Gunter B. testimony 2011

Gunter Bardeleben was born on August 17, 1920 in Berlin, Germany. He describes his family and early childhood. He explains that his parents were not observant and that he was hardly aware of being Jewish before the Nazis came to power. He discusses how his parents sent him to a Quaker school in Holland at age fourteen. He recalls how his parents were able to immigrate to England because of his father’s profession. Gunter describes attending university in Scotland. He describes his arrest and detention in Edinburgh and the Isle of Man. He recalls the voyage on the Sobieski. He describes his arrival in Canada and interactions with German POWs. He describes daily life in Trois-Rivieres, Camp B, and Sherbrooke. He describes social relations in the camps. He describes working at the Acadia forestry station. Gunter recalls his release in 1942 and further university education. He discusses joining the Royal Canadian Medical Corps and service in Europe. He reflects on his internment experience and national identity.