Eyewitness to History: Holocaust Survivor Allan Firestone

Summary

Allan Firestone, a Holocaust survivor, recounts his traumatic experiences from the occupation of Kolomea, Poland, through family arrests, the ghetto, and the loss of his relatives. He describes hiding with his sister Yula and surviving with the help of a Polish family until their liberation by the Soviet Army in 1944. After post-war struggles, including witnessing anti-Semitism, Allan immigrated to the U.S. in 1947. His story serves as a warning against the unchecked spread of hatred and anti-Semitism.

Takeaways

• 📌 Allan Firestone is a Holocaust survivor and a Museum volunteer.
• 🏠 Born in Kolomea, Poland, he had a comfortable life with his family before WWII.
• 🛑 The Soviet Union first occupied Kolomea, leading to the loss of his parents' grocery store.
• 👶 His sister Ruzhia had a son, Risio, during the Soviet occupation.
• 🇩🇪 Nazi Germany later invaded and occupied the town, imposing harsh restrictions on Jews.
• 🔒 On January 26, 1942, Allan's father, sister, and her husband were arrested by the Nazis.
• 😢 His sister was raped by the police before being taken away, and his mother was also arrested later.
• 🏚️ Forced into a ghetto, Allan and his sisters had to care for themselves and their nephew.
• 💔 Many family members were killed, including his nephew, who was used for target practice by the SS.
• 🌽 Starvation was rampant, and Allan's sister Ginia risked her life to smuggle food into the ghetto.
• 🚂 Some family members attempted to escape, but many were caught and never heard from again.
• 📚 Allan and his sister Yula were hidden by Frania Palyga and her daughter Stasia for the entirety of 1943.
• 🇷🇺 They were liberated by the Soviet Army in 1944 but faced further challenges in post-war Poland.
• 🌎 Allan and Yula eventually immigrated to the U.S. in 1947, escaping the violence and antisemitism in Poland.
• 🗿 Allan revisits his past and finds that antisemitism persists, even at the memorial for Holocaust victims.

Q & A

Who is Allan Firestone and what is his connection to the Holocaust?

Allan Firestone is a Holocaust survivor and a Museum volunteer. He was born in Kolomea, Poland, and experienced the horrors of the Holocaust firsthand, including the loss of his family members.

What was the initial occupation of Kolomea during Allan's childhood?

Kolomea was first occupied by the Soviet Union in 1939, which led to the confiscation of Allan's parents' store and the imposition of Soviet education on the local population.

What significant event occurred in the town when Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941?

After Germany's invasion, the town was briefly occupied by Hungary, an ally of Nazi Germany, before the Nazis took full control, implementing rules that excluded Jews from public life and forcing them to wear identifying armbands.

What tragic event happened to Allan's family on January 26, 1942?

On January 26, 1942, the Nazis, with the support of Ukrainian auxiliary police, arrested Allan's father, sister Ruzhia, and her husband Herman. Ruzhia was also raped by two policemen before they were taken away.

What was the fate of Allan's mother and other family members after they were arrested?

Allan's mother and other family members were arrested and were assumed to have been taken to the Sheparowce forest and murdered, although their exact fate was never confirmed.

How did Allan and his sisters survive after being forced into the ghetto?

Allan, at the age of nine, along with his sisters, was forced into the ghetto where they shared a single room. They survived by smuggling food, such as beets, into the ghetto and later by hiding with the help of Frania Palyga.

What was the role of Frania Palyga in Allan and his sister Yula's survival?

Frania Palyga, a former maid of Yula's boyfriend's family, hid Allan and Yula in her home for the entirety of 1943, providing them with a place of refuge from the Nazis.

How did Allan and Yula manage to escape the ghetto and survive?

Yula first escaped the ghetto and moved in with Frania Palyga. After some persuasion, Frania agreed to also hide Allan, and they spent 1943 in hiding, either in an attic or a wardrobe in Frania's apartment.

When and by whom were Allan and Yula liberated?

Allan and Yula were liberated in February 1944 by the Soviet Army, which marked the end of their immediate danger but not the end of their struggles.

What challenges did Allan and Yula face after World War II, even after arriving in the U.S.?

After arriving in the U.S. in 1947, Allan and Yula faced the resurgence of antisemitism, both in the form of a pogrom in Poland that prompted their departure and increasing incidents in the United States.

What message does Allan Firestone convey through his story of survival?

Allan Firestone's story serves as a warning about the dangers of unchecked hatred and antisemitism. He emphasizes the responsibility of all people, Jews and non-Jews alike, to combat antisemitism before it escalates into more serious situations.