Oral History Interview with Bernard Lobe

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English
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Title

Oral History Interview with Bernard Lobe

Date

December 2, 1994

Contributor

Interviewee:
Bernard Lobe
Interviewer:
Philip G. Solomon

Summary

Bernard Lobe served as a rifleman in the 26th Infantry Division, 328th Regiment, L Company, during World War II. He was captured by Germans on October 10, 1944 somewhere between Nancy and Metz, France and was taken prisoner. He describes constant interrogation and how the Wehrmacht treated him and his five fellow prisoners of war.

He had several interesting experiences because he did not deny that he was Jewish, partly because of the letter "H" on his dog tags. He also relates several brief encounters: one with a German officer after Bernard filled out a form and indicated that "Hebrew" was his religion; one with an American who went to Germany to serve under Hitler; one with a German officer who told him Hitler made a mistake by not letting Jews join him.

Bernard describes living and working conditions and lack of food as a prisoner of war in a STALAG at Moosburg near Munich; slave labor on a farm and in Munich; and why he and 16 fellow prisoners did not try to escape. He never received food packages from his family or the Red Cross. On Christmas Eve, seven prisoners of war including Bernard and another Jewish man, went to each barrack to sing Christmas carols despite great personal risk, to boost morale. During an air raid American prisoners were not allowed to go into a shelter because the bombers were Americans. As the Allied forces came closer, their guards left and a local woman told the prisoners of war when it was safe to flee. They met up with an American tank unit. Bernard concludes the interview with an account of his capture and how he earned his Purple Heart medal.

Interviewee: LOBE, Bernard Date: December 2, 1944

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Publisher:
Gratz College
Number of Tapes:
1
Language:
English
Identifier:
HOHAGC00315
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Copyright date:
2010
Cite this item
Oral History Interview with Bernard Lobe. 1994. InterviewInterview by Philip Solomon. Audio. Oral History Interview With Bernard Lobe. Holocaust Oral History Archive. Gratz College. https://grayzel.gratz.edu/hoha/oral-history-interview-bernard-lobe.

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