Private Papers of G Portland

Collection

Scope and content:: Ts memoir (12pp), written in 2005, describing his life as Jewish boy escaping the Nazis. He describes his upbringing in Bratislava which was the home town of his father, his medicine studies in Prague, the invasion of the Nazis and the threat he felt as a Jew, his escape from Czechoslovakia with the help of his father's friend who worked in the Passport Office, his encounters with Nazis during the difficult journey to France through Italy, living as a refugee in France, the accommodation arranged for him in Nice by the Refugee Organisation for Jewish Refugees, enlisting for the army and his appointment as a Wireless Operator, fighting the Nazis as they invaded France, retreating to England, joining the British Army and being promoted to Corporal, moving to Bridlington as part of the 11th Armoured Division, taking part in D-day and liberation of Europe, being sent on a course for the Intelligence Corps in Brussels, returning to England and marrying a woman who he met in Brussels, meeting his family again in Bratislava after being separated for 6 years, his family's struggles when the Nazis were in power, taking up employment with a firm of woollen merchants and progressing to Director of the firm, eventually starting his own business in textiles and moving to the outskirts of London.

Subject terms:: Holocaust; Jewish soldiers; Memoirs; Occupation (military); Refugees

Access, restrictions:: Visit IWM website for Research Room access provisions see https://www.iwm.org.uk/research/research-facilities

Links to finding aids:: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030020483

Scope and content:: Ts memoir (12pp), written in 2005, describing his life as Jewish boy escaping the Nazis. He describes his upbringing in Bratislava which was the home town of his father, his medicine studies in Prague, the invasion of the Nazis and the threat he felt as a Jew, his escape from Czechoslovakia with the help of his father's friend who worked in the Passport Office, his encounters with Nazis during the difficult journey to France through Italy, living as a refugee in France, the accommodation arranged for him in Nice by the Refugee Organisation for Jewish Refugees, enlisting for the army and his appointment as a Wireless Operator, fighting the Nazis as they invaded France, retreating to England, joining the British Army and being promoted to Corporal, moving to Bridlington as part of the 11th Armoured Division, taking part in D-day and liberation of Europe, being sent on a course for the Intelligence Corps in Brussels, returning to England and marrying a woman who he met in Brussels, meeting his family again in Bratislava after being separated for 6 years, his family's struggles when the Nazis were in power, taking up employment with a firm of woollen merchants and progressing to Director of the firm, eventually starting his own business in textiles and moving to the outskirts of London.

Subject terms:: Holocaust; Jewish soldiers; Memoirs; Occupation (military); Refugees

Access, restrictions:: Visit IWM website for Research Room access provisions see https://www.iwm.org.uk/research/research-facilities

Links to finding aids:: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030020483