My Father's Last Request: The Story of David (Dugo) Leitner

Рет қаралды 30,010

Жыл бұрын

David (Dugo) Leitner was born in 1930 in the city of Nyíregyháza in Hungary, to an orthodox Jewish family. On March 19, 1944, the Germans entered Hungary and the day after Passover, all the Jews of the city were sent to the ghetto. After six weeks they were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Upon their arrival at the camp, the family was separated. Dugo remained in Birkenau with about 4,000 other children. On January 18, 1945, he was forced to go on a death march to Mauthausen and from there to Gunskirchen. He was liberated there in May 1945. Dugo immigrated to Israel in 1949 and was immediately drafted into the IDF. He is one of the founders of Moshav Nir Galim where he lives to this day. Dugo married Sarah and they have two daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Every January 18, the date he was sent on the death march, Dugo eats falafel as a tribute to his survival. In 2016 the Testimony House in Nir Galim, initiated "Operation Dugo". As part of this, people from Israel and across the world eat falafel on January 18 and take a photograph with a sign that says "Operation Dugo - Am Yisrael Chai (The People of Israel Live)".

Пікірлер: 50

@angeladutchlady6464 Жыл бұрын

Dear dear David, thanks for sharing your story!! What a tragedy you had to endure. I am so glad you survived and are able to share what happened to you, your beloved parents and your siblings. You did what your father asked you and i will never forget what you told. Your story really touched my heart. Big hug for you from the NEtherlands and thanks again for sharing. Deep respect!

@dalferr Жыл бұрын

Today is January 18 - Sad history, may we never forget, never forgive!

@debbykanner7363 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your story from Philadelphia. My father was an Auschwitz survivor but never told stories. I wish he had. You are an inspiration ❤

@helenh493 Жыл бұрын

Its too bad, he (your father) didn't at least tell your family. All testimonies are important to give and to hear. If it was too painful for him to tell "everyone" us strangers, its understandable. But its too-bad not to relate to his immediate family, as it is part of "His Story" (of his life), and it would have given his deceased loved ones (his family and friends) long past, he would have given them, "their" testimony, through him. That they too were part of these Horrors, that they lived and they died... and that they all Mattered. But, I know the frustration of this absence of information from your fathers life. My father lived in Poland, but left before Hitler came and conquered there. But, I have a sister 13 years older than me, when she was a young girl he told her of Russian soldiers and (of course) Polish soldiers, in their town. He also told my older brother (4 years older), about the boat ride (ship), coming to America, and living in Chicago, before living in Indiana, where he married, lived, raised us kids, and stayed until he died. I never heard much of his hardships (through him), it came from my older siblings. Being his youngest, I think he wanted to treat me with more happy information. for instance, about how he and my mother met, (they were kind of pushed together, by friends and relatives they both knew. I understand back-then, a lot of these old country folk (Jewish, Polish, and other European countries) did this kind of "match making". if they liked it or not. lol. My mother & father would tell me of their courtship and other 'nice' memories. Isn't it strange and funny also, to give each different child a different view of their parents, in different times in their lives. But never telling the Whole Story.

@Mulvers Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing these histories. May they never be forgotten

@NorthBelle 11 ай бұрын

We ✡ will make sure they are NEVER forgotten. 🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯

@dovhamburger2323 Жыл бұрын

What an incredible story, and such a man,he kept all his belief in spite of the horrors he went through & now surrounded by his family, he deserves all our love an appreciation.

@itamardias17 Жыл бұрын

Love and respect from Brazil. Thank you for sharing your story. Shalom.

@silviatenenbaum6876 Жыл бұрын

Toda raba David!!! I will remember your life story. Shalom.

@Bluesman2509 Жыл бұрын

A real man and hero...an inspiration.

@user-hi3cp2bo5q Жыл бұрын

I had an uncle who lived with his family in Nyredhaza. He was killed with his wife at Birkenau. Hs name was Weisz Jakab. His name and his wife's name are in the Name Remembrance at Yad Vashem. He was survived by his 3 sons. One of the 3 lived in Israel and had a son named Yaakov in memory of his grand father.

@helenh493 Жыл бұрын

I'm So Sorry about your family's loss.. but still, he and his wife were survived "3 Times"! How Wonderful is that! His family's generations will live-on through their boys. God Bless your uncle and his generations to come. And God Bless You Too, as being part of the same family.. But also for telling "your" piece of Testimony, which is no less important than anyone elses testimonies. They are all Important.

@ernatillmann Ай бұрын

Vielen Dank das sie diese Traurige Geschichte mit uns Teilen. ❤ Meine Oma und meine Mutter waren in Ausschwitz Bergen Belsen, sie haben uns nichts erzählt. Manchmal hörte man etwas und machte sich dann seine Gedanken. Heute weiss ich alles von den Grausamkeiten Die meine Familie erlebt haben. Und es macht mich jeden Tag Traurig. Ich finde es sehr mutig das David hier seine traurige Geschichte erzählt. Vielen Dank und haben die noch ein gutes Leben. 🙏🙏 Shalom Shabbat 🙏🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🙏

@JosephRice-df3fs Жыл бұрын

You are a great man, Dugo. The world needs to remember you and yours for what you have been through. Those gone will not be forgotten while your story lives on.

@samanthaesra4035 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your wonderful survival story and for teaching us.

@anningram9311 Жыл бұрын

Dear David.....thank you for sharing this story. Im sure you are glad your Dad said "Survive". Bless you.

@helenh493 Жыл бұрын

A wonderful story of testimony from a boy to a man, he never gave-in nor gave-up, he kept his with and his faith with him throughout his horrific, hellish ordeal of the concentration camp and the deaths so near to him, and miracles of miracle.. he beat the odds and lived through it all and kept his faith and his humor intact. Bless David (Dugo), and his family.. his childhood family in heaven, and the family he and his wife created together.

@ericahalmai8490 Жыл бұрын

Dear David, you are a great man, I glad you are survived, & tell your story, ..we will never forget ,what had happened 😰🇦🇺🙏God bless you & family 💕

@aaronobryan9715 Жыл бұрын

I appreciate and hear their testimonies with such respect

@missywead872 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your testimony. I have read about, seen many documentaries and I don’t think I have ever come across one where someone had been tattooed twice with the former one being marked out. A very unique part of your story. I think it’s beautiful that when you wanted to end it all, you stopped yourself because you wanted to, had to, honor your dad’s last request. God bless.❤️✡️

@seemarajderkar3019 11 ай бұрын

What a touching yet beautiful lifestory Dugo narrated !! Glad that Dugo and his brother survived. Dugo is indeed a jolly funny man, because inspite of sour memories of the past, he manages to smile !! If Dugo is alive, he must be 93 years old!! I salute his fighting spirit. A Big Hearty Clap to the team of YAD VASHEM for making this super lovely film with real places,sites and wonderful photography. Thanks Yad Vashem, for keeping the bygone era and the people alive!!

@dianemardis8964 Жыл бұрын

This was a superb testimony! Bless him and his family. ❤️

@oatmeal67robin7 Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing with us your incredible story ! May God bless you 1005 More for all you did lose before !

@karenrichardson8918 Жыл бұрын

I'm glad these stories are preserved. what horrors! and what resolve on his part!

@haroldgardner9463 11 ай бұрын

Thank you for your testimony! May God bless you and your family!

@judithjordan154 10 ай бұрын

Thank you, Sir, for your testimony.

@53evi Жыл бұрын

Köszönöm szépen !😊

@wandacree2053 11 ай бұрын

I cried when I read your story, but you did rise again from the ashes and achieve a happy ending, but you should never have had to gone through what you experienced. It was inhumane. God Bless you and your family.

@nopcspokenhere1235 Жыл бұрын

God forgive our sins! God bless Dugo.

@pipnipipa7627mimmahappunchaol 10 ай бұрын

❤heart touching

@erzonca558 9 ай бұрын

Never forget!

@MrKismarko 11 ай бұрын

I’m also born in Nyíregyháza.😢

@Kat-pe3gq Жыл бұрын

I need to drink myself silly just to hear these stories

@peace-now Жыл бұрын

This happened right at the end of the war. Why murder these people then? Why?

@IRosamelia Жыл бұрын

The nazis didn't want witnesses and they hated jews and wanted to get rid of them. Also, murder makes them feel powerful. Awful disgusting mindset.

@KaceyIlliot Жыл бұрын

I think they took them on that death march to use as human shields. The nazis were cowards.

@quarto79 Жыл бұрын

Hazak veemaz!

@robertgronowski6341 Жыл бұрын

The interviewee makes a big deal out of not being able to "bathe or change clothes". What happened to European Jewry is horrific. But what did he expect? They were Jewish prisoners and enemies of the Reich, what did he expect? But, yes, what happened to this man is horrific!

@erzonca558 9 ай бұрын

STOP HATRED! STOP EVIL! STOP ANTISEMITISM! STOP ROBERT GRONOWSKI! Obys sie spalil w piekle!

@robertgronowski6341 Жыл бұрын

I feel.extremely bad for the non religious Jews that were murdered and tortured.😟😟 honestly

@mehmeteminkadiroglu1994 Жыл бұрын

But non Jewish population didn't got exterminated. 6 million died. If they were alive jews population would be 25 million today

@robertgronowski6341 Жыл бұрын

@@mehmeteminkadiroglu1994 europe was infested with juden's. Now, palestine is infested with juden's😒, Free palestine!