Sami Stigmann Survivor Story

study guide for Sami Stigmann based on the provided source:

• Early Life and Imprisonment: Sami Stigmann was born on December 21, 1939, in Czernovitz, Bukovina. [1] This area was historically complex, shifting from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Romania, later becoming part of the Soviet Union, and currently residing in Ukraine. [1] During World War II, from 1941 to 1944, Sami and his parents were imprisoned in the Mogilev-Podolsky labor camp in Transnistria, Ukraine. [1] This deportation was carried out by the Romanians, not the Germans. [1]
• Medical Experimentation and Hardships: Although Sami has no memory of it, his parents recounted that he was subjected to Nazi medical experimentation at a young age. [1] He still endures the side effects of these experiments. [1] Life in the camp was brutal, with starvation and the harsh Russian winters posing constant threats to survival. [1]
• A German Woman's Compassion: Sami's father, desperate to provide for his family, traded his winter coat for a single loaf of bread. [2] As Sami was nearing death from starvation, a German woman who delivered food to the SS and Ukrainian guards noticed his condition - a swollen head, stomach, and feet, all signs of severe malnutrition. [2] Risking her own family's safety, she secretly provided Sami with milk, ultimately saving his life. [2] When he began to recover, she would affectionately pinch his cheeks, remarking, "Those are my rosy cheeks!" [2] Her kindness was instrumental in his survival.
• Liberation and Life After the War: The Red Army liberated the Mogilev-Podolsky camp, and the Stigmann family returned to Romania. [1, 2] Sami grew up in Reghin, Transylvania, where he had to learn a new language. [1] In 1946, his sister was born. [1] The entire family emigrated to Israel in 1961. [1] Sami served in the Israeli Air Force (not as a pilot) and later, in 1968, immigrated to the United States alone, settling in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. [1] After marrying and divorcing, he returned to Israel in 1983. [1] However, in 1988, he moved back to the United States, choosing New York City as his permanent home. [1]

Please note this study guide is based solely on the provided excerpts. Further research may be needed to gain a complete understanding of Sami Stigmann's life and experiences.