In this book, Irene Levin Berman tells the story of her father’s heroic attempts to save the Jews of Norway, as well as hundreds of stateless refugees who escaped to Norway in the 1930s, from deportation to Nazi concentration camps during World War II. In 1962 Marcus Levin was awarded a Medal of Honor by King Olav of Norway for his efforts.

In The Price of Survival: Marcus Levin, Norwegian Holocaust Humanitarian, Irene Levin Berman tells the story of her father’s heroic attempts to save the Jews of Norway, as well as hundreds of stateless refugees who had escaped other European countries in the 1930s, from deportation to Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Marcus Levin worked tirelessly to help Jews before and after the Nazis invaded Norway, and after the war he worked with the American Joint Distribution Committee and organizations in Norway such as the Jewish Social Unit to help find homes and jobs for the few Norwegian Jews who survived the concentration camps as well as about 600 stateless Displaced Persons. In 1962 Marcus Levin was awarded a gold Medal of Honor by King Olav of Norway in recognition of his efforts during World War II.

List of Illustrationsvii

Personal Introduction

Preface

Acknowledgments

Why This Story . . . ?3

1900: Beginning of a New Century5

The Levin Family00

Father’s Life in Oslo00

Pre-War Years00

April 9, 1940: War00

1941: The War Continues00

October–November 1942: Germans Pursue the Jews00

October 24-November 1942: Escape to Sweden00

November 25–26, 1942: Escape and Arrest of Jewish

Women and Children00

The Donau—The Death Ship00

The Extermination of Jews in Auschwitz00

Efforts to Save Lives00

1942–1946: Working in Sweden00

Refugees and the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)00

The War Is Over—Back to Norway00

1947: Father’s Philosophy—Personal Unresolved Issues00

1945: Returning from the Holocaust00

Return from Auschwitz: Post-war Contact with the Norwegian

Government in London00

1946: Displaced Persons00

1948: The European Children’s Camp in Norway00

1938: A Jewish Children’s Home in Oslo—Boys and Girls

from Vienna00

1953–1955: Minus Refugees00

Circa 1960: Reconstruction in Norway after the War00

Compensation for Norwegians00

The King of Norway and the Watch00

1965: Father’s Last Years00

Our Family Becomes Part of the JDC00

1943–1946: Childhood Memories of Sweden00

Learning about the Meaning of the Holocaust00

Growing up Both Norwegian and Jewish00

Looking Back with Ruth00

January 2012: The Prime Minister of Norway Apologizes to the

Norwegian Jews00

My Philosophy Connected to Prime Minister Stoltenberg00

About the Author00