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Testimony of David Kohn, born in Rimavska Sobota, Czechoslovakia, 1932, regarding his experiences as a child in Rimavska Sobota, using a false identity in Budapest, Cegled, the Kasztner train, Bergen-Belsen and other places

Testimony
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Testimony of David Kohn, born in Rimavska Sobota, Czechoslovakia, 1932, regarding his experiences as a child in Rimavska Sobota, using a false identity in Budapest, Cegled, the Kasztner train, Bergen-Belsen and other places Life before the war; learns in a "heder". Deportation of his family due to his father's support of Tomas Masaryk (the first President of unified Czechoslovakia, 1918),1939; escape to acquaintances and family members in various villages; separation from his parents; escape back to Rimavska Sobota; life in Rimavska Sobota including attending various schools; expulsion from the school, autumn 1940; anti-Jewish restrictions including restrictions on movement; Jews with special permits receive freedom of movement; yellow badge; deportation of men to forced labor; escape to a forest; escape to Hungary at night; conversion of Jews to Christianity; life in Budapest while using forged documents; displays of antisemitism by concierges; escape to the homes of family members; detention of his family by Hungarian gendarmes; transfer to the courtyard of a synagogue; release with the help of payment of a bribe to a detective; escape to Cegled; life in Cegled including his father's volunteering to a labor battalion, autumn 1943; German occupation; rumors regarding what is happening in Auschwitz; transit camp life; removal of his family from the camp by Israel Kasztner; removal of rabbis from the camp by Israel Kasztner along with their family members; transfer to Bergen-Belsen in the Kasztner train, summer 1944; camp life; coordination of youth into various youth movements; release by Israel Kasztner along with a group of inmates; transfer to St. Margareth along with his mother's uncle and grandmother; life in Switzerland; life in Italy; aliya to Eretz Israel by ship. Life in a religious youth village; move to Switzerland; life in Switzerland including medical studies; return to Israel.
item Id
6828347
First Name
David
Last Name
Kohen
Kohn
Date of Birth
21/10/1932
Place of Birth
Rimavska Sobota, Czechoslovakia
Type of material
Testimony
Language
Hebrew
Record Group
O.3 - Testimonies Department of the Yad Vashem Archives
Date of Creation - earliest
29/11/07
Date of Creation - latest
29/11/07
Name of Submitter
Dr. Kohn David
Original
YES
Interview Location
ISRAEL
Connected to Item
O.3 - Testimonies gathered by Yad Vashem
Form of Testimony
Video
Dedication
Yad Vashem Document Collection, Moshal Repository