Berko Deicz/Ben Deutsch (in progress)

Stationen - Berko Deicz
Stationen - Berko Deicz
  • Born on 25 December 1904 in Niemenczyn/Lithuania
  • 1910-1918 Jewish elementary school in Niewmenczyn/Lithuania
  • 1918-1941 Worked first in his father's business and later as an independent businessman in the leather industry in Niemenczyn
  • June-Sept. 41 After the German invasion, wearing the Yellow Star of David and forced labour in Niemenczyn
  • Sept.41 - Sept. 43 Ghetto Wilna
  • Sept. 43-July 44 Illegal existence in the area of Wilna
  • July 44 Liberated by the Russians
  • 1944-1946 Lived in Wilna and in Lodz/Poland
  • 1946-1951 DP camp Munich Funkkaserne, Bad Reichenhall and Feldafing
  • 1951 Immigration to the United States. Since immigration he has been employed in grocery stores.

Berko Deicz (later Ben Deutsch) was not a client of Konrad Kittl, but appeared as a witness for the client Lala Weiss. He himself submitted the first applications as early as 1949.

Before the persecution

I was born on 25 December 1904 in Niemenczyn, Wilno District, Poland, as the son of the married couple Gedalje Deicz and Gold, née Chakim. I attended 7 years of the local public school and learned the trade of a merchant. Before the war I lived in Niemenczyn/Poland.

Source: Affidavit dated 4 January 1956, New York, Berko Deicz file, Az.: EG43057, Landesamt für Finanzen, Landesentschädigungsamt, Munich

Niemenczyn

On 26 June 1941, I was living in Niemenczyn, in the district of Wilna. As a Volljude, I was conscripted daily by the Germans for various forced labour jobs, such as cleaning, hauling coal and similar tasks. I performed these tasks until September 1941. As identifying mark that I was a Volljude, I had to wear a yellow bar sewn onto the front and back of my clothing. I have honestly tried to find witnesses for this claim of mine, but unfortunately I have not been successful, as Niemenczyn was only a small town and I have lost sight of my original witnesses, who apparently were the only survivors.

Berko Deicz, affidavit dated 4 January 1956, New York, Berko Deicz file, ref.: EG43057, Landesamt für Finanzen, Landesentschädigungsamt, Munich

sworn declaration of 14 June 1950 "Wiedergutmachungsabteilung des Central Committees der befreiten Juden in der US-Zone Deutschlands, München, Möhlstrasse 12a, Zweigstelle VI des bayerischen Landesentschädigungsamtes":

On 22 June 1941, I, Leifer Berl, lived in Wilno, Straszona 15. In August 1941, I was sent to the Wilno ghetto. I lived there at Szawelskagasse 30 until October 1943. In October 1943, I left the ghetto and lived in hiding in the village of Surzany until the end of the war.
I knew Mr Deicz Berko personally from the pre-war period. He lived in Niemenczyn, 16 km from Vilnius. In September 1941 he came to the Vilno ghetto. He told me at the time that he barely escaped with his life from Niemenczyn during the liquidation. He was in the Vilno ghetto until September 1943. He fled the ghetto that month.

I, Pruzan Chona, lived in Niemenczyn on 22 June 1941. On 20 September 1941, the Jewish inhabitants of Niemenczyn were killed by the SS, and only a few brave people managed to escape from the town and stay alive. I also escaped from Niemenczyn that day and ended up in the Vilno ghetto, where I stayed until the end of May 1944. On that day, I left the ghetto and hid until the Russian troops entered Vilno.
I have known Mr Deicz Berko personally since the pre-war period, from Niemenczyn. On 20 September 1941, we fled Niemenczyn together and came to the Vilno ghetto. In September 1943, he left the Vilno ghetto. I stayed until the end of May 1944.

Quelle: Eidesstattliche Erklärung  vom 14.6.1950, Wiedergutmachungsabteilung des Central Committees der befreiten Juden in der US-Zone Deutschlands, München, Möhlstrasse 12a, Zweigstelle VI des bayerischen Landesentschädigungsamtes,  Akte von Berko Deicz, Az.:  EG43057,  Landesamt für Finanzen, Landesentschädigungsamt, München

Ghetto Wilna/illegal

In September 1941, I was resettled in the ghetto of Vilnius, Poland. This ghetto consisted of about 12 to 15 short streets, which were closed off from the rest of the city by a wall. In some places, the wall had been replaced by wooden boards. We Jews had to sleep and eat in a room with 20 people. We wore a yellow stripe, sewn on both the front and back of our clothing. It was forbidden for us Jews to leave the ghetto under penalty of death. I was taken out of the ghetto early every day under guard for forced labour. I had to do heavy hauling, loading and cleaning work. When we were brought back from work, we were not allowed to carry any food with us, otherwise we would have been shot. We were issued food stamps in the ghetto. In September 1943, the ghetto was liquidated. A large part of the Jewish ghetto population no longer managed to escape extermination, but I was able to escape through an underground canal (drain) and hid in the forest and with farmers. At the beginning of July 1944, I was freed by the Russian army.

Affidavit dated 4 January 1956, New York,  Berko Deicz file, ref.:  EG43057,  Landesamt für Finanzen, Landesentschädigungsamt, Munich

In September 1943, the situation became so desperate that the client decided to flee into the forests. . From then until his liberation in July 1944, he hid in the forest, mostly in caves that had been dug out for potato storage. He could only come out at night to look for food and was constantly in fear of being discovered. During the day, he had to sit in the hole, always in a bent and cramped position. At the time of his liberation, the skin of his face and extremities was covered with eczema, and he had to undergo years of treatment. [further descriptions of health damage]

Expert opinion from 1969,  Berko Deicz file, Ref.:  EG43057,  Landesamt für Finanzen, Landesentschädigungsamt, Munich

After the liberation

After I had stayed in Lodz, Poland, for about a year and met my present wife there, we both came as displaced persons to the Funkkaserne in Munich in the spring of 1946, then after a few weeks to the DP camp in Bad Reichenhall, Bavaria, and from there via Ulm to the DP camp in Feldafing, Bavaria, in 1949. On 1 January 1947 I was in the DP camp Bad Reichenhall, Bavaria. In 1951 I arrived in the United States. I work here as a salesman.

Berko Deicz, affidavit of 4 January 1956, New York, Berko Deicz file, Az.: EG43057, Landesamt für Finanzen, Landesentschädigungsamt, Munich

Notes

Additional sources

Statements of people involved (english): https://collections.yadvashem.org/en/untold-stories/killing-site/15049910

Office for compensation

Munich

Notes

Witnesses:

  • Rudaszewski, Herszel, born 1.5.1901 (26.6.1941 - 9/1941 forced labor Niemenczyn, 9/1941-9/1943 Ghetto Vilnius),  , affidavit of 27.12.1949
  • Prusak, Berko, born 8 March 1912, (4/1942-8/1943 Vilnius Ghetto),  EE of 27 December 1949
  • Leifer, Berl, 2 February 1910 Wilno/Lit, (8/1941-10/1943 Vilnius Ghetto, illegal)
  • Pruzen, Chona, 2 June 1914 Niemenczyn/Lit (25 June 1941 - 20 September 1941 forced labor Niemenczyn, 20 September 1941 massacre, fled to Vilnius 9/1941-5/1944 Vilnius Ghetto, illegal until liberation)
  • Gabry, Masha, née Deiches, 1921, (ghetto), compensation office Munich, statement from 1956
  • Badanowski, Leon, 1909,  compensation office  Munich, (ghetto)

Credits

Map: http://lithuanianmaps.com/images/1939_Poland_easteurotopo_org_COMP.jpg