Not a Victim: Tales of Survival in Nazi Budapest

by Thomas Weisshaus, edited by Deborah Barry

This book is a first-hand account of Thomas Weisshaus' experiences as a teenager during the Nazi occupation of Budapest in 1944-45. Beginning in 2003, Tom has visited many schools and organizations in the New England area, sharing his stories of survival and discussing the importance of bearing witness to the tragedies of the Holocaust. Below are some responses to his presentations which tell the story shared in the book.

Some Feedback on Tom's Presentations

"The students found you to be inspiring. Thank you for spending so much time with our students, helping them to contemplate these important issues about the Holocaust."
–teacher, Exeter High School, New Hampshire, October 2006

". . . much appreciation for your time spent visiting my eighth grade class this May. What an impression you left!"
–teacher, Northwood Elementary School, New Hampshire, June 2008

"Thank you. Thank you so much for sharing your incredible, moving, and inspiring story. Like you said, I have become a witness."
–student, Gorham Middle-High School, New Hampshire, March 2009

"Despite the gravity of his story, the gentle Weisshaus more than once made the sometimes shocked students laugh along with him, as he was able to find humor in even the darkest of situations."
–Matt Rittenhouse, Tri-Town Times, June 3, 2010

About the Author

Thomas Weisshaus was born in Budapest and lives in Exeter, New Hampshire. From 1947, the year of his arrival in the United States, until 2003, he incredibly did not speak publicly about his Holocaust experiences. Mr. Weisshaus was motivated to begin telling his story when he became part of the Nottingham Middle School's (New Hampshire) production of Under a Yellow Star (compiled and directed by Anne Sheehan), and has since travelled to numerous locations in New England, telling his story of survival to both school children and adults. On all these occasions, his wife of fifty-five years, Patricia Jeffers Weisshaus, accompanied him, kept smiling, and helped him with her advice, until her death in 2007.

Following one of his presentations in Keene, New Hampshire, a member of his audience, Deborah Barry, a Fellow at the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, offered to tape his speeches with the purpose of turning his stories of survival into a book. With Ms. Barry's essential collaboration, the stories found expression in printed form, and this memoir took shape.

Ordering Information

ISBN: 978-0-9817898-9-7, softcover, 6x9, 96 pages, / $15.00 / Memoir / Publication Date: October 2010.

Visit the author's Website: www.notavictim.net