Members of the 42nd Rainbow Division are honored as liberators of the Dachau concentration camp on opening day of the WWII memorial exhibition. Senator Leiberman’s mother- in- law was one of the holocaust victims liberated on April 29, 1945.
THEN AND NOW 2400,2500, and 3100 14th STREET NW COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
By Larry Rosen –
THEN
2400 BLOCK 14th STREET NW( Even Numbers) 1965 DC City Directory
(Between Belmont and Chapin Street.)
2400 Sauber’s Clothing
2402 Am Liquor Store
2404 Honey Ball Restaurant
2406 International Clothing
2408 Rosie palmist
2410 Belmont Radio & Telev Service
2412 Belmont Shoe Service
2414 Belmont Radio & Television Service
2416 Temple Grill
2418 Crystal Art & Import
2420 Coin Laundry Service
2422 Atlas Cleaners
2428 Eddie Leonard Sandwich Shop (part of chain)
NOW
All stores of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot
New stores built,and block called NEHEMIAH Center housing new tenants.All of these stores are presently closed.
LATEST NEWS—Center will be developed into condominiums with ground level retail
Existing store structures will probably be demolished.
THEN
2500 BLOCK 14TH STREET NW (Even Numbers)April 1, 1968
2500 Chaconas Florist
2502 Clifton Liquor
2504 The Nuggett Club
2506 Ling Cafeteria
2510 Blue Ribbon Dry Cleaner
2514 Clifton Manor Apartments
2516 C & E Carry Out
2518 Smith Pharmacy@
2520 A & B Barber Shop
2522 Tower Cleaners
2526 Victoria Apartments
2530 Atlantic Foreign Car Parts
All store structures of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot April 4,1968
NOW
BOYS and GIRLS CLUB (Sole occupant on the entire block)
@Many Central Alumni will remember the original Smith Pharmacy located on the corner of 14th and Clifton (East side)in present Clifton Terrace Apartments.
Smith’s Pharmacy was eventually moved across the street,near middle of the block-west side to 2518 14th Street,NW.
I purchased the pharmacy in 1959,which was burned down on April 5,1968 during the DC riot triggered by the assassination of Doctor King.
Central high became Cardoza High,and non segregated in 1950
THEN 3100 14TH STREET NW (EVEN NUMBERS) 1965 DC Directory
(Irving intersects)
3100 Kay Jewelers
3102 Triplex Shoe Store
3110 Lerner Shops
3112 Irving men’s clothing
3114 Beyda’s formal clothing
3120 Grayson’s clothing
3122 Standard Drug Company
3124 Crosby Shoes
3128 GC Murphy department store
(Kenyon intersects)
Above stores of businesses demolished)
NOW 3100 14TH STREET NW
(DC USA 540,000 square foot retail and entertainment complex)
Committed Tenants
Target
Best Buy
Bed Bath and Beyond
Washington Sports club
Modells
Staples
Marshalls
(Other nationally known tenants pending)
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD
LOCATED NW QUADRANT OF THE DISTRICT,BORDERED BY 16TH STREET TO THE WEST,SPRING ROAD TO THE NORTH,SHERMAN AVENUE TO THE EAST AND FLORIDA AVENUE(CALLED BOUNDARY STREET UP UNTIL 1890,WHEN CITY GREW BEYOND ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES) TO THE SOUTH. (WASHINGTON POST ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT MARCH 7,2008)
THEN AND NOW 2400,2500, and 3100 14th STREET NW COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
By Larry Rosen –
THEN
2400 BLOCK 14th STREET NW( Even Numbers) 1965 DC City Directory
(Between Belmont and Chapin Street.)
2400 Sauber’s Clothing
2402 Am Liquor Store
2404 Honey Ball Restaurant
2406 International Clothing
2408 Rosie palmist
2410 Belmont Radio & Telev Service
2412 Belmont Shoe Service
2414 Belmont Radio & Television Service
2416 Temple Grill
2418 Crystal Art & Import
2420 Coin Laundry Service
2422 Atlas Cleaners
2428 Eddie Leonard Sandwich Shop (part of chain)
NOW
All stores of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot
New stores built,and block called NEHEMIAH Center housing new tenants.All of these stores are presently closed.
LATEST NEWS—Center will be developed into condominiums with ground level retail
Existing store structures will probably be demolished.
THEN
2500 BLOCK 14TH STREET NW (Even Numbers)April 1, 1968
2500 Chaconas Florist
2502 Clifton Liquor
2504 The Nuggett Club
2506 Ling Cafeteria
2510 Blue Ribbon Dry Cleaner
2514 Clifton Manor Apartments
2516 C & E Carry Out
2518 Smith Pharmacy@
2520 A & B Barber Shop
2522 Tower Cleaners
2526 Victoria Apartments
2530 Atlantic Foreign Car Parts
All store structures of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot April 4,1968
NOW
BOYS and GIRLS CLUB (Sole occupant on the entire block)
@Many Central Alumni will remember the original Smith Pharmacy located on the corner of 14th and Clifton (East side)in present Clifton Terrace Apartments.
Smith’s Pharmacy was eventually moved across the street,near middle of the block-west side to 2518 14th Street,NW.
I purchased the pharmacy in 1959,which was burned down on April 5,1968 during the DC riot triggered by the assassination of Doctor King.
Central high became Cardoza High,and non segregated in 1950
THEN 3100 14TH STREET NW (EVEN NUMBERS) 1965 DC Directory
(Irving intersects)
3100 Kay Jewelers
3102 Triplex Shoe Store
3110 Lerner Shops
3112 Irving men’s clothing
3114 Beyda’s formal clothing
3120 Grayson’s clothing
3122 Standard Drug Company
3124 Crosby Shoes
3128 GC Murphy department store
(Kenyon intersects)
Above stores of businesses demolished)
NOW 3100 14TH STREET NW
(DC USA 540,000 square foot retail and entertainment complex)
Committed Tenants
Target
Best Buy
Bed Bath and Beyond
Washington Sports club
Modells
Staples
Marshalls
(Other nationally known tenants pending)
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD
LOCATED NW QUADRANT OF THE DISTRICT,BORDERED BY 16TH STREET TO THE WEST,SPRING ROAD TO THE NORTH,SHERMAN AVENUE TO THE EAST AND FLORIDA AVENUE(CALLED BOUNDARY STREET UP UNTIL 1890,WHEN CITY GREW BEYOND ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES) TO THE SOUTH. (WASHINGTON POST ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT MARCH 7,2008)
THEN AND NOW 2400,2500, and 3100 14th STREET NW COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
By Larry Rosen –
THEN
2400 BLOCK 14th STREET NW( Even Numbers) 1965 DC City Directory
(Between Belmont and Chapin Street.)
2400 Sauber’s Clothing
2402 Am Liquor Store
2404 Honey Ball Restaurant
2406 International Clothing
2408 Rosie palmist
2410 Belmont Radio & Telev Service
2412 Belmont Shoe Service
2414 Belmont Radio & Television Service
2416 Temple Grill
2418 Crystal Art & Import
2420 Coin Laundry Service
2422 Atlas Cleaners
2428 Eddie Leonard Sandwich Shop (part of chain)
NOW
All stores of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot
New stores built,and block called NEHEMIAH Center housing new tenants.All of these stores are presently closed.
LATEST NEWS—Center will be developed into condominiums with ground level retail
Existing store structures will probably be demolished.
THEN
2500 BLOCK 14TH STREET NW (Even Numbers)April 1, 1968
2500 Chaconas Florist
2502 Clifton Liquor
2504 The Nuggett Club
2506 Ling Cafeteria
2510 Blue Ribbon Dry Cleaner
2514 Clifton Manor Apartments
2516 C & E Carry Out
2518 Smith Pharmacy@
2520 A & B Barber Shop
2522 Tower Cleaners
2526 Victoria Apartments
2530 Atlantic Foreign Car Parts
All store structures of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot April 4,1968
NOW
BOYS and GIRLS CLUB (Sole occupant on the entire block)
@Many Central Alumni will remember the original Smith Pharmacy located on the corner of 14th and Clifton (East side)in present Clifton Terrace Apartments.
Smith’s Pharmacy was eventually moved across the street,near middle of the block-west side to 2518 14th Street,NW.
I purchased the pharmacy in 1959,which was burned down on April 5,1968 during the DC riot triggered by the assassination of Doctor King.
Central high became Cardoza High,and non segregated in 1950
THEN 3100 14TH STREET NW (EVEN NUMBERS) 1965 DC Directory
(Irving intersects)
3100 Kay Jewelers
3102 Triplex Shoe Store
3110 Lerner Shops
3112 Irving men’s clothing
3114 Beyda’s formal clothing
3120 Grayson’s clothing
3122 Standard Drug Company
3124 Crosby Shoes
3128 GC Murphy department store
(Kenyon intersects)
Above stores of businesses demolished)
NOW 3100 14TH STREET NW
(DC USA 540,000 square foot retail and entertainment complex)
Committed Tenants
Target
Best Buy
Bed Bath and Beyond
Washington Sports club
Modells
Staples
Marshalls
(Other nationally known tenants pending)
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD
LOCATED NW QUADRANT OF THE DISTRICT,BORDERED BY 16TH STREET TO THE WEST,SPRING ROAD TO THE NORTH,SHERMAN AVENUE TO THE EAST AND FLORIDA AVENUE(CALLED BOUNDARY STREET UP UNTIL 1890,WHEN CITY GREW BEYOND ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES) TO THE SOUTH. (WASHINGTON POST ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT MARCH 7,2008)
THEN AND NOW 2400,2500, and 3100 14th STREET NW COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
By Larry Rosen –
THEN
2400 BLOCK 14th STREET NW( Even Numbers) 1965 DC City Directory
(Between Belmont and Chapin Street.)
2400 Sauber’s Clothing
2402 Am Liquor Store
2404 Honey Ball Restaurant
2406 International Clothing
2408 Rosie palmist
2410 Belmont Radio & Telev Service
2412 Belmont Shoe Service
2414 Belmont Radio & Television Service
2416 Temple Grill
2418 Crystal Art & Import
2420 Coin Laundry Service
2422 Atlas Cleaners
2428 Eddie Leonard Sandwich Shop (part of chain)
NOW
All stores of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot
New stores built,and block called NEHEMIAH Center housing new tenants.All of these stores are presently closed.
LATEST NEWS—Center will be developed into condominiums with ground level retail
Existing store structures will probably be demolished.
THEN
2500 BLOCK 14TH STREET NW (Even Numbers)April 1, 1968
2500 Chaconas Florist
2502 Clifton Liquor
2504 The Nuggett Club
2506 Ling Cafeteria
2510 Blue Ribbon Dry Cleaner
2514 Clifton Manor Apartments
2516 C & E Carry Out
2518 Smith Pharmacy@
2520 A & B Barber Shop
2522 Tower Cleaners
2526 Victoria Apartments
2530 Atlantic Foreign Car Parts
All store structures of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot April 4,1968
NOW
BOYS and GIRLS CLUB (Sole occupant on the entire block)
@Many Central Alumni will remember the original Smith Pharmacy located on the corner of 14th and Clifton (East side)in present Clifton Terrace Apartments.
Smith’s Pharmacy was eventually moved across the street,near middle of the block-west side to 2518 14th Street,NW.
I purchased the pharmacy in 1959,which was burned down on April 5,1968 during the DC riot triggered by the assassination of Doctor King.
Central high became Cardoza High,and non segregated in 1950
THEN 3100 14TH STREET NW (EVEN NUMBERS) 1965 DC Directory
(Irving intersects)
3100 Kay Jewelers
3102 Triplex Shoe Store
3110 Lerner Shops
3112 Irving men’s clothing
3114 Beyda’s formal clothing
3120 Grayson’s clothing
3122 Standard Drug Company
3124 Crosby Shoes
3128 GC Murphy department store
(Kenyon intersects)
Above stores of businesses demolished)
NOW 3100 14TH STREET NW
(DC USA 540,000 square foot retail and entertainment complex)
Committed Tenants
Target
Best Buy
Bed Bath and Beyond
Washington Sports club
Modells
Staples
Marshalls
(Other nationally known tenants pending)
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD
LOCATED NW QUADRANT OF THE DISTRICT,BORDERED BY 16TH STREET TO THE WEST,SPRING ROAD TO THE NORTH,SHERMAN AVENUE TO THE EAST AND FLORIDA AVENUE(CALLED BOUNDARY STREET UP UNTIL 1890,WHEN CITY GREW BEYOND ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES) TO THE SOUTH. (WASHINGTON POST ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT MARCH 7,2008)
THEN AND NOW 2400,2500, and 3100 14th STREET NW COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
By Larry Rosen –
THEN
2400 BLOCK 14th STREET NW( Even Numbers) 1965 DC City Directory
(Between Belmont and Chapin Street.)
2400 Sauber’s Clothing
2402 Am Liquor Store
2404 Honey Ball Restaurant
2406 International Clothing
2408 Rosie palmist
2410 Belmont Radio & Telev Service
2412 Belmont Shoe Service
2414 Belmont Radio & Television Service
2416 Temple Grill
2418 Crystal Art & Import
2420 Coin Laundry Service
2422 Atlas Cleaners
2428 Eddie Leonard Sandwich Shop (part of chain)
NOW
All stores of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot
New stores built,and block called NEHEMIAH Center housing new tenants.All of these stores are presently closed.
LATEST NEWS—Center will be developed into condominiums with ground level retail
Existing store structures will probably be demolished.
THEN
2500 BLOCK 14TH STREET NW (Even Numbers)April 1, 1968
2500 Chaconas Florist
2502 Clifton Liquor
2504 The Nuggett Club
2506 Ling Cafeteria
2510 Blue Ribbon Dry Cleaner
2514 Clifton Manor Apartments
2516 C & E Carry Out
2518 Smith Pharmacy@
2520 A & B Barber Shop
2522 Tower Cleaners
2526 Victoria Apartments
2530 Atlantic Foreign Car Parts
All store structures of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot April 4,1968
NOW
BOYS and GIRLS CLUB (Sole occupant on the entire block)
@Many Central Alumni will remember the original Smith Pharmacy located on the corner of 14th and Clifton (East side)in present Clifton Terrace Apartments.
Smith’s Pharmacy was eventually moved across the street,near middle of the block-west side to 2518 14th Street,NW.
I purchased the pharmacy in 1959,which was burned down on April 5,1968 during the DC riot triggered by the assassination of Doctor King.
Central high became Cardoza High,and non segregated in 1950
THEN 3100 14TH STREET NW (EVEN NUMBERS) 1965 DC Directory
(Irving intersects)
3100 Kay Jewelers
3102 Triplex Shoe Store
3110 Lerner Shops
3112 Irving men’s clothing
3114 Beyda’s formal clothing
3120 Grayson’s clothing
3122 Standard Drug Company
3124 Crosby Shoes
3128 GC Murphy department store
(Kenyon intersects)
Above stores of businesses demolished)
NOW 3100 14TH STREET NW
(DC USA 540,000 square foot retail and entertainment complex)
Committed Tenants
Target
Best Buy
Bed Bath and Beyond
Washington Sports club
Modells
Staples
Marshalls
(Other nationally known tenants pending)
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD
LOCATED NW QUADRANT OF THE DISTRICT,BORDERED BY 16TH STREET TO THE WEST,SPRING ROAD TO THE NORTH,SHERMAN AVENUE TO THE EAST AND FLORIDA AVENUE(CALLED BOUNDARY STREET UP UNTIL 1890,WHEN CITY GREW BEYOND ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES) TO THE SOUTH. (WASHINGTON POST ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT MARCH 7,2008)
THEN AND NOW 2400,2500, and 3100 14th STREET NW COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
By Larry Rosen –
THEN
2400 BLOCK 14th STREET NW( Even Numbers) 1965 DC City Directory
(Between Belmont and Chapin Street.)
2400 Sauber’s Clothing
2402 Am Liquor Store
2404 Honey Ball Restaurant
2406 International Clothing
2408 Rosie palmist
2410 Belmont Radio & Telev Service
2412 Belmont Shoe Service
2414 Belmont Radio & Television Service
2416 Temple Grill
2418 Crystal Art & Import
2420 Coin Laundry Service
2422 Atlas Cleaners
2428 Eddie Leonard Sandwich Shop (part of chain)
NOW
All stores of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot
New stores built,and block called NEHEMIAH Center housing new tenants.All of these stores are presently closed.
LATEST NEWS—Center will be developed into condominiums with ground level retail
Existing store structures will probably be demolished.
THEN
2500 BLOCK 14TH STREET NW (Even Numbers)April 1, 1968
2500 Chaconas Florist
2502 Clifton Liquor
2504 The Nuggett Club
2506 Ling Cafeteria
2510 Blue Ribbon Dry Cleaner
2514 Clifton Manor Apartments
2516 C & E Carry Out
2518 Smith Pharmacy@
2520 A & B Barber Shop
2522 Tower Cleaners
2526 Victoria Apartments
2530 Atlantic Foreign Car Parts
All store structures of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot April 4,1968
NOW
BOYS and GIRLS CLUB (Sole occupant on the entire block)
@Many Central Alumni will remember the original Smith Pharmacy located on the corner of 14th and Clifton (East side)in present Clifton Terrace Apartments.
Smith’s Pharmacy was eventually moved across the street,near middle of the block-west side to 2518 14th Street,NW.
I purchased the pharmacy in 1959,which was burned down on April 5,1968 during the DC riot triggered by the assassination of Doctor King.
Central high became Cardoza High,and non segregated in 1950
THEN 3100 14TH STREET NW (EVEN NUMBERS) 1965 DC Directory
(Irving intersects)
3100 Kay Jewelers
3102 Triplex Shoe Store
3110 Lerner Shops
3112 Irving men’s clothing
3114 Beyda’s formal clothing
3120 Grayson’s clothing
3122 Standard Drug Company
3124 Crosby Shoes
3128 GC Murphy department store
(Kenyon intersects)
Above stores of businesses demolished)
NOW 3100 14TH STREET NW
(DC USA 540,000 square foot retail and entertainment complex)
Committed Tenants
Target
Best Buy
Bed Bath and Beyond
Washington Sports club
Modells
Staples
Marshalls
(Other nationally known tenants pending)
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD
LOCATED NW QUADRANT OF THE DISTRICT,BORDERED BY 16TH STREET TO THE WEST,SPRING ROAD TO THE NORTH,SHERMAN AVENUE TO THE EAST AND FLORIDA AVENUE(CALLED BOUNDARY STREET UP UNTIL 1890,WHEN CITY GREW BEYOND ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES) TO THE SOUTH. (WASHINGTON POST ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT MARCH 7,2008)
THEN AND NOW 2400,2500, and 3100 14th STREET NW COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
By Larry Rosen –
THEN
2400 BLOCK 14th STREET NW( Even Numbers) 1965 DC City Directory
(Between Belmont and Chapin Street.)
2400 Sauber’s Clothing
2402 Am Liquor Store
2404 Honey Ball Restaurant
2406 International Clothing
2408 Rosie palmist
2410 Belmont Radio & Telev Service
2412 Belmont Shoe Service
2414 Belmont Radio & Television Service
2416 Temple Grill
2418 Crystal Art & Import
2420 Coin Laundry Service
2422 Atlas Cleaners
2428 Eddie Leonard Sandwich Shop (part of chain)
NOW
All stores of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot
New stores built,and block called NEHEMIAH Center housing new tenants.All of these stores are presently closed.
LATEST NEWS—Center will be developed into condominiums with ground level retail
Existing store structures will probably be demolished.
THEN
2500 BLOCK 14TH STREET NW (Even Numbers)April 1, 1968
2500 Chaconas Florist
2502 Clifton Liquor
2504 The Nuggett Club
2506 Ling Cafeteria
2510 Blue Ribbon Dry Cleaner
2514 Clifton Manor Apartments
2516 C & E Carry Out
2518 Smith Pharmacy@
2520 A & B Barber Shop
2522 Tower Cleaners
2526 Victoria Apartments
2530 Atlantic Foreign Car Parts
All store structures of above businesses were demolished after the DC 68 riot April 4,1968
NOW
BOYS and GIRLS CLUB (Sole occupant on the entire block)
@Many Central Alumni will remember the original Smith Pharmacy located on the corner of 14th and Clifton (East side)in present Clifton Terrace Apartments.
Smith’s Pharmacy was eventually moved across the street,near middle of the block-west side to 2518 14th Street,NW.
I purchased the pharmacy in 1959,which was burned down on April 5,1968 during the DC riot triggered by the assassination of Doctor King.
Central high became Cardoza High,and non segregated in 1950
THEN 3100 14TH STREET NW (EVEN NUMBERS) 1965 DC Directory
(Irving intersects)
3100 Kay Jewelers
3102 Triplex Shoe Store
3110 Lerner Shops
3112 Irving men’s clothing
3114 Beyda’s formal clothing
3120 Grayson’s clothing
3122 Standard Drug Company
3124 Crosby Shoes
3128 GC Murphy department store
(Kenyon intersects)
Above stores of businesses demolished)
NOW 3100 14TH STREET NW
(DC USA 540,000 square foot retail and entertainment complex)
Committed Tenants
Target
Best Buy
Bed Bath and Beyond
Washington Sports club
Modells
Staples
Marshalls
(Other nationally known tenants pending)
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD
LOCATED NW QUADRANT OF THE DISTRICT,BORDERED BY 16TH STREET TO THE WEST,SPRING ROAD TO THE NORTH,SHERMAN AVENUE TO THE EAST AND FLORIDA AVENUE(CALLED BOUNDARY STREET UP UNTIL 1890,WHEN CITY GREW BEYOND ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES) TO THE SOUTH. (WASHINGTON POST ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT MARCH 7,2008)
Some unknown World War II history to many Americans is that about a month before the end of World War II, a German commander of an American prisoner of war camp received orders to send 350 American prisoners to BERGA, a mini concentration camp in Germany.These orders specified that as many Jewish American prisoners should be included in this transfer.
Some Jewish American POW’s were able to throw away their identification dog tags that were imprinted with the letter H for Hebew,but still 80 Jewish American POW’s were selected and the balance of the prisoner quota was with captured Americans who resembled Jews, had Jewish sounding names or were trouble makers.
This group was sent to Berga which was a satellite concentration camp of the well known
Buchenwald that housed hundreds of holocaust victims.
This special selected group of prisoners were ordered to drill holes in the rocks of a mine. The Germans filled the holes with dynamite and blasted the mine rocks,which the prisoners loaded in carts and pushed into a river working 12 hour shifts. Many of these prisoners were tortured and beaten. After approximately 2 months of hard labor, including a death march, over 70 of the Berga victims perished.
I was a member of the 542d Field Artillery Battalion, 42d Rainbow Division. During World War I
the Rainbow division served under General Douglas MacArthur., In the autumn of 1944, the three Rainbow infantry regiments were rushed overseas ahead of the remainder of the division and saw action near Strasbourg, France around the time of the Bulge. The rest of the division including my field artillery unit joined the infantry on January 18, 1945. Without artillery support, the Rainbow infantry units sustained huge losses including 1174 soldiers captured by the Nazis.With all its units intact, the Rainbow Division attcked the German defensive position, successfully, and were a liberator of the Dachau concentration camp on April 29, 1945.
My division published a book entitled, “Hold at all Cost”, that contained personal accounts of Rainbow Division veterans captured by the Germans. I discovered that one member from my outfit, Morton Brooks,a member of the Rainbow infantry,who became a prisoner of the Nazis was sent to Berga,and narrowly escapted death.
I researched our division records, and contacted Mort, who now lives in Boynton Beach, Florida,and personally met him at a program sponsored by the US Holocaust Museum ,Washington,D.C. that honored concentration camp liberators from many US cities.
MORT BROOK’S MEMORIES
The night of January 8, 1945, I was on duty in a fron-line foxhole, in Hatten, France, when German Panzer divsions attacked us.
Our positions were overrun so that by morning we were actually behind the German front line. The line on our field phone was cut so, we could not
communicate in order to direct artillery fires. As I was knowledgible about conncting phone wiring, I was asked to follow the line back to the point where it could be reconnected.After a while my sergant after seeing a tiger tank coming up the road, indicated that we should surrender.
When performing forced labor of drilling holes in the mineshaft in Berga,there were SS guards with dogs walking the area outside the mineshafts, and we were subject to beatings. I was hit with a pick ax handle or rubber hose on a number of occasions.
Some time ago, I met a Doctor Shapiro who was also a Berga survivor . He sent me a long account of his experiences which included the following memories:
“I now clearly understand and know that my near-death horror was because I was a Jewish American soldier, not an ordinary American POW. The primary and determing factor was being Jewish and therefore, I followed similar routes of uprooted Jews throughout Europe destined for annihilation by the Nazis. WE WERE IN THE SAME HOLOCAUST !!!
Another prisoner of war sent me a news letter, entitled EX-POW BULLETIN, official voice of the American Ex-Prisoners of War.
Portions of a book on the Berga history entitled “American GI’S, German Death, Concentration and Slave Labor Camps by a Daniel Drooze contained some surprising memories.
NORMAN FELLMAN
When I was liberated, I ended up in a hospital. I didn’t want to live. I heard them talking about amputating my leg and I didn’t care.
I HAD TO SIGN A GAG ORDER PLEDGING NOT TO DISCUSS BEING IN BERGA BEFORE THEY WOULD RELEASE ME FROM THE ARMY. OTHERWISE THEY WOULD NOT LET ME OUT.
I THINK THE GOVERNMENET SURPRESSED THE FACT THAT WE WRE NOT TO MENTION OUR HORRIBLE TREATMENT BECAUSE THEY WERE BRINGING OVER SO MANY GERMAN SCIENTISTS AFTER THE WAR TO ASSIST OUR GOVERNMENT IN THE COLD WAR WITH RUSSIA. WERNER VON BRAUN, A FORMER LEADING NAZI AND FORMER SS MEMBER WAS BROUGHT OVER AND HEADED THE US POST WAR SPACE PROGRAM.
MYRON SWACK
WHEN WE CAME BACK, THE ARMY DID NOT WANT NEGATIVE PUBLICITY ABOUT GERMAN TREATMENT OF BERGA PRISONERS. WE HAD TO SIGN A PLEDGE NOT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO US. THEY WERE BRINGING IN GERMAN SCIENTISTS. THE FORMER ENGLISH LEADER, CHURCHILL SAID-THE AMERICANS FORGOT WHO WAS THEIR ENEMY AND WHO WERE THEIR FRIENDS.
Not long ago, Congressman Spencer Bachus and Congressman Joe Baca, after discovering the Berga history, finally recognized a group of American soldiers held as prisoners of war at a Nazi mini concentration camp, called Berga, during World War II for the first time in history.
At a gathering in Orlando, Florida,June 2009, six Berga survivors were present and honored. The program was aired on TV station CNN. There are 22 known Berga survivors still alive.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS ON THE BERGA HISTORY
“Soldiers and Slaves” by Roger Cohen (New York Times reporter)
FORGOTTEN VICTIMS by Mitchell Bard
BLOG WWW.LARRYROSEN.ORG
Another possibly unknown accomplishment of the late Senator Robert Byrd who passed away on June 28, 2010 at age 92, was his extensive interest in causes of the DC 1968 riot,that occurred on April 4, 1968.
While working on a research article for the DC Historical Society, I discovered that Senator Byrd
invited a large group of Americans who were in some way connected with the DC 68 riot, such as merchants who were riot victims, firemen, policemen,bus drivers, witnesses, for interviews concerning the riot.
I obtained a copy of the Senate Congressional Record, dated October 10, 1968,that contained the testimony of the invited group.that consisted of 1418 pages of testimony..
Senator Byrd’s thoughts and remarks are reflected in the above mentioned Senate Congressional record.
Some of the Senator’s thoughts can apply to our present society.
“Shortly after the April riots, I characterized our Nation’s Capital as a city of fear. Almost uniformly, these people told a story of fear and frustration. It is a story that ought to anger and outrage every citizen who understands that no society can exist except by the rule of law.That rule has gone down the dain in many areas of the city of Washington.
I believe in equal opportunity for all citizens. I believe in equal protection under the law for all citizens. But I also believe in equal responsibility and accountability under the law for all citizens. Justice can be little more than a meaningless word without an orderly society.
I became a victim of the DC 68 riot when my drug store on 14th Street, was burned down, and sincerely hope that no more riots will ever occur in any U.S. city.