My Voice: Hans Rose

Hans Rose was born in 1928 in Münster. His happy childhood with his parents and sister Eva was shattered by the rise of the Nazi regime. After the devastating impact of Kristallnacht and his father’s imprisonment in Buchenwald, the family emigrated to England in August 1939, a month before the outbreak of war. Settling in Glossop posed challenges, notably his father’s internment as an ‘enemy alien’ on the Isle of Man.

The book depicts Hans’s education, successful career in Manchester’s textile sector, and a content family life with his wife Adele and three daughters. Hans’s passion for sailing and outdoor pursuits, love of travel and optimism shine throughout his post-war narrative. Hans also reflects on his complex relationship with Germany and the tragic fate of Münster’s Jewish community.

Hans’s book is part of the My Voice book collection, a stand-alone project of The Fed, the leading Jewish social care charity in Manchester, dedicated to preserving the life stories of Holocaust survivors and refugees from Nazi persecution who settled in the UK. The oral history, which is recorded and transcribed, captures their entire lives from before, during and after the war years. The books are written in the words of the survivor so that future generations can always hear their voice. The My Voice book collection is a valuable resource for Holocaust awareness and education.