William Herskovic facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Herskovic
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| Born | June 1914 Hungary
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| Died | March 3, 2006 (aged 91) |
| Known for | Holocaust survivor |
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Notable work
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Bel Air Camera |
William Herskovic (born June 1914 – died March 3, 2006) was a brave survivor of the Holocaust and a very generous person. He escaped from the Auschwitz in 1942. His story helped people in Belgium stand up against Nazi Germany during World War II. It also warned the Resistance groups about the terrible things happening in the concentration camps. Because William Herskovic escaped and shared his story, hundreds of lives were saved.
William Herskovic also started Bel Air Camera in 1957. This camera store became a well-known place in Los Angeles. He also received many awards for his charity work.
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Early Life and Photography
William Herskovic was born in June 1914 in a country that was then called Hungary.
His mother passed away when he was just six months old. His father had more children with a second wife. So, William was mostly raised by his grandparents.
William was very smart and could speak nine languages. He left school at age 13 to work as a photographer's helper, taking his brother's place. By the time he was 15, he was managing photo studios across Czechoslovakia. He even won awards for his amazing skill in fixing and improving photos.
When he was 17, he opened his own photo studio called Studio Willy. It quickly became famous in Belgium.
He married his first wife, Esther. They had two daughters, Giselle (Katie) born in 1938, and Germaine born in 1941.
Holocaust Experiences
During World War II, the Germans took William Herskovic's businesses. He, his wife, and their two young daughters were sent to a terrible camp. William did not know it at the time, but his wife and daughters were sadly killed soon after they arrived.
William was sent to a hard labor camp in Auschwitz. People there were forced to work very hard and were given almost no food. Most people were not expected to live long.
William decided to plan an escape. On the first night of Hanukkah in 1942, he and two other prisoners found wire cutters they had hidden under the snow. They used them to cut through the fences during a snowstorm.
The three men ran through the snow for hours, heading towards freedom.
After his escape, William warned the Belgian underground (a secret group fighting the Nazis) about what was happening in the camps. He told them, "Do not go peacefully, they are killing us by the thousands." This quote is from his biography, Escape to Life: A Journey Through the Holocaust.
The resistance group quickly acted. They stopped a train carrying hundreds of people to the camps and rescued them.
A tribute from the Simon Wiesenthal Center said, "His survival saved hundreds."
After his escape, William went undercover. He made fake identity papers and got a job helping to camouflage (hide) the beaches of Normandy. While working, he secretly watched military bases and drew sketches. He then sent these drawings back to the resistance to help them.
Life After the War
After the war, William found out that his wife and children had been killed. He then asked Maria, his first wife's younger sister, to marry him. Her husband had also been killed in the Holocaust. She said yes.
They had three daughters and later moved to America. In Los Angeles, William Herskovic started Bel Air Camera in 1957. This business is still owned by his family today.
William and his wife, Maria, were very dedicated to helping others. They gave money and support to many communities. Because of his own experiences, he was a founding supporter of the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. A special plaque there remembers his family members who were lost and never had gravestones. He also supported the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance. He hoped that "education and awareness will prevent prejudice and hatred in the future." They also supported many other groups, including those that help blind children and medical research.
Awards and Recognition
Throughout his life, William Herskovic received many awards for his brave actions and his charity work. One of his most recent awards was the Humanitarian Award from the Israel Cancer Research Fund.
Later Years and Passing
William Herskovic passed away on March 3, 2006, at his home in Encino, CA. He was 91 years old and had been battling prostate cancer for a long time. He is remembered by his wife, Maria, their three daughters, four grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.
