Interfaith CincinnatiInterfaith Cincinnati
The Holocaust Speaker Series, held each Wednesday at 11:00 am, features Holocaust survivors and descendants of survivors sharing stories of life before, during, and after the Holocaust. Join us on Wednesday, December 14th at 11:00 am via Zoom with Rabbi Eric Slaton.
All of Rabbi Slaton’s family lived in Europe when the Nazis came to power, in Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, his parents, and grandparents lived in Vienna. After the Anschluss on November 11-13, things became very difficult for the Jews of Vienna. His mother’s father committed suicide when he heard the Nazis enter the apartment building. His mother and grandmother were able to travel to London, and his mother was fortunate to be allowed to come to America and live with relatives. She never spoke about her experiences before her early death.
His father was able to get a visa to come to England to study. Two weeks later, he received a visa to travel to Palestine. His parents chose to send him to England because he could get there sooner. His parents tried to escape over the Italian border but were sent back. Their apartment was near the foreign embassies, so they were not harassed as were Jews in other parts of the city. Finally, they were ordered to move because an Aryan woman wanted the apartment. They shared a small room with other families. They were later deported and sent to killing centers.
His father volunteered for the army and was sent to Italy to help with the interrogation of Austrian soldiers who fought for the Nazis. Upon his return, he entered the Northern Illinois of Optometry and was a classmate and friend of Dr. Albert Miller. His parents met in Chicago, married, moved to Minneapolis, and had two children. Upon his retirement, his father wrote extensively about his experiences. His father died 10 years ago.
Generously sponsored by Margaret and Michael Valentine and presented in partnership with the Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Center and Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.