Description
This collection consists of 154
interviews conducted from 1992 to 1995 with residents of Orange County, California, who
experienced the Holocaust. The interviews are the result of a project coordinated by Jack
Pariser under the sponsorship of the Orange County Chapter of the Anti-Defamation League of
B'nai B'rith. Most interviewees are Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. Their experiences
during the World War II era include forced and voluntary emigration, death camps, forced
labor, and hiding. Almost all of the Jewish participants are Ashkenazi Jews; that is, of
Yiddish-speaking, Eastern European origins. The other participants include five members of
the U.S. Army who saw the camps at the end of the war and three "rescuers" (individuals who
aided Jews in their efforts to escape the Nazis).
Background
In the early 1990s, Jack Pariser, a Polish survivor of the Holocaust who resides in Orange
County, California, initiated a project to conduct oral history interviews with residents of
Orange County who experienced the Holocaust. He received the organizational support of the
Orange County chapter of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith (ADL) for the project.
The ADL identified participants from the community, obtained and trained interviewers,
conducted preliminary interviews with participants by phone, and solicited donations to help
support the project. The ADL also supervised the videotaped interviews, which took place
between April 1992 and April 1995, using recording services provided by Chapman University.
The ADL wanted the tapes to be housed in an Orange County research facility and subsequently
donated them to the UCI Libraries at the University of California, Irvine.
Extent
27.2 Linear Feet
(33 boxes) and 0.5 unprocessed linear feer
Restrictions
Property rights reside with the University of California, while the ADL retains all
copyright to materials in the collection. All researchers must, prior to using the
collection, sign a statement that they understand this and promise not to reproduce,
translate, abbreviate, or abridge any of the videotaped material without prior written
consent from the ADL. Written quotation of excerpts from the interviews in a class paper or
unpublished thesis does not require permission. For permissions to reproduce tapes or
publish any portion of an interview, contact both the Head of Special Collections and
University Archives and the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith (823 United Nations
Plaza, New York, New York 10017).
Availability
The collection has not been processed. It may contain restricted materials. Please contact
the Department of Special Collections and Archives in advance to request access.