Holocaust Survivor Testimony: Dr. Avrum Bichler
Amud Aish Memorial Museum
20,159 views
Dr. Avrum (Abraham) Bichler was born on February 23, 1933 to a well-to-do Jewish family in Krylow, Poland. Avrum grew up going to Hebrew school, as well as seeing antisemitism from the Poles around them. Following the German-Soviet Nonaggression pact in 1939, the Bichler family packed up everything they could and fled east toward Russia, hiding in barns and coming close to capture and death several times. Unfortunately, Avrum and ten members of his family were caught, forced onto a train, and sent to do forced labor at a camp near the Arctic Circle. There they faced terrible conditions, his sister dying, and rampant disease. Avrum and his family were transported to a Siberian brick factory and then to Turkistan, Kazakhstan where conditions continued to be horrendous and starvation rampant. As the war was coming to an end, the Russians interrogated children about their parents’ religious and business activities and kidnapped Jews to send to the front.
After the war ended, the Bichler family tried to return home to Poland, only to discover the horrors they had left behind. After realizing what had occurred in Poland and hearing warnings to not even attempt to return to Krylow, the Bichlers lived in a kibbutz and later Leipheim displaced persons camp in Poland. Avrum discusses both his excitement at seeing Berlin for the first time, as well as the happiness of singing Hebrew songs and being in a kibbutz. Upon arrival in America, Avrum had to adjust to both the language barrier as well as different societal norms. He enrolled in Yeshiva University and received assistance from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Avrum ends by telling us to never give up hope and to draw strength from one’s past.
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Highly recommend.
Thank so very much for sharing your most painful and most private experience!
Holocaust Survivor Testimony: Dr. Avrum Bichler
Amud Aish Memorial Museum
20,159 views
Dr. Avrum (Abraham) Bichler was born on February 23, 1933 to a well-to-do Jewish family in Krylow, Poland. Avrum grew up going to Hebrew school, as well as seeing antisemitism from the Poles around them. Following the German-Soviet Nonaggression pact in 1939, the Bichler family packed up everything they could and fled east toward Russia, hiding in barns and coming close to capture and death several times. Unfortunately, Avrum and ten members of his family were caught, forced onto a train, and sent to do forced labor at a camp near the Arctic Circle. There they faced terrible conditions, his sister dying, and rampant disease. Avrum and his family were transported to a Siberian brick factory and then to Turkistan, Kazakhstan where conditions continued to be horrendous and starvation rampant. As the war was coming to an end, the Russians interrogated children about their parents’ religious and business activities and kidnapped Jews to send to the front.
After the war ended, the Bichler family tried to return home to Poland, only to discover the horrors they had left behind. After realizing what had occurred in Poland and hearing warnings to not even attempt to return to Krylow, the Bichlers lived in a kibbutz and later Leipheim displaced persons camp in Poland. Avrum discusses both his excitement at seeing Berlin for the first time, as well as the happiness of singing Hebrew songs and being in a kibbutz. Upon arrival in America, Avrum had to adjust to both the language barrier as well as different societal norms. He enrolled in Yeshiva University and received assistance from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Avrum ends by telling us to never give up hope and to draw strength from one’s past.