Max Sitzer is a Holocaust Survivor from Poland who has a family connection at Crestwood; he was interviewed by his young cousin Mara Bowman here at the school in March 2013.
Max lived in eastern Poland and was under Soviet rule for the first part of the war, but with the German invasion in 1941 he and his family fell into the hands of the Nazis. Max and his father were lucky enough to survive, when they were able to use connections to go into hiding. Much of the rest of the family was not fortunate however, and most were murdered in Belzec. As the Soviets liberated Max from his hiding place, he joined the Red Army on their march to the east, and Max had the distinction of being an interpreter in war crimes trials, so he was able to assist in bringing to justice those who had killed his family and so many others.
Videos
- 1. Max Sitzer - Introduction and Prewar Memories
- 2. Prewar Opinions
- 3. Max's Father; Leading into War
- 4. The German Invasion
- 5. The Schulz Encounter; Leaving Stremilche
- 6. Leaving Stremilche Part 2
- 7. Family Parting Ways
- 8. Life after Escaping
- 9. Looking for Shelter
- 10. Life in Hiding; No Charity
- 11. Life in Hiding Part 2
- 12. Life in Hiding Part 3
- 13. Life in Hiding Part 4
- 14. Russian Liberation
- 15. Life after Liberation
- 16. Life after the War