Here we watch the testimony of Elaine and Lawrence, both children of Ruth Wertheim. Many descendants from families who lost loved ones in the Holocaust describe it similarly: other ways of remembering have had to be found. But before that, there is often long silence and pain in the family.
Watch the video and read the information about Ruth Wertheim. Then go on to answer the questions
Ruth Wertheim (later Bacow, 1927-1994) was born in Giessen, Germany on March 28, 1927 to Leopold (1891-1944) and Emma Wertheim (1896-1944). Before the war, Ruth lived with her parents, her grandfather, and her older sister, Ingeborg Wertheim (1923-1942), in Londorf, Germany. Her father and grandfather worked together as cattle dealers. Her father was a veteran of World War I, and had lost his arm in combat. On September 27, 1942 Ruth, her parents, and her grandfather were sent from Darmstadt to Theresienstadt concentration camp, where they stayed until October 1944. While in Theresienstadt, Ruth worked on a farm outside the camp and was able to smuggle vegetables to her family. In October 1944, Ruth and her parents were transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. Ruth was in the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp for five weeks before she was sent to the Merzdorf slave labor camp. Eventually the labor camp was liberated. After her stay in a hospital and recovery, Ruth returned to her home town to find another family from Londorf living in her house. In July 1946, Ruth, the only survivor of her family, immigrated to the United States. Eventually she married Mitchell Seldon Bacow (1915-2007). Their children are Lawrence Seldon Bacow and Elaine Simonson.