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Recording Content:
The first brief part of the recording includes footage of the Suceava province, while the team drives to the next interview, conducted with Sami Kurtsberg, whose second wife's (Tania) mother is Maria Chirilau. (see also: Accession # 09-008.07-F)
The second part of the tape is a formal interview with Sami (Shmiel) Kurtsberg, born 1936 in Piatra Neam?. (Part 1 of 3. See MDV 305 and MDV 306) (see also: Accession # 09-008.01-F MDV 232)
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00:00:00
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The camera collects footage of the Suceava region and Siret (Yiddish: Seret). |
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00:03:43
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Kurtsberg speaks about contemporary Jewish life and his work. He worked in Rădăuţi (Yiddish: Radevits) in 1953. |
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00:04:30
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The formal interview with Kurtsberg begins. He provides personal information and speaks about his family. His parents moved to Israel after the war. |
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00:06:02
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Kurtsberg provides personal information. He also addresses social geography of the region. In particular, how people in Piatra Neamț made fun of Suceava (Yiddish: Shots) residents and called it "meshige Shots" (crazy Suceava). |
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00:08:32
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Kurtsberg speaks about his life before the war and family. His father, who was a kosher butcher, was born in Chernivtsi and moved there with his family before World War II. Kurtsberg's mother was born in Barticeşti and worked as tailor. Kurtsberg recalls his grandfather's work as plank deliverer. Kurtsberg grew up with one sister, who died in the Bershad ghetto. |
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00:13:29
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Kurtsberg speaks about his work as cinema technician, which he began during his school education at sixteen and continued full time after graduation until today. |
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00:17:06
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Kurtsberg speaks about his life and interviews today. |
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00:18:55
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Kurtsberg speaks about his life during World War II, when he was imprisoned in the Bershad ghetto. He speaks about the journey via Marculesti, as well as arrival at the ghetto. Kurtsberg describes the night his family stayed in in the Marculesti woods and how they moved into a run-down house in the Bershad ghetto. Kurtsberg then speaks about daily life, including diseases, in the ghetto and how he went out to collect vegetable waste. Kurtsberg then describes how prisoners were taken from the ghetto to forced labor to dig mass graves. Kurtsberg also addresses moments from his childhood in the ghetto, including theater performances, prayer services and a visit of Romanian soldiers to his house. |
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00:34:01
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Kurtsberg speaks about theater performances in Siret in the immediate postwar period. |
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00:37:28
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Kurtsberg discusses his childhood memories before the war, as well as his family's observance. He then speaks about prewar Passover celebrations at home. |
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00:41:14
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Kurtsberg speaks about religious services and holiday celebration, particularly Passover, in the Bershad ghetto. Kurtsberg recalls how people baked matzo. He then addresses the relationship between Jews and Ukrainians during his imprisonment. |
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00:44:00
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Kurtsberg speaks about local Jewish life today. He also recalls how his grandfather criticized Polish Yiddish. Kurtsberg then shares an anecdote about a rebbe and his wife Sure, before telling another anecdote about a worried mother, whose son is about to be drafted. Kurtsberg remembers the stories from his grandfather. |
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00:51:15
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Kurtsberg describes Sabbath gatherings with his relatives before the war. He then speaks about Purim celebrations, including how he dressed up, after the war. Kurtsberg also addresses food customs. |
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00:53:54
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Kurtsberg speaks about postwar Passover celebrations, including food customs, at home. Kurtsberg also addresses Sukkoth and recalls how he and grandfather slept in the sukkah. |
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00:56:25
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Kurtsberg speaks about his family, particularly his grandfather. He then addresses his education at a religious school (cheder) and Romanian school. Kurtsberg states that he attended cheder for two hours in the afternoons. Kurtsberg then continues his recollections of holiday celebration, including Tisha B'Av. |
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00:58:38
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Kurtsberg talks about traditional weddings, including musicians and a wedding jester, in Siret. |
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