Joseph Schleifstein
Encyclopedia
Joseph Schleifstein is a Polish-born American who survived Buchenwald concentration camp
at the age of four, one of the youngest to survive the Holocaust
. He was hidden by his father in a large sack, enabling him to avoid detection by SS
guards when arriving at the camp. Other prisoners helped his father keep him hidden and Schleifstein survived until the Americans liberated the camp. After the war, Schleifstein and his parents emigrate
d to the United States. He did not discuss his wartime experiences for decades, even with his children. His case was discovered by chance in 1999, leading to a search for him and an eventual newspaper interview.
outside Sandomierz
, Poland
during the German occupation. Schleifstein and his parents lived in the Sandomierz ghetto until it was evacuated in June 1942, after which they were moved to the Częstochowa ghetto
, where his parents were likely put to work in the HASAG factory. Schleifstein's parents kept him hidden in cellars because Nazi guards would take children, too young to be used as laborers and therefore "useless", and send them to the gas chamber
s at Auschwitz. Schleifstein's memories of being hidden in cellars and dark places haunted him for years, causing him "terrible nightmares", giving him a fear of death and life-long aversion to being in the dark.
In 1943, the family was deported to Buchenwald concentration camp
. On arrival, Schleifstein's parents were sent to the right to become slave laborers and he was sent to the left, to the group of small children and elderly or otherwise deemed unfit for work, who were to be killed immediately. The 1947 American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
(JDC) document that first brought Schleifstein's case to light, notes that “In the general confusion of lining up, however, Joseph’s father found a large sack and, with a stern warning to keep absolutely quiet, placed his 2 1/2-year-old child in it." The sack, containing the father's leather crafting
tools and some clothing, allowed Schleifstein to be smuggled into the camp, undetected by the guards. Schleifstein's mother was sent to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
. Those who had lined up on the left were all sent to their deaths.
For a time, Schleifstein was hidden by his father with the help of two anti-fascist German prisoners, but he was eventually discovered. The SS guards took a liking to him and came to treat him as a "camp mascot
", having a small camp uniform made for him and having him take part in morning appells
, where he would salute the guard and report, "All prisoners accounted for." Nonetheless, when there were formal inspections by visiting Nazi officials, Schleifstein had to be hidden and he said he was once lined up for execution but was saved by his father's intervention. His father was valued for his service making saddles and harnesses. Schleifstein also said at one point, he became very ill and had to live at the camp hospital.
truck. (See photo, above.) He and other of the young children had nothing to wear because of the shortage of clothing, so they were made outfits from the uniforms of German soldiers. Schleifstein's memories of liberation were recorded by the JDC in the 1947 document. “Joseph recalls that day with joy for several reasons. First, because from that day on he no longer had to hide. Secondly, because he started getting ‘lots more to eat and drink.’ And thirdly, Joseph remembers this with greatest glee, because there were ‘lots and lots’ of rides that the Americans gave him on their tanks and jeeps.”
After liberation, the JDC arranged for Schleifstein and his father to get medical treatment in Switzerland. A few months later, they returned to Germany to look for his mother, eventually finding her in the town of Dachau
. The family lived there for a time, then emigrated to the United States in 1948 with help from the JDC. While living there, he was interviewed by a journalist and photographed wearing his Buchenwald uniform. He also took part in the Buchenwald Camp trial, held in Dachau, Germany by an American military tribunal
from April 11, 1947 to August 14, 1947. Schleifstein testified for the prosecution against the defendants, 31 former guards and camp officials. Of the 31 defendants, which included four inmates accused of crimes against other inmates, 22 were sentenced to death; the rest were sentenced to prison.
Schleifstein didn't talk about his experiences, even with his own children, until decades later. After the release of Roberto Benigni
's movie, Life is Beautiful
about a child in a concentration camp, a JDC archivist came across records about Schleifstein while doing research for an exhibit. One of the photographs in the exhibit was by Wendy Ewald
, of Schleifstein. A search by the JDC and The Jewish Week
had but a few leads to go on, but after a month, Schleifstein was found, living in New York City
. The family had settled in Brooklyn
, where a second child was born in 1950. Israel Schleifstein died in 1956 and his wife in 1997. Joseph Schleifstein worked at AT&T
for 25 years, retiring in 1997.
Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp was a German Nazi concentration camp established on the Ettersberg near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937, one of the first and the largest of the concentration camps on German soil.Camp prisoners from all over Europe and Russia—Jews, non-Jewish Poles and Slovenes,...
at the age of four, one of the youngest to survive the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
. He was hidden by his father in a large sack, enabling him to avoid detection by SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
guards when arriving at the camp. Other prisoners helped his father keep him hidden and Schleifstein survived until the Americans liberated the camp. After the war, Schleifstein and his parents emigrate
Emigrate
Emigrate is a heavy metal band based in New York, led by Richard Z. Kruspe, the lead guitarist of the German band Rammstein.-History:Kruspe started the band in 2005, when Rammstein decided to take a year off from touring and recording...
d to the United States. He did not discuss his wartime experiences for decades, even with his children. His case was discovered by chance in 1999, leading to a search for him and an eventual newspaper interview.
Survival
SchleifsteinSchleifstein means "grindstone" or "grinding wheel" in German and Yiddish. Szlajfstajn was the phonetic spelling of the name in Polish. was born Josef (Janek) Szlajfsztajn to Israel and Esther Szlajfsztajn in the Jewish ghettoGhetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
outside Sandomierz
Sandomierz
Sandomierz is a city in south-eastern Poland with 25,714 inhabitants . Situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship , previously in Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship . It is the capital of Sandomierz County . Sandomierz is known for its Old Town, a major tourist attraction...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
during the German occupation. Schleifstein and his parents lived in the Sandomierz ghetto until it was evacuated in June 1942, after which they were moved to the Częstochowa ghetto
Częstochowa Ghetto
The Częstochowa Ghetto was a Jewish ghetto set up by Nazi Germany in the city of Częstochowa in south-central Poland, for the purpose of persecution and exploitation of local Jews during the German occupation of Poland. The approximate number of people confined to the ghetto at its beginning was...
, where his parents were likely put to work in the HASAG factory. Schleifstein's parents kept him hidden in cellars because Nazi guards would take children, too young to be used as laborers and therefore "useless", and send them to the gas chamber
Gas chamber
A gas chamber is an apparatus for killing humans or animals with gas, consisting of a sealed chamber into which a poisonous or asphyxiant gas is introduced. The most commonly used poisonous agent is hydrogen cyanide; carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide have also been used...
s at Auschwitz. Schleifstein's memories of being hidden in cellars and dark places haunted him for years, causing him "terrible nightmares", giving him a fear of death and life-long aversion to being in the dark.
In 1943, the family was deported to Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp was a German Nazi concentration camp established on the Ettersberg near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937, one of the first and the largest of the concentration camps on German soil.Camp prisoners from all over Europe and Russia—Jews, non-Jewish Poles and Slovenes,...
. On arrival, Schleifstein's parents were sent to the right to become slave laborers and he was sent to the left, to the group of small children and elderly or otherwise deemed unfit for work, who were to be killed immediately. The 1947 American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is a worldwide Jewish relief organization headquartered in New York. It was established in 1914 and is active in more than 70 countries....
(JDC) document that first brought Schleifstein's case to light, notes that “In the general confusion of lining up, however, Joseph’s father found a large sack and, with a stern warning to keep absolutely quiet, placed his 2 1/2-year-old child in it." The sack, containing the father's leather crafting
Leather crafting
Leather crafting or simply Leathercraft is the practice of making leather into craft objects or works of art, using shaping techniques, coloring techniques or both.-Dyeing:...
tools and some clothing, allowed Schleifstein to be smuggled into the camp, undetected by the guards. Schleifstein's mother was sent to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen was a Nazi concentration camp in Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany, southwest of the town of Bergen near Celle...
. Those who had lined up on the left were all sent to their deaths.
For a time, Schleifstein was hidden by his father with the help of two anti-fascist German prisoners, but he was eventually discovered. The SS guards took a liking to him and came to treat him as a "camp mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
", having a small camp uniform made for him and having him take part in morning appells
Appellplatz
Appellplatz is a compound German word meaning "roll call" and "area" or "place" . In English, the word is generally used to describe the location for the daily roll calls in Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust.- Concentration camp usage :Roll calls were a daily part of the regimen in...
, where he would salute the guard and report, "All prisoners accounted for." Nonetheless, when there were formal inspections by visiting Nazi officials, Schleifstein had to be hidden and he said he was once lined up for execution but was saved by his father's intervention. His father was valued for his service making saddles and harnesses. Schleifstein also said at one point, he became very ill and had to live at the camp hospital.
Liberation
Schleifstein and his father were liberated by the American army on April 12, 1945. Soldiers found over 21,000 prisoners at Buchenwald, including nearly 1,000 minors, mostly teenagers. Schleifstein was photographed numerous times when the camp was liberated, including one notable photo of him sitting on the running board of a United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
truck. (See photo, above.) He and other of the young children had nothing to wear because of the shortage of clothing, so they were made outfits from the uniforms of German soldiers. Schleifstein's memories of liberation were recorded by the JDC in the 1947 document. “Joseph recalls that day with joy for several reasons. First, because from that day on he no longer had to hide. Secondly, because he started getting ‘lots more to eat and drink.’ And thirdly, Joseph remembers this with greatest glee, because there were ‘lots and lots’ of rides that the Americans gave him on their tanks and jeeps.”
After liberation, the JDC arranged for Schleifstein and his father to get medical treatment in Switzerland. A few months later, they returned to Germany to look for his mother, eventually finding her in the town of Dachau
Dachau
Dachau is a town in Upper Bavaria, in the southern part of Germany. It is a major district town—a Große Kreisstadt—of the administrative region of Upper Bavaria, about 20 km north-west of Munich. It is now a popular residential area for people working in Munich with roughly 40,000 inhabitants...
. The family lived there for a time, then emigrated to the United States in 1948 with help from the JDC. While living there, he was interviewed by a journalist and photographed wearing his Buchenwald uniform. He also took part in the Buchenwald Camp trial, held in Dachau, Germany by an American military tribunal
Military tribunal
A military tribunal is a kind of military court designed to try members of enemy forces during wartime, operating outside the scope of conventional criminal and civil proceedings. The judges are military officers and fulfill the role of jurors...
from April 11, 1947 to August 14, 1947. Schleifstein testified for the prosecution against the defendants, 31 former guards and camp officials. Of the 31 defendants, which included four inmates accused of crimes against other inmates, 22 were sentenced to death; the rest were sentenced to prison.
Schleifstein didn't talk about his experiences, even with his own children, until decades later. After the release of Roberto Benigni
Roberto Benigni
Roberto Remigio Benigni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian actor, comedian, screenwriter and director of film, theatre and television.- Early years :...
's movie, Life is Beautiful
Life Is Beautiful
Life Is Beautiful is a 1997 Italian film which tells the story of a Jewish Italian, Guido Orefice , who must employ his fertile imagination to help his family during their internment in a Nazi concentration camp.At the 71st Academy Awards in 1999, Benigni won the Academy Award for Best Actor and...
about a child in a concentration camp, a JDC archivist came across records about Schleifstein while doing research for an exhibit. One of the photographs in the exhibit was by Wendy Ewald
Wendy Ewald
Wendy Ewald is an American photographer and educator. Her work is directed toward "helping children to see" and using the "camera as a tool for expression"...
, of Schleifstein. A search by the JDC and The Jewish Week
The Jewish Week
The Jewish Week is an independent weekly newspaper serving the Jewish community of the metropolitan New York City area. The Jewish Week covers news relating to the Jewish community in NYC and has world-wide distribution.-Editorial staff:...
had but a few leads to go on, but after a month, Schleifstein was found, living in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The family had settled in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, where a second child was born in 1950. Israel Schleifstein died in 1956 and his wife in 1997. Joseph Schleifstein worked at AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
for 25 years, retiring in 1997.
See also
- Stefan Jerzy ZweigStefan Jerzy ZweigStefan Jerzy Zweig is an author and cameraman and is known as the Buchenwald child from the novel by Bruno Apitz, Naked Among Wolves. He survived Buchenwald concentration camp at age four by being protected by his father and other prisoners.- Early years :Stefan Jerzy Zweig lived with his parents,...
, also survived Buchenwald at age four - Buchenwald Resistance
- The Boys of BuchenwaldThe Boys of BuchenwaldThe Boys of Buchenwald is a 2002 documentary film that examines how the child survivors of the Buchenwald concentration camp had to assimilate themselves back into normal society after having experienced the brutality of the Holocaust...
, a film about child survivors - La Maison de Nina, a French film about child Holocaust survivors
External links
- Photos of Joseph Schleifstein and his parents after liberation United States Holocaust Memorial MuseumUnited States Holocaust Memorial MuseumThe United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is the United States' official memorial to the Holocaust. Adjacent to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the USHMM provides for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history...
. Retrieved March 20, 2011