The Room | History Lessons

Subscribe to StoryCorps on KZbin: storycor.ps/su...
Donate to support StoryCorps: storycorps.org...
More stories from StoryCorps: storycorps.org/
Debra Fisher's father, Oscar - a Holocaust survivor - was imprisoned in Auschwitz concentration camp when he was a teenager. Growing up, Debra longed to learn her father’s story, but he protected her from his painful memories. At StoryCorps, Debra reflects on the moment her father finally shared the truth of his experience.
Directed by
Richard O’Connor
Executive Producers
Dave Isay
Rachel Hartman
Producer
Savannah Winchester
Audio Produced by
Sarah Kramer
Supervising Sound Recordist
Karen Dimattia
Audio Mixed By
Jarrett Floyd
Animation by
Ace & Son Moving Picture Co., LLC
Design & Animation
Taisiya Zaretskaya
Art Production
Natalie Greene
Ruyin Tsai
Original Music
Joshua Abrams
Music Performed by
Joshua Abrams
Hamid Drake
Marquis Hill
Emmett Kelly
Adam Thornburg
Music Mixed by
Joshua Abrams
Neil Strauch
Outro Music by
“Untitled 5” By Yusuke Tsutsumi
From the album Birds Flying in the Dark
Published by Yusuke Tsutsumi
Archival Photo:
"Women in the barracks of the newly liberated Auschwitz concentration camp"
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archives #31450B
Courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration, College Park
Special Thanks
Terrence Hicks
Debra Fisher
In Partnership with
American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress
NPR
POV
Funding Provided by
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
A private corporation funded by the American people.
Copyright © StoryCorps 2023. All Rights Reserved.
Directed by
Richard O’Connor
Executive Producers
Dave Isay
Rachel Hartman
Producer
Savannah Winchester
Audio Produced by
Sarah Kramer
Supervising Sound Recordist
Karen Dimattia
Audio Mixed By
Jarrett Floyd
Animation by
Ace & Son Moving Picture Co., LLC
Design & Animation
Taisiya Zaretskaya
Art Production
Natalie Greene
Ruyin Tsai
Original Music
Joshua Abrams
Music Performed by
Joshua Abrams
Hamid Drake
Marquis Hill
Emmett Kelly
Adam Thornburg
Music Mixed by
Joshua Abrams
Neil Strauch
Outro Music by
“Untitled 5” By Yusuke Tsutsumi
From the album Birds Flying in the Dark
Published by Yusuke Tsutsumi
Archival Photo:
"Women in the barracks of the newly liberated Auschwitz concentration camp"
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archives #31450B
Courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration, College Park
Special Thanks
Terrence Hicks
Debra Fisher
In Partnership with
American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress
NPR
POV
Funding Provided by
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
A private corporation funded by the American people.
Copyright © StoryCorps 2023. All Rights Reserved.
----------

[@julietdenniss1798]

A friend’s mother was a concentration camp survivor. She was one of the most exuberant people you could ever meet but I never heard or asked any of her stories. When my friend became a teacher, every year their mother would tell her stories of this place to the students and show them her tattooed number. Made a very big impact on them.

[@evilshrimpy]

It was dark and painful, frightening and difficult, but she still had to go into that room no matter what. Even though you can never leave, how can you not want to go in, knowing that someone you love is trapped in there, all alone?

[@MightyTiki]

“For the dead and the living, we must bear witness.” ― Elie Wiesel

[@samwrobel9335]

What I love about this is that it is the story about the stories. She spares us going into that room, but it was important to explain why her father kept her out as long as he could.

[@m3rrys0ngstr3ss]

I don't blame him for trying to keep the truth from her - who wants their child to have that kind of secondary trauma?

[@jennifervan75]

The animation was amazing. Especially during the scene of entering the dark room

[@garrettlancaster3979]

I love StoryCrops. Im particularly happy that they keep sharing important stories like this one.

[@Cbatm0tel49]

Very powerful and moving. Never forget.

[@jennifervan75]

I'm always here for StoryCorps

[@xanderalaniz2298]

Thank you for sharing this. I have heard that this was a similar situation with many many holocaust survivors who would keep their children in the dark about the pain and suffering they when through... maybe its selfishness, maybe its protective, but regardless it shows how painful jt was that very few can even communicate what they went through. 😢

[@PogieJoe]

This is such a unique survivor story. Great work, everyone

[@theheckwithit]

This so was touching even if it was one of the more sobering tales. This is why we can't forget what happened and must fight against tho trying to deny and erase the memory of it. Nazis and their enablers should have no place anywhere in our world or else these "rooms" may end up being built again.

[@outpostorange9580]

The door analogy is great that he used

[@MultiKaeseToast]

I grew up in Dachau, Bavaria, Germany. And I, a small child, just knew that the KZ there had something to do with WWII and that it is a big wall next to a street but I never what it was exactly. Growing up Ive learnt enough about its purpose and the history behind it but Ive never had been in there until I got into 9th grade. Of course it wasnt as big a KZ as Auschwitz etc. but the logistics and the will to build all those perfectly working murder camps just terrified me. It just hit me right in the heart. Further investigation about what they did in there wasnt just murdering but exploiting humans, experimenting on them, ... the list goes on. Never forget.

[@aimeeinkling]

My grandfather took his secrets about that time with him to the grave. He didn't even have "Robin Hood" stories. We knew not to bring it up. Now it's all lost.

[@asinatrafanatic2697]

I'm a big believer that some things are best to be left unsaid, be it to the satisfaction of others or not. I truly hope your grandfather is at peace; you as well.

[@jacquelinecapel5282]

I love these stories even the sad ones.I've learned so much from them all.

[@elihan9]

There is survivor's guilt. If you survived the explanation, at least among others was you were a victim, a coward, or a kapo.

[@tiamarie6719]

When things like this happen, it's really sad.

[@Eltoca21]

This one hurts to listen to on so many levels.

[@rachels6808]

I wish I knew, but I also can’t imagine knowing.

[@diub24]

Is there not a podcast episode for this story

[@beerten202]

My grandma never wanted to talk about the war and her time during the german occupation of the netherlands The only story i knew and well known was how her and her parents were almost caught by SS for hiding jews ill go into it later The less known one was how her uncle was beaten and almost shot for witholding info about the locations of resistance members. He only lived by telling the germans that if he shot him they would never find out She hated talking about the war she felt uncomfortable about me and my mom asking her about that time and altho i didnt wanna make her feel uncomfortable if i knew when she would have died i would have pressured more. I wished i had known what she went through at age of 4 till 8

[@thomaspaine7098]

My late great aunt told me of how her uncle was shot by the nazis for trying to return to his home to retrieve family photos

[@WatcherMovie008]

"Get it all on record now, get the films, get the witnesses, because somewhere down the track of history some bastard will get up and say this never happened." -Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1945

[@cathystaerkel1833]

So sorrowful 😢

[@TheShurimanPigeon]

The German prison camps of WW2 get far worse and darker the more you look into them. The atrocities that were forced upon those poor people were beyond unspeakable. My heart goes out to the souls of those lost in those horrid camps and to the families left behind. While I never knew someone who's family member had been there personally, I do know some of the horrors. A bit of a room that I entered myself. Those who recognize the term 'Sonderkommando' know what I'm talking about. And for those who don't know, PLEASE DO NOT LOOK IT UP.

[@DarkShooper]

lmao

[@bohorquez92]

Man SO many survivors have something to say SO SO MANY like a lot it seems like millions have that 6 digit tattoo survived

[@jennifervan75]

And it's a good thing they can share their stories. Never Again