Elisabeth Citrom

Born on October 8, 1931, in Romania (Transylvania). 

From 1940 we experienced overt antisemitism. I felt it especially from my teacher and classmates. I remember my parents' worry. In 1944 – the end of April or the beginning of May – we were taken to the ghetto – we were placed in an old brick factory. At the end of May we were taken to the station to begin our journey to Auschwitz-Birkenau. My mother was going to help my 72-year-old grandmother into a truck. It was the last time I saw her. I stayed in Auschwitz until November 1944 in the children's barracks. Then we were taken to the labor camp Hamburg-Altona. A few weeks later we were taken – mainly by foot – to Lenzing in Austria. We were liberated by the Americans on May 9, 1945. My father and brother survived Bergen-Belsen and came to Sweden, but it took five years before we found each other.  

I am who I am today thanks to Israel. I became a person again.