Marion Gruber, Suzy Blough, Sara Blough, and Randi Yablon
Recorded
June 3, 2023
Archived
June 3, 2023
39:03 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
atl004795
Description
Marion Gruber (86) visits StoryCorps Atlanta to talk about her life with her daughters, Randi Yablon (62) and Suzy Blough (61), as well as her granddaughter Sara Blough (27).Subject Log / Time Code
Sara Blough asks her grandmother Marion Gruber to talk about her childhood. Marion says she was born in Hamburg, Germany, and that she immigrated to the United States with her parents at two years of age.
Marion talks about her brother Herbie, who is nine years her junior.
Sara asks Marion how she met her husband Mike.
Randi Yablon asks Marion to talk about her parents. Marion says her father's family was poor. She says her dad became a tailor like his dad. Marion says her mother's family was well-off and lived in a high-rise apartment.
Marion talks about the rise of the Nazis in 1930s Germany. She says that relatives already in America sponsored her parents.
Marion talks about how her maternal grandfather was able to leave Germany.
Marion remembers Holocaust survivors being told not to talk about their experiences and for children like herself not to ask questions.
Marion talks about her Uncle Victor. She remembers that her dad and his brothers loved playing soccer as kids.
Marion talks about becoming a parent. She says her oldest child, daughter Randi, looked like Grandpa Gruber at birth. Marion says her youngest child, Richard, was difficult.
Marion says Randi and Suzy were competitive as kids.
Sara asks Marion to talk about the important people in her life. Marion also talks about some of her happiest and saddest moments.
Randi asks Marion about regrets. Marion says she regrets not learning how to swim or how to ride a bicycle. She says she made sure her own children could do both.
Marion says one of her proudest moments was earning her master's degree in her 50s.
Marion talks about how she would like to be remembered.
Randi asks Marion what advice she has for her grandchildren and future generations. Marion talks about the importance of having children. She says they give one's life meaning.
Randi asks Marion to talk more about their family members incarcerated at Auschwitz concentration camp. Marion talks about how her Aunt Gusta survived.
Marion talks about having long red hair as a kid. She remembers making dolls out of bobby pins.
Marion remembers that her father's teenage sisters, Rosa and Gisa, were killed at Auschwitz.
Randi asks Marion if she considers herself a Holocaust survivor. Marion remembers visiting Germany in her 50s. She says Nazism is still alive.
Marion remembers not wanting to learn the German language. She remembers not wanting to say she was from Germany.
Marion talks about two family names that were changed to be less German.
Participants
- Marion Gruber
- Suzy Blough
- Sara Blough
- Randi Yablon