Before Germany occupied Poland, Kraków had a vibrant and diverse Jewish community. The old Jewish Quarter was the heart of that rich Jewish life. By the end of World War II, approximately 30% of Kraków’s Jewish population had perished. Much of Kraków’s Jewish life was lost to the Holocaust, but through memories and stories of survivors, we can gain a glimpse into the past.
Holocaust survivor Edward (Ed) Mosberg’s childhood memories of his home in Kraków, not far from where you stand today, are both happy memories as well as tragic ones. Begin by watching the clip of testimony below as Ed reflects on how his emotional visits to Kraków have changed over time.
About the Interviewee
Edward (Ed) Mosberg, son of Ludwig and Bronislawa, was born on January 6, 1926, in Kraków, Poland. He had two sisters, Halina and Karolina. After the German invasion of Poland, Ed and his father fled to a smaller town to avoid forced labor. Ed and his father were separated, and his father was killed in 1941. Ed returned to Kraków, where his mother and sisters were living in the ghetto. After the ghetto was liquidated, the family was sent to the Płaszów labor camp. At Płaszów, Ed fell in love with Cecile Storch. In 1944, Ed’s mother was sent to the Auschwitz camp complex and his sisters were sent to Stutthof concentration camp; they were all murdered.
Ed was deported to the Mauthausen camp complex and later transferred to the Linz subcamp, where he was liberated in 1945. After the war, he reunited with Cecile, and they married in 1947. Ed, Cecile, and their newborn daughter immigrated to the United States in 1951. At the time of his interview in 2016, Ed and Cecile had three daughters, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. This interview took place in Morris Plains, New Jersey.