Rg86

I was born in Krefeld, Germany, the son of Oscar and Selma Gompertz. We lived through Kristallnacht, November 9, 1938, the start of the Holocaust when the Nazis came to destroy our home. My father confronted the head Nazi, held up his Iron Cross medal from WWI and shouted, “Is this the thanks I get for having served the Fatherland?” The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, then, the Nazi signaled his men, and they left without breaking one dish. In case we are forced to choose between ideology and our common humanity, we must choose humanity.

 

Krefeld, Germany

Rolf Gompertz