German-born Jew on Interrogating Nazi Prisoners of War | Victor Brombert 

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Victor Brombert was my professor in the early 1980s. More than any other person I have ever known, he embodies the highest values of civilization.

The fact that this gentleman is 98 years old is insane, he does not look a day older than 75. Respect.

My father in law was a German Jew who left before the war and later joined the British army. He was an intelligence officer with the occupation forces. He said that the people who informed on their neighbours for being Nazis were the same people who informed on their neighbours for being Jewish under the Nazi regime.

(18:20) "I am proud of not having succumbed to vulgarity and to meanness (I am proud because of my grandmother's advice to maintain my dignity and my self respect) throughout these events". Golden attitude. Much respect.

Brombert was my professor in the late 1990s. He was magical and a brilliant teacher. His undergraduate classes had up to 400 students in them and he was a cult figure and people would take things he said and start saying them themselves. What an amazing teacher!

Wonderful story! My father too was a Ritchie Boy. He was from Austria. He spent 11 months in Dachau He got out through diplomatic channels, came to the USA, went to Camp Hale Colorado and 3rd Armored Division His name was Rudolf Antmann. My father never talked about it either. Did you ( or anyone?) happen to know him? There is a picture of him interrogating prisoners after page 123 in the book, Spearhead in the West, Third Armored Division. These men were so courageous and so humble- just everyday men doing what had to be done. My sister and I are so proud of him and of all of these men. They were truly heroes.

He is almost 100 years old and is much brighter of the mind than people half his age. I am so glad his spirit didn't parish in the war. We have so much to learn from him.

“ My Grandmother told me to do my best to maintain my dignity and self respect….. I was not interested in being a hero. “. Spoken like every true hero. I’m glad he told his story. Thank you.

One major thing I learnt in my service is..”Kindness is not a weakness...”

My dad was also a German Jew who was trained at Camp Ritchie. He was attached to Patton's Third Army

This gentleman is an example of how humility, civility,and empathy can be rewarded with knowledge and longevity

I have known Victor since 1961. He and my father Ivo were professors at Yale, and good friends. Most recently, my wife and I visited with Victor and his wife Beth in Paris a few years ago. Beyond his erudition, charm, and a lifetime sharing his wisdom and knowledge with students and readers, his conviction that "convalescence" is the assignment for survivors, his positive we-must-get-on-with-it attitude is the very prescription not just for survival, but for how to thrive in a difficult world.

This gent is a master of the understatement... 'we landed on Omaha beach and made our way to the top of the bluff, it was quite difficult.'

Imagine spending a full day with this guy. You could literally listen to his experiences all day. What an awesome human being.

This guy would have easily been one of my neighbors, high school teachers, etc. I miss this generation so much. My grandparents are gone, and we're loosing more and more of them by the day. They have amazing stories.

Today, (4/1/24), I just learned the last survivor of Pearl Harbor died at 102. The stories of people like this man have been precious to me since I met a concentration camp survivor came to my classroom and told us her story about her war. This was in '77 and I was 12. World War II had held my shocked amazement since. Whenever I see or read stories like this one, I always stop and absorb their lessons. Few survivors of the war that changed everything still live. Listen to them.

Not a trace of bitterness. This man is amazing.

As a Special Agent in US Army Intelligence 1968-1971, I find this gentleman astonishing. I am 75 yro and he is in better shape than I am. How he survived Nazi Germany is an absolute miracle. His face actually resembles mine and my Grandfather's. We have ancestors that came to the USA from Alpine Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

He reminds me of an old survivor of Auschwitz I met in Poland. Cheerful and sharp as a tack with the camp number still tattooed on his arm. For him, every day he was healthy and happy was another victory over the nazis.

In addition to his great accomplishments during the war, he also became a distinguished chaired professor of literary criticism at Princeton. But his greatest achievement was undoubtedly to remain such a decent and lovely human being despite all he had to deal with, and despite living in a world where such behavior is sadly becoming ever harder to find.

The fact that someone can see the horrors of war and watch his people be exterminated and then somehow be this kind and sympathetic blows my mind. Thank you for your service! 🙏 👏

Their is an amazing book written about German born Jewish soldiers in the U.S army working as interpreters and I never thought I would get to see an interview of one of these men. The book is called “Sons and Soldiers” if anyone wants to learn more.

This man's story is priceless. He was allowed to tell his story without evident interruptions by the interviewer. Well done! His modest, self-deprecating storytelling style was wonderful to listen to. I could imagine myself sitting and being enthralled, listening to one of his lectures. I learned best from engaging professors like him. A heartfelt thank you to Master Sargeant Victor Bombert for sharing your story with us. Words cannot adequately express my appreciation well enough to the American Veterans Center staff for recording interviews like this before these people are no longer able to share their stories with us in their own words with their own voice. Very moving!

I read the book about the "Richie Boys". German born Jews who emigrated to USA as children or young adults and served in the war as interrogators and military intelligence. The book is awesome and spellbinding as it follows several men from childhood in Germany to their participation in the war. Many Jewish parents sent their oldest male ahead to America and the rest of the family couldn't escape and faced certain death. I heartily commend this man and all the others who served our country.

OMG. We can't thank this man and his peers... enough. He has humor, yet gets serious quickly. I love how he was able to speak without interruption of some eager interviewer. This man is priceless.

This is fascinating. Normandy, Hurtgen Forest, Belgium, Berlin. What an experience. Just a 20 year old kid. No wonder he never talked about it. Wow.

Having served in combat as an Infantryman, this MSG is 100% correct about the Medics. They are the real heroes. This MSG is the type of man that we viewed as an inspiration in the world of the Infantry during my time frame of service as we were fortunate to meet many of the Greatest Generation, of which this Man is an outstanding example of.

My uncle was a WW2 vet who passed while I was in college. I really regret not recording an oral history. I was able to research his service and figures out his unit etc. However, I think these oral histories are priceless.

This gentleman is an amazing human being with a more amazing story to tell. We should all be happy he was around to tell us his experiences. Thank you Victor Brombert for all that you have done and share with us. You are part of what makes the United States of America unique. We sometimes forget that most of us are from immigrants stock. Whether or not we acknowledge that fact is our responsibility.

What a life story! A gentleman from a generation of men to be respected and heard. I could listen to him all day.

“I am proud, not to have succumbed to vulgarity and meanness” and that is everything to me

What a lovely man. In some ways he reminds me of my dad, but my dad [A Royal Marine Commando] didn't have the comfort of knowing that he had maintained his civility and decency not just during WW2 but more significantly, in the many 'small wars' he was involved in post WW2. Like this gentleman, my father rarely talked about his experiences but towards the end of his life he began 'confessing' to certain things and it explained a lot about the anger/rage that was ever-present in my childhood.

Your video resonated as my father had a virtually similar experience. Jewish family . Escaped Nazi Germany (Munich) in early 1940 at age 14 - late as far as Nazi Jewish purges but the theory is that my Grandfather was a MD and was protected by friends as long as possible. Made it to Seattle via Moscow and the German embassy that was still in operation in 1940, Yokahama, Seattle, and New York. Entered the U.S. Army at 17. And while he was not a one of the (Camp) Ritchie Boys in so far as I know, when he returned with a purple heart from Sicily with the Third Army, he was assigned to interrogate German P.O.W.s in New Jersey at a Ritter's tomato farm. Amazing stories. For me, truly the "Greatest Generation." Thank you Mr. Brombert!

An exemplary human being. To remain that humble and optimistic after seeing the intense horrors of war is incredible.

Fascinating interview, the man is incredibly lucid, intelligent for his age.Thank you for your service and the first person telling of stories that will no longer be possible within a few years!

The way this gentleman explains his war ordeal, is just fa tactics. His way of thinking and behaving makes him a real PROPER HUMAN. Everyone should behAve similarly. Thand you!!!❤❤

He may not have been concerned with being a hero but he most certainly is.

He must be very strong to stay himself after all he went through . A man with a big heart .

What a fabulous example of a human being To have his experience and to retain is humanity is the highest complement and respect If only we had leaders with these qualities The planet may be in a better place

This man is a treasure - quiet and modest in the face of everything he's and done. So glad you were able to interview and record him for a posterity that needs to know this stuff. Thanks.

The Hurtgen Forest was known as a "meat grinder"..this gentleman went through hell on earth ...thank you for your service and all you sacrificed of your life!

There are so many amazing people in this world, Victor Brombert is among those who should be soaked up / listened to. Unbelievable at 98 years old, all the horror he had witnessed, all he had been through and to have such a beautiful attitude. Victor is why I cannot stand to listen to anyone who is healthy complain about anything....he's a hero in the highest regard. Thank you for posting this video.

My father-in-law was born in Cologne, Germany. He arrived in the US in 1935 as a 15 year old. During WWII he enlisted and was trained at Camp Richie for the Counter Intelligence Corps. He always wore a rank one rank higher than the POW he would interrogate.

What a wonderful man. Following what my grandmother told me, to carry yourself with dignity. Unfortunately there are far to many in this world who don’t do that.

My uncle Col. James V Collier was a pow in ww2. He was on the Bataan Death March. He passed in 1976 but recorded his story a few years prior. I'm fortunate to have his story saved. He experienced humanity at its worst. These people endured unimaginable situations and those brave enough to preserve their experiences for the future generations to learn first hand are indeed heroes in a day of political correctness and censorship.

“I was not interested in being a hero.” But Sir, You are a hero.

Many people don't know that many foreigners served in the US Armed Forces. My dad immigrated from Germany to the US in 1953. In 1955, he was drafted into the Army. He served in Japan and Korea as a MP.

What a lovely, lovely man. The best kind of human being. I have such respect for him and his humane behavior during such a terrible time in history. So pleased to have seen this video. Thank you.

What a true gentleman this man is.

Amazing, extraordinary, astonishing; clearly this man's first language is not English. Yet, he speaks far, far better English than that virtually all Americans, or British, and more importantly so well spoken. This 20 minutes of his experience is priceless. He presents, the big picture, and the day to day life to include witnessing a 2 star General speak in a way as if he was totally detached from reality. Like most WW II vets he left those experiences behind after the war, hopefully most of his experiences have been documented, great work..

This man's story was instructive, moving and inspiring. The Center's work is most valuable. As we say in Australia: 'Lest we forget'.

"If I survive, I'll never complain. And if I survive, I'll always try to give pleasure to others and to myself." What an amazing, lovely man! You Sir, an inspiration to me.

This should be a movie. Amazing story. Amazing human being.

What a wonderful interview! He must be 95 at the youngest and much sharper than I am! I love his attitude and he must have been a great teacher whose students got a lot out of his classes. Thank You so much for preserving these memories and this first person history! I wish we had this much information from WWI and especially Civil War veterans.

11:43 Very moving story, the dead medic doing his job, putting himself literally between the bullet and the man he was trying to save, trying to help. * That * is a hero.

Truly inspiring, thank you so much! "My grandmother's advice: maintain my dignity and my self respect throughout all these things". Never behaved in ways he would be ashamed of. Didn't talk about the war because that is not what he was fixated on.

wow! what an amazing life! Thank you, sir! I salute you! I did 10 years in the U.S. Army with service in Iraq. So I am honored to be your brother- in-arms!

My late father was technically still an Italian citizen when he enlisted after Pearl Harbor - he was a legal resident and had applied. Granted citizenship before he attended OCS. My people escaped (barely) from fascist Italy in 1924 with what they wore. Some to America, others to various parts of Europe. A great uncle was wanted by the Gestapo for hiding Hungarian Jews

98 years old? The value of having three native languages, and then a fourth (English) to live by. That will keep a mind fresh.

So, two minutes into the video and I see he's fluent in Russian, German, French and English. I assume Hebrew as well. Mad skills.

Victor Bromert seems very well educated, as if a college professor, and seems well to do. He deserves every bit of it because he did everything he could to ensure Allied victory.

Not enough people in the world, like this man. Been through much more than anyone deserved to see, or experience, and still humane to speak of these things as he does.

My father served in WW2 in the US Navy. He saw action in North Africa and Sicily. and then finished out the war in Okinawa. This video is absolutely riviting. Thank you sir.

I can hear, French, German and American in him. His accent is very lovely to listen to. Very intelligent man and very brave!

Moving, eloquent, this man’s humanity shines out from his war experiences. I would like to have met him, paid my respects and ask a million questions. Thank you for producing this.

Thank you for your service, Sargeant Brombert. We are honored to hear your story.

Thanks for your service sir! You are a hero to me. My grandfather John M.Shoemaker,Pfc. served with 2nd platoon,G co.,2nd battalion, 253rd regiment, 63rd Division( attached to the 44th Division for Operation Norwind),U.S. 7th Army, ETO. He earned CIB,Bronze star for valor, purple heart, bronze star for service and presidential unit citation ribbon among other medals in 4 months of combat from 12-31-44 to 4-8-45. By the end of April, the 63rd liberated the Kaufering complex of concentration camps at Landsberg, Germany. They are listed as liberators in the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC. My grandfather almost never talked about the War. Thanks again, J.R.S.,Jr.,Esq.

Some might say he's lucky to be alive but quite the contrary, he's alive despite of the horrible circumstances he indurred. What an amazing story. I have the utmost respect for him.

Victor is a great storyteller. Loved listening to him.

This man is amazing. It takes Strong Human Willpower for an individual to survive such conditions. He describes every situation in crisp detail. He saw things that most of us only see in the movies. May he continue to live a Blessed Life. Respect.

These are the stories, not legends, that have unfortunately taken a backseat to the narrative of enemies instead of celebrating and thanking the everyday, unrecognized heroes. All of the heroes. Thank you for doing that.

About 18 months ago I was contacted by a man who was the curator for the museum being constructed at Camp Ritchie. It was only then that I discovered that my father was a Ritchie Boy. We knew he had been at Camp Ritchie but he never mentioned being a part of this elite group of men. Although he never went to war he became a booby trap expert. He had made friends with another GI and his wife and I asked if he also was a Ritchie Boy. I notified his family to let them know about their Dad being a Ritchie Boy. They were as shocked as my family and I.

These stories are amazing Great men these were/are

The book SONS and SOLDIERS chronicles the exploits of Victor and several others. It is a fascinating and very informative history read about the Richie boys, an important and fascinating yet overlooked part of WW2

I admire that he didn't want to be a hero, he was born a survivor, and wanted to continue surviving. He wasn't afraid to admit he ran for his life during battles, but he never deserted. He had a healthy and wise way of dealing with danger.

MSG Brombert can never be called “foreigner”. He EARNED his citizenship. Thank you for giving me a chance to serve. And for my freedom, Master Sergeant Brombert. You handled your business.

My college roommates dad was a Richie Boy. His name was Max Ulmer. He was put in with German POWs to get real time information.

This mans story should be made into a film.God bless you and thank u for your service!!!

R E S P E C T Sir. Thank you. Thank you for your service. Thank you for being a decent human being in a difficult time. Thank you for sharing your experiences in a such an eloquent way.

He has a noble spirit. I’m sure he is a blessing to all who know him. It’s people like him who are the good in the world.

This is a real gentleman. As a Frenchman I especially like the part about the French denunciating others.

The War Department selected Camp Albert C. Ritchie, a 632-acre camp near Cascade, Maryland. The camp had been used by the Maryland National Guard since 1926 and had been named after the governor of Maryland at the time. The state of Maryland leased the camp to the US government. ~ The War Department shortened the name of the camp to “Camp Ritchie.” It was also known as the MITC, or the Military Intelligence Training Center. Colonel Charles Banfill of the US Army Air Corps served as the camp’s first commanding officer. The camp officially opened on June 19, 1942. The camp’s flag showed a German military map and a silver star with the letters “MITC” and a motto in Latin: “Fas est et ab hoste doceri” (“You must learn from the enemy”). GOD Bless, Heal, & Keep them All and their families. Be Safe out there. Peace & Health to Us All.

What a joy to listen to this gentleman. Amazing experiences & amazing he seems to hold no ill feelings to anyone.

My Great Grandmother was 82 when she told me of my heritage. They moved south to get away from the turmoil. She said the war that started all the wars followed them . They saw it all start. One town over, the day the world changed.. Next thing she knew they were on a ship, an extended family of sorts on their way to the promised land. She said people should remember where they came from and why they left, to make sure it does not happen again. She was born in 1892.

This is an extremely well-told account of an “ordinary” man’s wide range of experiences during a time of extreme upheaval and danger. Thoroughly fascinating and I’m glad to have heard it.

I could listen to this gentleman endlessly.

It is amazing how present his German accent still is.

We need to help support more veterans like this American hero instead of supporting rappers or sports or pointless political schemes that only divide Americans

Thank you for sharing your personal story including your courage to serve for freedom 👍

Cannot imagine the strength of his parents ... I have a hard time surviving the nonsense of what is going on today in 2023 ... This will remind me to suck it up and move forward. Thank you SIR!!!!

This man is a true hero. He is an example of what his generation sacrificed for and successfully left this country. I wish I could spend time with him and speak with him.

Thank you Master Sargeant for your service 🇺🇸

I took a course in the 19th Century French novel from Dr. Brombert at Yale in 1970. While I had great respect for his intellectual strength, I now have a completely different understanding and appreciation of him as a human being - from this interview, and from the documentary, "The Ritchie Boys."

My family fled Russia, too. It's amazing that there are still legends like this man out there.

My Dad was a Richie’s Boy, and I’m very proud of what he did.

"in Germany, it's hard to make people denounce, or make them speak". All you need to know about German stubbornness...

This man is the true definition of what mankind aspires to be. He restores my faith in humanity. Exceptional human being.

It seems most Vets didn't talk about the war until they were in their 80s. My dad was different, because while in his late 60s we took a tour of the B17G Sentimental Journey, a plane of the type he trained to be a flight mechanic on. After that he broke down in tears and talked about losing his best friend. He came from a small town where there were only 6 boys in the graduating class and only three survived, my dad, obviously, his brother and one other I never met. When I was in Jr. High, my English teacher was quiet about what he had been through, but we found out through other teachers that during the war a grenade was thrown into an enclosed area and he threw himself on top of it to save his friends and was terribly wounded losing his lower jaw and many stomach issues. Plastic surgery had done wonders on his face. Years later I worked at a medical center and saw the Army Surgeon General's series on wounds and what amazed me is just how may terrible, terrible face wounds were. One was a young man, nose, and both jaws shot off, and there were a number of photos of him as his plastic surgery began to progress. Then, in about 1990, a plastic surgery journal did a follow up on him, he looked wonderful, had gotten married, had a great job and had kids! Totally amazing.

This is an absolute treasure, and my favorite thing Ive seen from any media in a very long time; I’m so glad it’s recorded for posterity. I could listen to him talk all day long. He could make reading the ingredients from a shampoo bottle sound interesting. I’d so happily listen for days to a many-episode podcast of his entire life story in great detail (...and now that I think about it, somebody seriously needs do that! Probably be the greatest story most people have ever heard).