Annemarie was born in 1922 in Berlin, Germany. She was a “mischling,” the child of a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother. Her father was a successful corporate attorney who worked for the German steel and heavy metal industry. She experienced anti-Semitism at her school.

Annemarie’s family remained in Berlin throughout the war. They were allowed to stay in their apartment but all their belongings were confiscated and her father was forced to work as a garbage collector. Annemarie was forced to do manual labor, loading cargo. At one point, her father was imprisoned along with other Jewish men who had German wives. Annemarie’s mother never considered leaving her father, despite the family’s numerous hardships. Their lives were in constant danger and since Annemarie’s family was Jewish, they were not permitted to go down into shelters during the raids. A bomb once fell where Annemarie was working and she fractured her skull.

Annemarie witnessed the liberation of Berlin by the Russians. Since her father was one of the few surviving Jews in Berlin, both the Russians and the Americans came to him for advice. Annemarie was instrumental in the capture of a Nazi officer. Annemarie met her husband, a paratrooper, and in 1947 he sent her a visitor’s visa. They were married not long after.

Annemarie chose to live as a Jew. She became a professor at NY State University. Annemarie and her husband had four children.

Local Survivor Annemarie Pinto discusses eugenics and her medical examination by Nazi doctors.

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