The 1939 Club | Holocaust Survivor Sally Roisman | USC Shoah Foundation

This testimony from Jewish survivor, Sally Roisman, is from USC Shoah Foundation's Visual History Archive.
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USC Shoah Foundation - The Institute for Visual History and Education develops
empathy, understanding and respect through testimony, using its Visual History Archive of more than 55,000 video testimonies, academic programs and partnerships across USC and 170 universities, and award-winning IWitness education program. USC Shoah Foundation’s interactive programming, research and materials are accessed in museums and universities, cited by government leaders and NGOs, and taught in classrooms around the world. Now in its third decade, USC Shoah Foundation reaches millions of people on six continents from its home at the University of Southern California.
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[@roslynpatchi6116]

Sally is my dear mother. To put some things in perspective here. She did this testimony in 1996 when she was 66 years old. She had decided that she was going to wear make-up. The year prior to this video testimony she had done another video testimony with another organization where she was crying the whole time. She made up her mind before this testimony that she would do her best to stay composed.

[@andrealynell89]

Is she alright and still with us?

[@roslynpatchi6116]

@@andrealynell89 She just had her 90th birthday which sadly due to COVID we couldn't truly celebrate. She is very frail but her mind is working great!

[@ronankelly103]

@@roslynpatchi6116 you must be so proud such a sensitive lady

[@Julie-xg4uz]

Roslyn, this is your childhood friend Julie Zeitlin. Your mom is exactly as I remember her-beautiful, gentle and moving. Such a beautiful soul. Can you call or email me: [phone] or [e-mail] ... I'd love to connect with you.

[@roslynpatchi6116]

@@andrealynell89 My mom just passed away October 30th. 28 days after celebrating her 90th birthday. She left this world peacefully. Now on to the next place for my lovely mommy.

[@calliecraft5780]

Am I the only one addicted to watching these??

[@laurenriccobono7774]

No. I watch them almost everyday. I don’t want these people to ever be forgotten.

[@Lucky4991]

Callie Craft no I always watch too... I think with so addicting to me is that it’s so unimaginable that this would ever actually take place and yet it did! I think what’s even more crazy is that it went on as long as it dead!

[@oneofakind9784]

Callie Craft : no , I feel blessed to watch these survivors. When life gets tough you realize it could be worse! These survivors have a special place in Heaven ! I pray History doesn’t repeat its evil self! Watching in 2020 during a Coronavirus pandemic .

[@mandysmith8360]

Am very interested in there story's.so your not on your own.

[@cmariah80]

Me too

[@desertbreeze69]

This interviewer is much more polite than others. I’ve had to quit watching some. But he’s very gentle and kind to her.

[@Alex-kk8is]

True

[@omairsheikh3982]

Yeah a lot of them seem like robots that don't seem to pick up on the trauma of the survivor during the interview

[@maxmax6747]

Absolutely. There was one that I watched where the male interviewer sounded more like an interrogator

[@prmayner]

I was thinking he was a little rude and uncompassionate and asking some dumb questions but I do agree others have been down right nasty.

[@stargazer1359]

Sally is a beautiful soul and this interviewer is very kind and thoughtful, not usually the case in many of these testimonies. He focuses on her interests and her life. Very respectful gentleman.

[@ruthiebottiger8475]

I am quite curious what you find different in substance between her testimony and others. Anything any of the 76 testimonies I have watched has focused on themselves and events they witnessed or impacted their lives. Her story follows much the same pattern and many of the same depredations and much the same ,loss. What differences do you note.

[@stargazer1359]

@@ruthiebottiger8475 It's not that I find Sally's loss different than others. The interviewer, Jeff Lewis, allows Sally to elaborate on her answers. Many interviewers speed through the set of questions and really limit the information brought forth. I have listened to many interviews and this story really stands out for me, because of the freedom Sally felt to be able to tell her story.

[@santi7470]

yes! some other interviews I have heard - they woman seemed a bit rude- this guy is awesome- very respectful and truly interested.

[@tundrellaCat68]

That comment her mother made about feeding her cat better food when she was single that she could give her children, just tore my heart out.

[@kanatasur2]

I have to say how haunting this woman's beautiful eyes are. It's heartbreaking to watch Sally give her testimony. All her sadness she holds in them, all her remembering.

[@kev03103]

@kanatasur Yes her eye bear a hollow look , of one who has experienced sheer horror. She's a beautiful woman anyway.

[@JaimeMesChiens]

She was 66 in this video. Whilst she does have a sadness about her, she’s very beautiful.

[@SuperFashionista11]

It’s 2020 I just wanted to listen to them in the day I am heartbroken

[@lauriemogianesi3571]

I noticed that also.Such sadness in her eyes.

[@karenmicallef8552]

I admire the courage that these survivors have in reliving the horrors, so that the future generations are able to remember the ones that have perished. Thank you for expressing your life story.

[@michaelrwhelan2669]

Words can’t express how valuable these accounts are as a record of the best and worst of humanity. All these people are wonderful and generous in their willingness to be witnesses to history for those of us lucky enough to not know such horrible experiences. Eternal gratitude.

[@michellesmith1269]

This beautiful lady is such a Gem. I really enjoyed hearing her story even tho its was under horrible circumstances. God bless her & her family! Also her paintings are beautiful! Hope she wins many more awards. Lord knows she deserves it!! ❤💐🌺🌷

[@staceylee9113]

What a beautiful,brave and dignified lady.Thank you for telling your story ❤️

[@dbkyhere9229]

Such an Angel of courage, and sweetness. May God bless her, and her entire family!🌟🌸❤️🌟❤️🌟❤️🌸

[@brokendoll7286]

Thank you for your testimony. I listened to every minute.

[@alexisjackson1124]

Anne Frank introduced me to the Holocaust in the 8th grade. I haven’t been able to stop learning about it and teaching about it since. As sad and painful as it is to hear these stories it is an absolute necessity so that it doesn’t happen again. Thank you to all of those who had the bravery to discuss something so personal, so painful. It keeps not only their individual memories alive, but it ensures that future generations have a way to learn and understand what hate can and will do if left unchecked.

[@katherinebyron2177]

Such dignity and sadness.

[@maxsalomon4250]

All my respect and love to you and to your sister Esther. May the Allmighty bless you always and we thank very deeply your memories like a lesson of dignity.

[@debrajarnagin7101]

Can you imagine having a childhood like this. I will never complain about my childhood again

[@andruschiatz]

This story breaks my heart! You are an incredible woman, and I am deeply sorry for what you and your family have suffered.

[@kanatasur2]

Bless you, Mrs. Roisman. Your story will live on now forever. And what better memorial to your mother and father and siblings is there than this? Actually there is a better one: the other one you are doing; passing down Jewish culture to your child and grandchild. Living. Being a light to others.

[@jasminajankulov4384]

Thank you for your testimony of this terrible tragedy. My respect !!!

[@patrossi7291]

There’s a Like and Dislike buttons, neither of which apply. I wish there was a Respect button.

[@meredithlynn]

I think the husband is very protected with his wife. He seems to be upset about his wife struggling to hold herself together, not upset at her but at the pain she had to feel during the interview. This was a great interview of a survivors testimony. I had to watch it twice to really understand her story.

[@lorebeth]

Beautiful, precious woman. As a Christian I must say that anyone who professes to be a Christian and is antisemitic is not a Christian. True Christians love the Jewish people, love Israel, pray for their protection and for the peace of Jerusalem. Going to church or being a member of a church is not synonymous with being a Christian. Love, compassion and a willingness to help others should be evident in a Christian. Corrie Ten Boom and Dietrich Bonhoeffer exemplified what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

[@missyb7411]

I just want to hug her. This should've never been allowed to happen. Till the day I die, I will stand against racism and discrimination, and I will teach my children to do the same.

[@narsreenjohnson4966]

she looks so young.

[@carriebrooking2043]

My heart goes out to all of the Holocaust survivors. Thank you all for sharing your stories.🥰

[@lowesonia8551]

As an English girl in surrey; during the war and after .I had no notion of anti jewish feeling, among any one in our entourage . My best friend Tamera . Came from a jewish family . But it had no more importance, than being short or tall . Now at 76yr's, it is still just as foreign to my nature, to have Predjudice, against people,for race, colour, or creed. It is the person, who counts his valeur as a good human being .The golden rule" Treat unto others as you will have them treat you " is the right way to exist.

[@shadowproductions9825]

LOWE sonia amen thank you for sharing this. Glad you made it from the war. Love from the USA! Glad our men and families all fought. We might not be talking now. I so appreciate you telling me.

[@shadowproductions9825]

LOWE sonia I love England.

[@peace-now]

Thank you, Sonia. It is up to young people to keep the memory alive. I would add that it is best to respect all people, even if they treat you badly.

[@missthunderstormable]

there was antisemitism in the UK too before ww2 and now. A renown English author from 20th century wrote about it, forgot which one it was, found his article online. and right now it is very antisemitic, in that it is very anti Israel.

[@Mikathedog100]

@@missthunderstormable anti Israel government is not ant Semitic

[@maureens100]

what a beautiful..kind...strong soul...thank you for opening my eyes more than before....God's blessings to you and your family....

[@maureeneckersley9172]

I am sorry for your family! I cry for you! But you are a pretty lady and look better and young then me at 50

[@pamelacorbett8774]

Wonderfully brave of her to do this. Breaks your heart to hear testimonies such as these about such merciless, sadistic cruelty. And not only from Nazis. Well, God bless her memory, her children must be proud.

[@traceymjohnson7255]

Sally you are the most amazing woman I have ever seen. God Bless you.

[@narsreenjohnson4966]

she is beautiful.

[@debrajarnagin7101]

I can’t stop watching these videos.

[@judymohre1430]

Beautiful, amazing pictures of flowers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your life story. I know how deeply you miss your Mother and Father and your siblings who all perished. God bless you.🌷🌸💮🌼💐🌺🌹🌷

[@keithhoward5120]

Such a very beautiful woman ,so elegant and its heartbreaking to hear her story !!

[@katherineb.3140]

Thank you Mrs. Roisman. God bless you.

[@juliefabio]

Nicole you are precious!!! I know your grandma is so very proud of you! Much love!

[@freshbeanne]

I see she graduated. From USC 2011 ✊

[@lindab.2626]

She is a beautiful lady. I am so sorry she and her family went through. I hope ALL of them paid with their lives.

[@almajeansmith3328]

You are a very brave person, Sally. Thank you for your testimony.

[@violetpeterson5006]

Thank you for sharing your story. I we must never forget her story!

[@seemarajderkar3019]

Sally looks much younger than her age ! She shared a very touching story of her experience during the ww2.

[@freespeechforall1069]

Thank you for sharing this moment in time.

[@glendaharris7219]

Such a refined, beautiful lady. I am so glad she rose from the place where she was placed that day/night, to live. God heard the prayers her father prayed during his life.. God was with her throughout her earthly hell. Shalom.

[@mrdavidurquhart]

Thank you for sharing your experiences Sally. I'm so sorry for what happened to your family. I also thought the interviewer was excellent.

[@paulpaul246]

Thank you for establishing this website. Thank you for these videos.

[@frapesketo]

Such a sweet and beautiful lady. Also very sad.

[@tedwatson9929]

Thank you Ms.Roisman for telling your store. You have touched so many lives.

[@charlesparrish2831]

Sally is a beautiful woman with a sweet soul!We thank her for her testimony!God bless you Sally🙏🙏🙏

[@jobridges4006]

This one…I feel her heartbreak. She carries it…I am so sorry for all of mankind.

[@Caramel1806]

Thank you for sharing this!

[@testtube43]

Very bravely spoken, it must have been hard to contain your emotion. What happened to her daughter I wonder, she said 'I have one only left' but we were not told what happened ??

[@lauravazquez285]

I thank God for his mercies on these beautiful people's lives amen

[@jrjtalk2112]

Thank the Lord! We are blessed to share in hearing your testimony!. God bless you!

[@7Sandie]

Wow, I'm Australian and you arrived here the same year I was born :)

[@itaobyrneokeeffe7908]

I watch them all and prayers for the families

[@rimna6396]

A very polite and gentle Lady 😍

[@andreakumar2984]

Bless her sweet sweet soul 😊😊

[@scotunmuz6815]

God bless Sally and those like her; their strength is an inspiration.

[@lisaportugal9168]

This makes me so mad! How can this happen? How? I just can’t wrap my head around it. My heart breaks. What a nightmare.

[@sbc4497]

We in today’s society worldwide should be more focused on eradicating worldwide genocide, human trafficking and exploitation of children but all 3 still exist today. Americans are the largest consumers of 2 and 3 and limit/deny their culpability in the participation of genocide and concentration camps of Native Americans, Asian Americans and now illegal immigrant camps aka the new era of concentration camps. Look up all the missing children that keep reoccurring from those camps even in 2024.

[@spealla63]

Love you so much mom!

[@helencoven]

Is this lady a relative of yours?

[@faithaviationtravelling]

I can´t understand the hate against Jews (and other minorities during the war).

[@ssoldie5490]

at any time.. taking away the rights of any human being , that we in America are blessed to have, breeds hate,control, anarcy, and violance. Being able to arm oneself and home is to defend against any enemy from within and without.

[@susiearviso3032]

People fall on two sides ... kind, caring and courageous people and then people who have little good to offer.

[@barkingdog365]

The Jews were prosperous and the Germans were envious.

[@atennyson4143]

@@barkingdog365 Ummmm, can you say "Weimar Republic"? Judea declared "war" on Germany in 1933. Live and learn.

[@stg4434]

you are illiterate in history of communismus

[@LoveDemi.XO_]

Nice and polite interviewer.

[@geafcrm]

Brave woman. Thank you so much for sharing your story

[@johnmorris5120]

My grandfather was in the army in WW2 was in a unit who liberated a camp and used to tell us after I was an adult how awful it was

[@denise643]

Beautiful family

[@michelle_m4446]

What a beautiful soul. May she rest in peace..

[@neshama44]

Beautiful woman such tragic times so young to live through it. Thank God she was with her sisters

[@janetpowell7720]

You suffered enough, and it is very sad what you went through.

[@johnkeller6063]

A very strong woman. May God bless the family. Courageous

[@seemarajderkar3019]

RIP dear pure soul, Sally Rosian.... The holocaust survivor who went through a terrible series of unpleasant events in her life.

[@Jeannelawes]

Amazing Woman.

[@keepgrowingtofulness1308]

THIS interview was recorded in 1996

[@lizgichora6472]

Thank you.

[@allanrizzetti1449]

May you rest in peace, wonderful Lady.

[@carolinegoss856]

Callie, I watch them all. I never want to forget.

[@AQ-uc4bb]

Precious and brave lady . All my respect .

[@mizkitty472]

Each of the testimonies offers up a tiny gesture of hope and caringness. The story of the bread and the sweater was especially moving. Interestingly, in another very touching testimony filled with numerous details (Lawson), there is a story related to the kindness of the Czechs and to the unique way in which they shared their bread.

[@theterifox]

Thank you thank you.❤️

[@jaykay6315]

She has the most beautiful eyes and beautiful demeanor.

[@gatlinbear2798]

It saddens me that her husband was there. He seemed that was the last place he cared to be.. She is such a sweet gentle person

[@KK-jx2ms]

Thank you

[@Vespanation]

I think that one thing that these USC Shoah Foundation testimonials need is a map with each video. Many of the interviewees have accents from where they were born, it can be difficult to understand the names of the Polish towns. Also, when the interviewees talk about their journey's, it would be much more understandable if there was a map showing the locations; it would make the journey's easier to understand.

[@Crystal-cs3gm]

My goodness, time and time again. I watch a testimony and I just want to listen to the beautiful survivor. It means everything to me. It's so important. And here is this awful interviewer. Keeps on interrupting her. Please just let her speak. Let her recall what she can. Remember she is the victim. And we gotta treat them with the upmost respect. It's a honor to listen to her. Only thing I liked from the interviewer is how he told her some encouraging words.

[@santi7470]

WOW- beautiful paintings!!!!!!

[@nokumira]

Thank you for this, Sally and USC ❤️ Has Germany paid any reparations to affected Jewish, Polish, Russian, Roma and Czech people? Have any nations that took part in any genocide been held accountable beyond the convictions of the main perpetrators?

[@mrivera3910]

@roslyn thank you & your beautiful mother🥀

[@srichey444]

The interviewer is terrible! She mentioned how her Father's beard was down to his waist bc he was poious & he still asks her later. She mentioned losing their home and have to move into one apartment with 14 people, including her family and he asks later "How many people were in the room?". He even says after the 1st break and they were continuing her story "... so there were 14 people in this ghetto" and you see on film she was about to correct him to say "Room" not a whole ghetto of 14 people! We know from history they stuffed THOUSANDS of people in just a few buildings and closed them in. Also, there are times she mentions things that you can tell are painful to say, and he asks the next question without even acknowledging or asking how that made her feel. How about practicing ACTIVE LISTENING and having empathy if you are going to interview people. Especially those with obvious Trauma and PTSD.

[@y2xg]

how do I cite this?

[@nataliesharif7543]

Sally is a very beautiful woman, just a knockout👊🏽

[@ElSmusso]

Deniers sending anonymous messages of hatred to me and others... It's no use, but please keep it up, it'll kill your precious time, but heck... if writing keeps you off the streets, go on

[@susiearviso3032]

??

[@scaryd0ll1]

We used to watch Schindlers List at school and talk about the history of the war but I don't think anyone reacted much. I wish we could have watched this, it would have been really powerful to hear someones personal story and it would have made us more curious.

[@ThePedroski007]

I feel so sorry for Sally and the others. I can hear the hurt in her voice. I am afraid I can’t “like” the video, just doesn’t seem to be the right thing to do. Hope Sally would understand.

[@imalrockme]

"Liking" the video means you are gratefull for the foundation's work and sharing.

[@opiniontime582]

I hate the fact that the interviewer kept interrupting her, I can even hear him breathing ahh I think it’s him, also I didn’t mean to hurt anybody it’s just my opinion, I am sorry if I did hurt anybody.

[@Kaymeron]

I Agree, the interviewers breathing and smacking is distracting from this incredible recounting of this woman’s history

[@bagsanddrags]

They attacked the survivor and made her lose the baby... I have zero hope for humanity

[@thysvanzyl2782]

😢😢😢

[@marshaaoolie8474]

How does one recover from such as this? Seems she just kept on putting one foot in front of the other through the horrors. At about an hour, hour and a half or so of this I had to take a break.

[@mitchellmatthews97]

I think this is the same Jeff Lewis who went on to do a ton of celebrity interviews. Voice is very familiar!

[@amishabhardwaj564]

What do people now in Germany think about all this?

[@kostastsirikolias7646]

beauty !!!!! nice!!1

[@Susan1Minnie]

Nope! You have company in El Paso, TX watching with you.

[@lonnykalf4104]

11 kids! Omg