Bernard Offen
Encyclopedia
Bernard Offen was born in 1929 in Krakow
. He survived the Krakow Ghetto
and several Nazi concentration camps
.
His parents, two brothers and one sister lived in the Podgórze
area of Krakow
which in March 1941 became the Krakow Ghetto. His mother, Rochme Gittel Schiffer, and his sister Miriam were deported, probably to Belzec extermination camp
, where they were murdered. Bernard survived the Nazi concentration camps of Plaszow, Julag, Mauthausen
, Auschwitz-Birkenau, and Dachau. During this time he was separated first from his two brothers Sam and Natan and later also from his father who was murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau. After the war Bernard reunited with his two brothers.
In 1951 the Offen brothers decided to emigrate to the United States
. In 1981 Bernard returned to Poland for the first time since the war to confront the demons of his past. From 1991 on Bernard began to spend his summers in Krakow dealing with the past through what he calls the “process of healing”. He started taking people on tours of the former ghetto, Plaszow and Auschwitz-Birkenau. His experiences Bernard documented in four movies.
Austrian Holocaust Memorial Servants (Gedenkdieners) serving their Memorial Service
in Krakow cooperate frequently with Bernard Offen and take part in his walks to the ghetto area and Plaszow camp.
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
. He survived the Krakow Ghetto
Kraków Ghetto
The Kraków Ghetto was one of five major, metropolitan Jewish ghettos created by Nazi Germany in the General Government territory for the purpose of persecution, terror, and exploitation of Polish Jews during the German occupation of Poland in World War II...
and several Nazi concentration camps
Nazi concentration camps
Nazi Germany maintained concentration camps throughout the territories it controlled. The first Nazi concentration camps set up in Germany were greatly expanded after the Reichstag fire of 1933, and were intended to hold political prisoners and opponents of the regime...
.
His parents, two brothers and one sister lived in the Podgórze
Podgórze
Podgórze is a district of Kraków, Poland, situated on the right bank of the Vistula River. Initially a village at the foot of Lasota Hill was granted city status by the Austrian Emperor Joseph II in 1784 and has become Royal Free City of Podgorze...
area of Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
which in March 1941 became the Krakow Ghetto. His mother, Rochme Gittel Schiffer, and his sister Miriam were deported, probably to Belzec extermination camp
Belzec extermination camp
Belzec, Polish spelling Bełżec , was the first of the Nazi German extermination camps created for implementing Operation Reinhard during the Holocaust...
, where they were murdered. Bernard survived the Nazi concentration camps of Plaszow, Julag, Mauthausen
Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen Concentration Camp grew to become a large group of Nazi concentration camps that was built around the villages of Mauthausen and Gusen in Upper Austria, roughly east of the city of Linz.Initially a single camp at Mauthausen, it expanded over time and by the summer of 1940, the...
, Auschwitz-Birkenau, and Dachau. During this time he was separated first from his two brothers Sam and Natan and later also from his father who was murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau. After the war Bernard reunited with his two brothers.
In 1951 the Offen brothers decided to emigrate to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1981 Bernard returned to Poland for the first time since the war to confront the demons of his past. From 1991 on Bernard began to spend his summers in Krakow dealing with the past through what he calls the “process of healing”. He started taking people on tours of the former ghetto, Plaszow and Auschwitz-Birkenau. His experiences Bernard documented in four movies.
Austrian Holocaust Memorial Servants (Gedenkdieners) serving their Memorial Service
Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service
The Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service is an alternative to Austria's compulsory national military service / alternative service founded in 1992. Since 1998 it is part of the Austrian Service Abroad...
in Krakow cooperate frequently with Bernard Offen and take part in his walks to the ghetto area and Plaszow camp.
Filmography
- The Work (1983)
- My Hometown Concentration Camp (1997)
- Process B-7815 (1999)
- Hawaii and the Holocaust (2004)