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Bob MacKenzie Facebook Interview

On Sunday 26th April, Holocaust survivor Bob MacKenzie participated in a live phonecall interview on Facebook Live with Laura Pasternak, a Holocaust Educational Trust Regional Ambassador for Scotland.

Bob Mackenzie – Reflection on Life

Bob talks about the reasons he sees himself as Scottish and reflects on his good fortune in life. INT: You sound so much like just an average Scots person, you really do. Do you think of yourself at all as German anymore? BM: No INT: Not at all? BM: Not a bit. INT: When did … Read more

Bob Mackenzie – Integration

Bob starts work and moves to Renfrew as an apprentice mechanical engineer. He changes his name to Mackenzie to thank the family who rescued his sister and him. He learns about the survival of his parents and the death of his grandfather. He marries and then joins the RAF. He describes his mother’s first visit … Read more

Bob Mackenzie – Life During the War

Bob loses his German but becomes proficient in English. BM:Once the war started we were only allowed to write twenty-five words per month through the Red Cross. When war broke out Janet joined the Land Army and Jessie looked after the house. So over the years one can say that Jessie virtually brought us up. … Read more

Bob Mackenzie – Settling In

Bob describes his new family, the Mackenzies, and their efforts to get his parents out of Germany. BM: Mr Mackenzie’s house consisted of the main house and a small attached cottage. The Mackenzie family were made up of Granny Mackenzie, Mr Mackenzie (a widower) and three daughters; Agnes, Janet and Jessie. The family lived in … Read more

Bob Mackenzie – Immigration

Bob mentions what he can remember of his journey to Britain and his arrival in Selkirk. He goes on to describe his first introduction to the Mackenzie family of Forres. BM: I’m not sure where we joined the train and to this day I have never found out. Unfortunately there is a complete blank from … Read more

Bob Mackenzie – Life Before the War

I was born in the town of Chemnitz in South East Germany. I do not recollect my very early years but in 1933 my father lost his job in Chemnitz and we moved to a small town called Neukirchen, about five miles from Chemnitz. My parents bought a semi-detached house with a large piece of … Read more