library of the holocaust
Preserving the literary legacy of the Holocaust
Captain Reifer: The Battle for What Was Already Lost
Not a traditional Holocaust memoir, Alex Reifer's story will prove to be important for a better understanding of the era. Reifer was victimized by the Holocaust, losing his
parents, grandparents and all four of his brothers. As a Russian intelligence officer he was able to take part in the liberation of his fellow Jews. Later he witnessed its aftermath. Reifer was born in 1921, growing up among the Bovever Hasidim in Oswiecim, Poland, the later location of Auschwitz-Birkenau. When the Nazis invaded, the entire Reifer family fled east. When it became physically too difficult, they returned to the town, except for Alex who was urged to continue. After finding work in a coal mine, Alex joined the Russian Army, rising in the ranks and serving until after the defeat of the Nazis. He took some comfort in telling captured German officers that he was a Jew and watching their fearful reaction. In Germany, he try to set up assistance for the survivors. Later, he returned to Oswiecim to find what had become of his family. Sadly, they had all been murdered. He visited the Death Camp at Auschwitz at time when almost nobody in the West had as yet seen its horrors. Returning to Germany, he planned a career in the Army, but began to realize it was not for him. He took off his uniform, made his way to Belgium and eventually to America.
Be the first to review "Captain Reifer: The Battle for What Was Already Lost" Cancel reply
IMI: A Lifetime in the Days of the Family Mandel
Have You Ever Been to Skarzysko? A Survivor's Story
Two Sisters: A Journey of Survival Through Auschwitz
Copyright © 2019 Library of the Holocaust Foundation. All rights reserved.