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Sylwester B. Knap papers, 1939-2002, Date acquired: 12/11/2002, bulk 1939-1945

 

Summary

Creator:
Knap, Sylwester B., 1929-2018
Extent:
1 folders
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Sylwester B. Knap papers, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_02_0507.

Background

Scope and content:

The Sylwester B. Knap papers contain an oral history transcript and a political prisoner certificate. Knap's oral history focuses on his childhood during the time World War II began in Europe which includes attempting to find refuge in Czestochowa, his experiences in the Gross-Rosen concentration camp, forced labor, mistreatment, camp selections, contracting Typhus, liberation, becoming wounded, finding his family after the war, his uncles involvement in the resistance movement, and his feelings toward talking about the war.

Biographical / historical:

Sylwester B. Knap was born on January 1, 1929 in Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland. Once World War II began, his mother took the family to Czestochowa, Poland where they were detained and deported to Leipzig, Germany. His father was sent to Buchenwald Concentration Camp,  and he was taken to the Gross-Rosen Concentration Camp. With the advance of the Allies, he was sent to Litomerice in Czechoslovakia where he worked in the mines underground. He was liberated by the Russians and was wounded by accident. Once he left the hospital,  he began searching for his family, he found his brother in an orphanage and his father who survived Buchenwald. He passed away on December 16, 2018.

Acquisition information:

Donated.

The oral history was conducted by Rafal S. Knap on November 29, 2002 in Panama City, Florida.

Custodial history:

Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open to all researchers.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Sylwester B. Knap papers, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_02_0507.

Location of this collection:
116 Honors Way
Tallahassee
FL
32306-2047
USA