Nagels, Georges

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Description de l'interview extraite du site US Fortunoff / Biographie à venir

Georges Nagels was born in Strombeek-Bever, Belgium in 1920, the youngest of three children. He recounts his father's military career; his family's antipathy toward Germany; attending Catholic school; enlisting in the military in 1938; passing exams in Brussels to become an officer; German invasion in May 1940; retreat, then surrender; being marched to Aachen; train transfer to Oberlangen (Stalag VI C), then days later to another stalag; receiving food from the Red Cross; forced agricultural labor in Altenburg; transfer to Stalag XVII A; corresponding with his parents; learning of his mother's death; refusing to work by invoking the Geneva Convention which stipulated officers could do so; transfer back to Oberlangen; witnessing Germans shooting Jews; a march to Stalag 369; evacuation to another Stalag in August 1944; liberation by United States troops; returning home via Munich, Taverny, Lille, and Tournai; assistance from the Red Cross; reunion with his family; and marriage in 1948. Mr. N. details life in Stalags including theatrical productions; participating in a chorus; clandestine celebration of mass; relations between national groups; prisoner hierarchies; hospitalization; starvation; lack of sanitary facilities; and comraraderie among prisoners. He discusses depression and poor health resulting from his experiences; protesting with other POWs in 1947 to receive benefits; continuing friendships with fellow prisoners; and visiting camps in which he had been imprisoned.

(Copyright: Fortunoff Video Archives for Holocaust Testimonies - Yale)

Ressources

Fiche interview

Code interview : YA/FA/176
Date interview : 16/03/2000 - 17/03/2000
Lieu interview : Au domicile du témoin (1200 Bruxelles)
Durée interview : 5h
Langue interview : Français
Interviewers : Michel Rosenfeldt et Renzo Stroscio
Cameraman : Michael Dippold
Consultation : Autorisée
Indexation thématique : Oui
Séquençage interview : non

Mots-clés du témoignage :
Bathorn / Stalag VIc | Kobierzyn / Stalag 369 | Markt Pongau / Stalag XVIIIc | Prisonnier de guerre