Never Saw Them Again

Uri explained, “But my father never saw his parents again. Sophie and Paul Berliner were sent to Auschwitz by train, transport number 38, on May 17, 1943. They were murdered there. This is what I could never ask my dad about – exactly what happened. Had his whole family been killed off? One thing I thought I knew for sure – the line of living Berliners – it was small, very small – my dad and me and, later, my son Ben.”

Relocation

Gert Berliner moved to the U.S when he turned 22. It was there he took up the profession of photography. The man had started a new life on his own. He had nothing with him except for determination and a suitcase that still had his toy monkey in it.

Well Established

Luckily, he managed to find his feet in his profession. He began to earn good money and soon got married. His new life was thriving but the old one remained forgotten and tangled.

Toy Monkey

The one thing that stuck by him through thin and thick of his life was that toy monkey that stayed in his bags. He had no idea what was he keeping. The toy monkey was going to write an unexpected chapter in his life. 

His Life

He carried on with his regular life. And not for once did he fly back to his native country. The fear was still there and the pain of separation from his family too. The man would spend most of his time alone.

Distant Father

Gert’s son describes him distant. The man always maintained a distance with his children. He would not chit chat with them as much as usual parents do. His past indeed had left an impact on him. But that was just the beginning. The past had left a lot uncovered.