Sam Offen Oral History

Sam Offen Oral History

An interview with Samuel Offen, a Holocaust survivor, conducted by Dr. Sidney Bolkosky, Professor of History at the University of Michigan--Dearborn. Sam Offen lived in Krakow, Poland. After the German invasion of 1939, Sam, his father, and his brothers, Nathan and Bernie, were recruited by the Germans as forced laborers. Nathan was sent to a nearby rock quarry to work. In 1942, Sam's mother and sister were rounded-up and deported and the three brothers and their father were sent to Plaszów. After a short time, the Offens were sent to Gusen I, a sub-camp of Mauthausen. There Sam and Nathan were separated from Bernie and their father it was the last time Sam saw his father. In 1945, Sam and Nathan were liberated by the American army. While waiting in Italy for a ship bound for Palestine, they learned of a Polish unit of the British army, based in Italy, and decided to join. Several weeks later, Bernie found his brothers and was reunited with them. In late 1946 or early 1947, Nathan and Sam went to England to be discharged, taking Bernie with them. The three brothers lived in England until 1951 when they emigrated to the United States

Bolkosky, Sidney M

Offen, Sam

1981-12-27