Dr. Sidney Bolkosky, Professor of History at the University of Michigan--Dearborn. Mr. Grinbaum was born in Munkacs, Czechoslovakia in 1930. After the Hungarian annexation of Munkacs in 1938, Emerich, along with his father, mother and brother experienced increased anti-Semitism under the Hungarians. In 1944, Germany invaded Hungary and the Grinbaum family was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Emerich's mother was gassed upon arrival and after less than a week in Birkenau, Emerich, his father and brother were shipped to a labor camp just outside of Warsaw, Poland. In August, 1944, the three were sent to Dachau. In Dachau, Emerich's father became ill and was sent to the camp hospital. During this period, Emerich and his brother were sent to one of Dachau's satellite camps, Allach. In Allach, Emerich worked on several labor Kommandos, including the BMW factory and as a potato peeler in the camp kitchen. While in Allach, Emerich's father was reunited with him and his brother and placed in a block for elderly people. In April 1945, the three were placed aboard a train and shipped to an unknown destination. While en route, the Germans abandoned the train and the three walked to a nearby village where they were liberated by the American Army. After liberation, they returned to Munkacs, now under Soviet rule as part of the Ukraine. Mr. Grinbaum studied medicine under the Soviets. He immigrated to the United States in the 1960s

Bolkosky, Sidney M

Grinbaum, Emerich

2000-01-01