Oral History Interview with Hilde Reiter

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Oral History Interview with Hilde Reiter

Date

July 18, 1989

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Summary

Hilde Reiter, (previously Miriam Vos) was born in Bad Neuenahr, West Germany on June 6, 1920. Her family was in the cattle and meat business before the war and she attended a private girls Catholic Cloister school. After the Nuremberg laws were passed in 1934 Hilde’s younger sister left for the United States. Hilde describes Kristallnacht in 1938 in her town. Soon after, her parents left for the United States. In 1934 Hilde joined Habonim (Labor Zionist Youth Organization), went to an agricultural farm owned by the Schocken family and prepared to make aliyah to Palestine.

In December 1939 right after the war broke out Hilde and her group set sail from Berlin. They had illegal visas to Bolivia. Hilde describes the boat ordeal for the 400 immigrants on the ship, “Atlantic” that was meant to carry 150 passengers. They traveled for months around Europe (Hungry, Bulgaria and Romania) before entering Haifa harbor in November 1940. There they were taken prisoner by the British and taken to Atlit prison. Hilde was later freed by the Jewish Agency and went to kibbutz Ein Hashofet and then to Kfar Menachem. Hilde lived in Israel from 1940-1957 where she married and had two sons. Her husband died in the 1948 War of Independence. Later, in 1957 she went to the United States to join her family.

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Gratz College

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1

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HOHAGC00421

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