The life of Alfred Batzdorf

 

I heard recently that Alfred Batzdorf died on April 2nd 2022, at Santa Rosa, California, aged 100. Alfred was the husband of Edith Stein’s niece Susanne, now 101. Together they have done great work to promote holocaust awareness. In November 1988, the Batzdorffs’ began speaking publicly to churches, community groups and schools about their flight from Nazi Germany.

Alfred, known as Al was born in February 1922 in Breslau, Germany. In 1994 he gave an oral history interview for the holocaust Memorial Project. He told of his experience on Kristallnacht November 9th-10th 1938, that terrible Night of Broken Glass, when synagogues and Jewish businesses were destroyed and over 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps. Al’s father who was a surgeon had already registered for emigration and was in Berlin that night. On the morning of 10th the storm troopers entered the Batzdorff’s apartment intending to arrest him but when they found he was away they took Alfred instead. His mother objected that he was only sixteen but they ignored her. Al felt numb, but went with them calmly, deciding that he would see it through whatever it meant. He was put in a room with thousands of men. When it started to get dark the me

n were made to march to the railway station where they were put on a train for Buchenwald Concentration Camp for forced labour. When about a third of the men had left an announcement was made telling those over 70, and disabled war veterans to stay behind. In the confusion Al hid among them and by the time the authorities found him the train had gone. When it got dark the next evening they let the old men go. One of the Nazis said to Al, ‘Get out with them but be sure you get out of town because they will look for you’.

For safety Al went to live with his grandmother in Berlin, she was very active in the Jewish women’s movement and was involved in arranging the first kindertransport to England in 1938; she managed to add Al’s name to the group passport. On arriving in England Al worked in a garage and then as a waiter in Dorset. He was very concerned that his escape would put his parents in danger and went to great lengths to arrange sponsors for them and his brother so they could receive English transient visas for use until their American quota numbers became available. It was a great relief to Al that he was able to do this as very few of the children who went to England on the kindertransport ever saw their parents again.

Once the family was reunited, they were able to emigrate to the United States in 1940. Al met up with Susanne Biberstein, daughter of Edith Stein’s sister Erna, who he had known in Breslau and the couple were married in New York in March 1944. Later in 1944 Al was required to do national service in the navy, and he was proud to be part of the war effort even though it meant he had to be away while Susanne was expecting their first child. He and Susanne remained committed to their Jewish faith all their lives and continued as leaders in the Beth Ami Synagogue Congregation into their 90s.

As well as being a faithful Jew Al was a patriotic American and requested in his will to have Naval Military Honours at his funeral. After the Last Post had been played two military service members took the flag from his coffin folded it and gave it to Susanne.

At this time of Remembrance we give thanks for the lives of all who have died and pray that they are enjoying the blessings of peace and joy in the light of eternal life.