Frank Cohn was nine years old when his favorite teacher began wearing a Nazi uniform, classmates sang Nazi songs, and he was chased by a gang of Hitler Youth. Frank outran them. It was 1934 in Germany.

Four years later, Frank’s father went to New York City to secure an affidavit and the family reunited there on October 30, 1938—ten days before antisemitic violence erupted across Germany in an event known as Kristallnacht. “The timing of our escape was indeed a miracle,” said Frank.

After the US entered World War II, Frank was drafted, sworn in as an American citizen, and served in an intelligence unit after the Army learned he could speak German.

Hear Holocaust survivor Frank Cohn’s experiences in his own words recorded on October 19, 2022. First Person is a monthly hour-long discussion featuring a live interview between journalist Bill Benson and a survivor and including questions from the audience, available on the Museum’s YouTube channel.

Learn about life for Jews in prewar Germany:
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/conten...

Read about antisemitic legislation in Germany:
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/conten...

Explore the Americans and the Holocaust exhibition:
https://exhibitions.ushmm.org/america...

Learn about the Ritchie Boys: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/conten...

Read about the Nuremberg trials:
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/conten...