gb-003348-wl1848
type: RecordSet
biographical history: Freddie Knoller was born into a middle-class Jewish family in Vienna in 1921. His parents David (1882-1944) and Marja Knoller (1885-1944) had three sons: Otto, Erich and Freddie. His father worked as an accountant. The brothers were very musical and performed on stage and at various charity functions. From early childhood, Freddie and his family was subjected to anti-Semitism. After the annexation of Austria these attacks increased. Following the November pogroms Frieddie's parents insisted that their children should emigrate. Freddie was the first to leave, going illegally to Belgium. His brother Erich left for Florida, having been supplied with an affidavit by a family friend. Otto went illegally to Holland and from there to England. David and Marja Knoller stayed behind. They were deported to Theresienstadt in October 1942 and were killed at Auschwitz concentration camp two years later. When Nazi-Germany invaded Belgium in 1940 Freddie Knoller fled to France. He initially stayed with relatives but later travelled to Paris where he joined the Maquis in May 1943. He was eventually arrested and taken to Drancy concentration camp. In October 1943 he was deported to Auschwitz concentration camp. Being housed at Buna-Monowitz (Auschwitz III) he was forced to work for IG Farben at the Buna Werke. As the Russians approached Auschwitz on 18 January 1945 the camp was evacuated. After a 24 hour walk and a seven-day train journey the prisoners arrived at Dora-Nordhausen concentration camp where Freddie was set to work helping to manufacture V1 and V2 rockets. As the American troops were drawing near he was evacuated to Bergen-Belsen. Many inmates starved to death before the camp was liberated by British troops on 15 April 1945. Freddie was later reunited with his brothers. He moved to the United States in 1947 where he met his future wife Freda. They returned to her hometown London in 1952. The couple set up a successful fashion retail business and had two daughters. Freddie…
related material: See also Knoller's memoirs: 'Desperate journey: Vienna, Paris, Auschwitz', 2002 (K4b(1) Kno); and 'Living with the enemy : my secret life on the run from the Nazis', 2005 (K4b(1) A Kno)
conditions of access: Open
conditions of use: Only 1848/1-4
has beginning date: 1938-01-01
has end date: 2011-01-31
has or had holder: gb-003348
has or had identifier: 1
has or had some members with language: deu
has or had some members with language: eng
has or had subject: 381
has or had subject: 3
has or had subject: 2083
has or had subject: 496
has or had subject: 449
has or had subject: 42
has or had subject: 0
has or had subject: 304
has or had subject: 641
has or had subject: 203
has or had subject: 1976
has record set type: Collection
identifier: WL1848
record resource extent: 3 boxes
record resource structure: Arranged chronologically by subject.
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: This collection contains the personal papers of Freddie Knoller, an Auschwitz concentration camp survivor from Vienna. His parents, David and Marja Knoller, insisted that he and his two brothers, Erich and Otto, emigrated to avoid increasing anti-Semitism and Nazi persecution after the annexation of Austria. Freddie's parents were murdered at Auschwitz concentration camp whilst his two brothers survived in England and the United States respectively. Included are letters (with translations) from Freddie Knollers parents, mainly addressed to his brother Erich, giving an insight into their fear for their future and worries about their children. Also included are some photocopies of papers regarding David Knollers employment and assets, the emigration of the children and the deportation of David and Marja Knoller; papers, correspondence and press cuttings relating to research and arrangements for the publication of Freddie Knollers autobiography 'Desperate journey'; arrangements for his talks and lectures; details of forced labour during the Nazi regime as well as his application for compensation to the Claims Conference Programme for Former Slave and Forced Labourers and other litigation claims. In addition, there are letters from readers of Freddie Knollers memoirs and from school children attending his talks. Note that only the earlier material, 1848/1-4 is accessible to readers.
title: Freddie Knoller: personal papers