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This is Gary Swanson. Interviewing Eugene Leibovitz. At his home in Prairie Village, Kansas on January 4th, 2005 for the historic Garment District project. Here in Kansas City. And also for the. Veterans History Project. Jean was born on April 5th, 1924. In Czechoslovakia. He's a Holocaust survivor.

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He came to the United States as part of a law that Harry Truman, President Truman, had signed in which we allowed 64,000, 65,000 displaced of displaced persons under the Displaced Persons Act, and many of these people are of course survivors of camps and and ghettos in

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Europe. Gene and his wife were one of those two of those people. They came with a 6 month old child, with a 6 month old child. His wife is Kate. They were married on August 5th, 1944, and that's an interesting story, uh, which we'll hear later.

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They actually by a rabbi, by a rabbi, and subsequently they were married in 1965 after they had three children. And 4 children here in schools and he's a very well known fashion designer in the Kansas City garment industry, which was huge at around the time that

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he came in the 1950s and 191960s. Gene, uh, you were born in Czechoslovakia, where you're in a small village, a small village, about 18,000 population. Well, that's a nice size. And what was the name of the village? Belahovo. Belahovo. It's also a county seat of that

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area. The county seat? Yes. And, uh, uh, what did your daddy do for a living? My father and my grandfather were both custom tailors. They were both custom tailors in this town of, of 18,000. And, uh, your mother, what was her name and her maiden name?

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Her maiden name was Shari, S H A R I. And what was her, uh, first name? Schwartz, S C H W A R T Z. Um-hum. And so they, they met, uh, where they were both residents of that same town. Yes. And they met there and,

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uh, married. And your father probably worked for his father. In the tailor shop. I, uh, my grandfather died before I I see. You know. So, the only thing is my father, um, was about 1934 or so. We had three children. I had a brother and a

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sister and told us, look, the world doesn't look good. I want you to learn a trade, cause I don't know what's going to happen if you have a war or something. Wherever you're going to be, all you need is a thimble and a needle. And that's

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the thing that really saved my life. Because during the war, I was in, for one year making uniforms for the SS and Gestapo. You, you learned, uh, you, did you learn your trade at your daddy's knee? Yes. Um-hum. I learned, well, I learned the trade. I

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was pretty good also. Not only I was good, I think I was talented because for my age, I, very early, I, I was pretty good. So, it's something you can learn, but it's something you have to have. Um-hum. Did you, uh, were you the youngest of

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the three children? I was the youngest. You were the baby? What was your brother's name? Sandor, S A, N D O R. And what was your, uh, sister's name? My sister's name is Lily, L I L L Y. Incidentally, only the two of us are left

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from our family, my sister and I. And did, uh, did your, you all survived the Holocaust, or? My sister survived it, was, uh, Uh, in Auschwitz. And she has a tattoo on her arm and, I was in labor camp. OK. And did, uh, uh, did your

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mother and father survive the war? No. Were they taken away to a camp in. They were perished in the ghetto in, in Daraa, and from there they were deported to Auschwitz, and I have from the Red Cross reports, my father was, um, three months before the

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war ended, the last time I heard from him, and I was told that he died of typhus. And I have no records of anybody. And your brother. My brother was born in Yugoslavia and after 5 years the machine gunned down all the boys. OK. They machine

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gunned all the survivors. And both sets of grandparents were taken into our seas, I don't have any living relative except my sister. Yes, and when you, Actually, even in 1946, 1947, the only living relatives were your. Sister and yourself. Well, I, at that time, I didn't

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even know my sister was alive. Later we found each other through the Red Cross. Um-hum. OK, and you were born in 1924, so, uh, when the, And let's say in 1940 when it started heating up in 1938, the pogroms in 1938. Well, in, in 1938, anti-Semitism

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was. Almost instantly in Czech, during the Czech regime, it was a very close to a democracy that I would say, very close to America. But the minute the Hungarians, I, I tell you, I don't know if I tell you a story, but, Uh, the part of

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Czechoslovakia I came from prior to World War I became, was the Hungarian Austrian monarchy. So many of the people, like my parents who spoke Hungarian because they were born in the area. So when, in 1938, November the 10, When they invaded Czechoslokia, that part, they, many

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of the Jewish people were standing in line and, and were very happy to see the Hungarians. And most people had a beard. The very first night, the soldiers came in, they grabbed the beer from Jewish people and cuddled in a bayonet. That was. Then we had

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to form a Jewish committee that they could negotiate with. So from then I started everything. It's a long history because we have to prove that you are, how many years we lived there, otherwise, you have to take your license. Even as a tailor, you needed a

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license there. Sure. And it's a long story. I can go on probably for an hour. How many years were you, uh, when did you start apprenticing to your dad to be a tailor? Well, uh, you know, I, I, I was 7 years old when I started

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piddling around, but at that time already, I was taking a little pieces of silk and painting on it and doing things. I, it, it was just something that came automatically to me. Uh, by the time, uh, I was 14 years old, I can make a suit.

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By the time you were 14, you could make a suit. Now when, uh, Hitler invaded, uh, they came into Czechoslovakia. In, in your town, uh, of the 18,000 people, how many people were Jewish and how many were non-Jewish? I have here the history of the city,

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and we had 8000 Jews. So almost half of the people were Jews. Out of the 8000, we had a world reunion in Tel Aviv, Israel, uh, about 15 years ago, and there was a total of known Holocaust was close to 500. Out of the town. Um-hum.

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Um-hum. But immediately when the Germans invaded, then you had this, uh, neighbor, everybody was against the Jews. Well, it's like, it's not just it was against it, it, you know, they, They They started, they gave ordinances. They formed a committee, a Jewish committee. I also have

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the history, how they knew who it was, everything, because I don't know if I, how much time we have to tell you a story. We were in Budapest, uh, my wife and I, my wife's mother was alive. She died 10 years ago. So, in during the

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37 years or so, we went back 17 times to visit her and took all my children one time each. Uh, it, during that time, they opened a Jewish museum in Budapest, which was destroyed during the war. It was the opening. My wife and I went to

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the, Museum, and there was one tour guide who spoke English also. And then he knew that we were from America, he gave us a card. He said, listen, I have some things maybe would interest you. Why don't you come up to my apartment. And I really

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didn't think nothing of it. Next day we go to a, a, uh, The shop, the pastry shop, and here's the man again. He says, Why don't you come up? So he went up there. He had a bunch of stolen merchandise like silver candelabras and things he's

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doing the war that they took from Jewish people, and he wanted me to buy some of them, which of course I wouldn't do it, but I, I looked at his, he had a shelf with library of books, and I found a book which says the history

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of the Jewish people from 1929. To date, and I said I want to buy that book. The man didn't want to sell it to me. It was already about 80 years old. Anyway, I offered him $50 200 dollars, $250. I said, I bought it. I brought

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the book with me. I stopped in London where the chief rabbi of England was somebody from my hometown. I know his family. He was just two houses away. And from there we went, not the same year, next year, we went to Israel for the world reunion

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and I presented this book and we reprinted the book. I have the original book here. With me, but it's all in Hungarian, but it shows the history. They know exactly who was the rabbi, who was the president of the congregation, if there was any lawyers, doctors,

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business, everything about everybody. So when the journals walked in with this book, they know exactly who they want to see and what was the situation. That was wonderful. Now your, your childhood was just a normal childhood until 1938. We were, we had really freedom. We played

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soccer and we were. We never had a problem with any kind, not just Jews. We had Gypsies in our town, huge amount. We never had a problem, not until, just like you take a knife and cut it in half. Um-hum. And Hungarians came in immediately. And

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that was 1938. And you would have been 14 years old. Right. And I had to drop out of school already from down, I only have a two years high school education, that's it. So what, what happened when you were 14 to you? And your, and your

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family. I show you the picture, I was in a marching band, which was supposed to be, you know, the. It was an elite from Czechoslovakia, whatever it is. So, therefore, I was already finished. Then, uh, subsequently, a year later, I had to leave town, Because I

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was on the blacklist because of that. Yes, so you were on the blacklist and at what point in time then did you, uh, come under a, a German subjugation in that you were sent somewhere to work in a work camp? Uh, we were. The very first

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time, Uh, this was not a German camp. We were caught in a town in Hungary about 60 kilometers east of Budapest called Yasburi. We had a letter that we were invited to show up there on such and such date. And into a labor camp. Now, when

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we arrived, they came in 30,000 people, and they didn't know what in the world to do with us. The problem was over there, first of all, there was no communication. There was no telephone system and everything else. Whatever, it was either by horse or by whatever.

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So, in order, they didn't know what to do with us, they divided us into units. I, The unit was 250 people, which had 5 soldiers guarding us and then we have a, Um, sergeant and a commander, a camp commander. Incidentally, as soon as he was, I

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became the personnel for the, The commandant, I signed his shoes and took off his clothes, you know, he needed a person, I don't know how it's covered in English. Valet? A valet. OK. So, So, what we had to do in order to survive, and before we

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get an, an assignment, we have to walk 20 kilometers a day. Just, it was called, uh, marching exercises. Uh, incidentally, when we went back to Hungary at one time, I retraced where we walked. It was about 400 miles. And this was done with a bowl of

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dried cabbage soup and a loaf of bread. And if you ate the bread in the morning, you didn't have it in the afternoon, whatever you did. There was no sanitary conditions. We had, we dug, dug latrines and two people had to hold you in order to,

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Whatever. I mean, it was just, uh, absolutely unconditional. So the very first time we are harvesting the fields. And it was 95, 98, I don't know, 100 degrees, whatever it is. We had no. Did, did you have any members of your family with you? No, this

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was, they only took from 16 to 35. My brother was 16, you know, early he went to another place completely. And my father in a different place. So it, it just depended on how you got a letter where to show up. That's a lot. From then

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on, we didn't see each other ever. When, when, when you left home after you got your letter. And did you ever, my brother was already in, he was gone. Did you ever expect to see your, did you have an expectation of seeing your parents again? I

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have to tell you, I'm on the speaker's bureau here for the Midwest Center Holocaust Education, and as a matter of fact, last Sunday, I spoke to a congregation. I go to speak to churches, organizations, uh, schools, whatever it is. I made a A, uh, And if,

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to, uh, for people to understand exactly what happened to us, I made a correlation between, 9/11 and the Holocaust. Why did I make that? I don't believe there's a human being exists in the United States who ever would believe that such a thing can happen, that

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people could. Hijacked 4 airplanes with hundreds of people and low in a building. There was, I don't believe anybody, you know, now they say that we know and all this bologna, nobody could even imagine. And we went to the labor camps, and we went to the

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ghettos, there was not a person who would believe that they are able to take people, go into the gas chamber, and then burn them up in a crematorium. And I make a call, so you understand when you asked me. When I came to the United States,

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probably 99% of people asked me, how come that you went, how come? You know, we had rabbis sitting and praying all day long. We had people. Well, he said, look, we had programs before too, so we're going to work, whatever it is. Who in the world

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would believe? I have to tell you a story about my mother. My mother was one of 16 children. There are 13 girls and 3 boys. The younger sister from my mother, her husband was a, had a bakery, and one day he, he dropped dead. You know

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what that, they didn't know, there wasn't no such thing as an autopsy or anything. Somebody thought that he got poisoned. Somebody maybe had a heart, whatever. And my aunt took it very, very hard, and the doctor suggested to him to go away a little bit, you

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know, it may probably make you feel better. So, she had another sister living, like maybe 125 miles from there before she got married. And my aunt went and she had a 7 year old child, which she left with my mother. Now, about a week or two

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weeks later, when she left, it became a rule that no Jews can use more public transportation. So what they did. My aunt was stuck over there, and my mother got stuck with this little child. When they went to Auschwitz, my sister, my mother, and this child,

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the very first time they got in Auschwitz, they asked, she didn't want to give up the child because it's not her child. What is my sister going to say? So, she went the very first day in the crematorium. And my aunt who was there alone, survived

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the war, and I brought them out to America, and my youngest daughter was named after that child. So, I mean, it's kind of, so, it's just absolutely unbelievable. My mother was 42 years old, a beautiful, healthy woman. I mean, she probably 90% she would have survived,

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but unfortunately, because of this, so, I mean, this kind of thing. Um-hum. So you went to the labor, you went to the Labor camp. We, we subsidized, we subsidized the people, whatever, in order to factories be able to work and, you know, there are people who

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worked in a tailor shop, which I wound up later because I, I registered as a tailor, but in the beginning, at the very end, there was no, Place for tailor shop. The only tailor shop, the only one was in Budapest. It was a big city. They

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were able to do a section. Now, is this 1939 now? No, this is not, 1939 was nothing yet. We are not in camps. This is 1938. No, this, in 1938 to 1940, they, they started to, uh, the war started in '39. And the people over there,

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it was not a, um, you had to go in the army. There was not a, if whether you want it or not, it is not a volunteer army. So when these people went into the army, it created a vacuum. there were shops without people. There were

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fields that they didn't know what to do with. So that was the reason they got, took the Jews. But we were not in a concentration camp as such. But we worked 1012, 14 hours. I just, last month, got a final payment from the slave labor fund

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from Germany, I could show you, and I'm getting a pension from Germany also. Um. So, because you were a tailor, and there is no longer any tailor work, and what, is this 1940 or 1941? This is 143. 443. I, I was, I was in 5 different

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places. This was, this was when I, I was doing one year, and as a matter of fact, I have a testimony here, which, uh, it's a congressional testimony that I saved a person's life. OK, so you tailor shop. I see. So you went to, uh, Budapest

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then as a tailor. That's where I met my wife for the Germans. Right, in uniforms. Making uniforms. Right. Um. And, uh, what was a typical day like in that. Uh, actually. Did they feed you? No, let me, let me tell you something. There was no facilities

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of the kind of food you think. I mean, whatever we had, uh, this was the easiest thing. They had a big, Uh, or whatever it is, they put hot water and the dried cabbage soup or whatever. Sometimes you got something, uh, like, uh, It was Like

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green pepper or something, you know, something that they have with the bread, or something, but in either case, There was nowhere there any kind of facilities to feed so many people. I don't even know if it would be here. But it's suddenly. So, you're in Budapest.

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That's where you met your wife. Right. And then. My wife was in the ghetto, but, uh, being that I worked in the tailor shop and we had, we were, We slept actually in a synagogue. Because they didn't have places, so they took every synagogue and churches

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and places wherever they can put 200 people in. That's where I slept, so I was able to walk out sometime. I took off my thing, went in the, you know, and also, being that I was the valley for my commandant, I always had a little privileges

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that I could do. So, that's what it was. Um-hum. And how long were you in Budapest, and then where did you go? From Budapest, you were deported on November the 28th. Of, of what year? Uh, 1945. OK, the war is now over. No. Must have been

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44. The war was over in May of '45. Right. Well, this was in 1944, November the 28th. We were deported to the Austrian border. And then the Hungarians, or whatever they took, they gave us, uh, now, we had to, for three weeks, we were digging trenches,

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because Budapest actually already was on the, the Russian, Uh, Attack, whatever it is, and they wanted to make sure that to build these trenches so tanks can, cannot come through. Out of the 225 people, the unit, my unit that we were, Deported from Budapest when we

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got to, Uh, Malhausen, we are 19 of us alive. That was it. And they I tell you, it was sort of ice rains, uh, the weather was terrible, but it wasn't, it was cold, but it was wet and everything. Uh, when one of us, my unit

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died, we took the clothes off and whatever little thing helped us to say. So, the, uh, so the, uh, the Germans or the Czechs. That was not. This was already Germany, totally. German soldiers. So, I mean, they didn't really care if you died or not. No,

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it wasn't. You died, then they just. Oh. Got another one. As long as they have a trench, they don't give a damn. They brought more people and they've been deporting. Now, you were in 5 different camps. Well, I'm in 5 different Locations. Locations, right. Well, how

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did you, uh, remain physically strong enough to survive? Well, I have to tell you, but this really, uh, I have a young man who interviewed me a couple of years ago, and he made an essay for me, which I have here, which says, Sentenced to live.

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I, I just couldn't die. People who believed in God and had the strength, somehow, most of us survived. The most people are cussing and angry and don't give us, and some of them, It was just, they didn't want to live, period. And I think it's a,

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it's absolutely a miracle. I never in my life would I believe it's possible to live this truth. We lived through, when I was in Budapest, they had air raid bombing daily. There were 400 planes came from England, bombed. We stood outside. We were not allowed to

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go. This was our last job. We were clearing the rubble from air raid bombing, so, uh, They can get through the traffic. And we just couldn't die. We had a place, 100 people, you know, I have to explain to you, when, when a bomb falls, it

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usually never falls on top of a, A building, unless you shoot it from a gun. When an airplane throws a bomb, always hits on an angle because the plane is going with the speed and it doesn't, it's always, uh, so many places where the people went

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down in the basement, it hit right in the basement or the floor above, uh, I have so many stories I can tell you. It's just, I, I told my shoulder tape for 6.5 hours, so it's very hard for me to get into details. Yeah, so the,

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so the net of it, however, was that all these bombs every day, you had, they wouldn't let you, they wouldn't let you hide. You could have easily been killed by a bomb. The bomb here and there, just, it just, that's why, of course, not everybody was

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lucky as I am either, but I just say this is what it is, uh, I'm talking about my survival. Well, unfortunately, many of my friends and, That's incredible. Your, your hometown that you grew up in, I think you'd said before, changed hands in various countries. Today

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it's in Ukraine. Right. That's the 4th time that they changed hands. Um-hum, um-hum. And I had to change my name also because they couldn't, Uh, spell my, finally, when I became a citizen, that's how I changed my name. Uh, was this your name and, uh, uh,

00:25:37.459 - 00:25:56.170

Lebovitz, was that your name? Uh, Lebovitz was, I don't, I, I have to say, the, the, the letter C, there was no S, and it's got a little, like a little V which says Lebovich. Uh, in, in Czech, and, it's in, uh, in English. So again,

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if I would put it, he would call Lebovis. Whatever. And, uh, anyway, I had to change it in Italy and, OK, so you, uh, uh, May 8th of 1944, the war ended. How soon were you liberated and, well, we were liberated as soon as we were

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liberated. It was May 5th. But After that, we didn't, we know already that it belonged to Russia and we didn't want to go home. And we got into a British camp. I don't, I don't know exactly, even how it happened. I weighed 104 pounds. I was

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totally out. They put me in, in a, uh, this was like a sanatorium. It wasn't a sanatorium, but they put in people who needed a little buildup, OK? The name of the time was Judenburg. And we heard that. That was Yenberg, where was that, in Hungary?

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No, Austria. Austria. I never went back to Hungary. OK. No. I mean, I've been back, uh years, but Under Russian control. Right. Uh, They The word was around that they're going to, first of all, we had to register from the origin where we come from, which

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I said I was Czechoslovakia. And we heard that they're going to repatriate us. And I sure didn't want to go back again. First, everything was under Russia, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. So, We wasn't sure if we're gonna do that or not, but being that they had to

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register by nationality, we had all kinds of people that we left from fear. We went. Or from the cat. But what happened Uh, At that time there were no displaced persons act or anything. It was right after the war, so everybody was practically on their own,

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except, uh, wherever we went, people tried to help us and there was no problem. People were very nice. It's a different thing when you, uh, Like on the Germany people, there are 3 kinds of people actually. The one who would kill you in a minute, the

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one who, who wouldn't do it, but he didn't mind the other one, and the other one who didn't do nothing about it. So there's all different kinds of people. Uh, in September 1945, there were so many refugees in Austria, and now that they, United Nations Relief

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Organization disclosed, uh, uh, made it into a displaced persons camp, which was under United Imation Relief Organization. I have, as a matter of fact, right here, the certificate from the. In, in, in Austria. Uh, no, this was already in Italy. Now, I want to tell you

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how we got to Italy. Italy was liberated by the British forces totally. The part of the British Army was a Palestine brigade, which from Palestine at that time there was no Israel. The Palestine Brigade consisted of 500 soldiers who volunteered to the British Army as a

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Palestine brigade. They liberated Italy, and when they found out about these Holocaust survivors like myself, they came over with trucks and smuggled us over to Italy because nobody can go into Italy. We were put into trucks and the trucks were. Uh, camouflaged with furniture and stuff,

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so they couldn't see it. And we were put in $30,000. And it was probably grown, I don't know how many 1000 at the time, and we were put in, in Italy a camp. Well, this was not a camp. It was, they put up tents and we

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put in, every single day they brought over hundreds and hundreds, as many as they are able to. As a matter of fact, I have a tape. Exactly showing this what the Palestine Brigade did, and one of the trucks that went over, we were inside of that,

00:30:09.449 - 00:30:32.140

it's, uh, it was, uh, That tape that was made in the United States, uh, I don't know. Think for a minute, what's her name, one of the, Um, CVS. They had a special program. OK, Jean, uh, you and Kate had been married August 5th of '44.

00:30:32.510 - 00:30:46.449

Where were you at that time? Uh, I was doing, I was in the labor camp. You were in the labor camp. I'm not deported yet, because we only were deported November the 28th, as I told you. Yes. We didn't live together or anything. Yes. We just

00:30:46.910 - 00:31:04.800

went together and we had a rabbi who married us and was hopeful, whatever it is, but, uh, my wife also, I had a pass from, uh, she was working for the Swedish Red Cross. And while I was in Yenburg, immediately we found each other because the

00:31:04.800 - 00:31:24.170

Red Cross did miracles. Sure. So, she was with you in Italy. Right. We went together in Italy, and in Italy, we were also in 4 different places. Now, let me tell you what the Palestine Brigade did. They put us into camps. This was not the very

00:31:24.170 - 00:31:40.069

first month or two. The first time we registered, we shared the picture in Milano, in the Jewish community center. We did not register before anywhere because we were afraid that they're going to ship us back to where we came from. So, the first time we ever

00:31:40.069 - 00:32:01.979

registered, which is in this book, was in Milano in December. Then from here, they took us into a camp in La Spazia. It's a little port city in Italy, which is about 100 kilometers. South from Genoa. We were in a camp of about 2000 people, and

00:32:01.979 - 00:32:23.229

they surrounded the camp and said that everybody has typhus, so no outsider can come in. The Palestine brigade. Stole armaments from the Germans, from the Italians, from the British, brought them in there and reloaded them. They bought some little Greek ships, 6000, 8000 tons, and sent

00:32:23.229 - 00:32:45.089

them to Palestine. Of course, most of the ships were confiscated because Palestine was blockaded by the British. So it doesn't matter, uh, then we started shipping people to Palestine. We put people on the boats. And Many of those people are, they, when the British caught them,

00:32:45.189 - 00:32:59.310

they were sent to Cyprus, and as a matter of fact, that ship, the Exodus, these are the people who were on the Exodus that the people did not allow to go to Palestine. Anyway, when he came to us to be put on the boat, My wife

00:32:59.310 - 00:33:15.910

got pregnant, and there were 22 couples, and the only people they didn't put on those little boats was pregnant women. Anybody, young or old, sick or healthy, they put them on the boat. We didn't, so, they didn't know what to do with us. Uh, an Italian,

00:33:16.869 - 00:33:41.489

Uh, magnet offered his home in Genoa for the 22 couples. There are 4 couples in a room. My son, George. Was born in January 17. In Genoa, in a 1946. Yes, in a convent. At the time, there was not a window in the place, And It's

00:33:41.489 - 00:33:57.989

just the, the conditions I cannot possibly tell you, but I want to make it short, so we have time to do more things. When George was 6 months old, In January 45, you, I told you I was born. In June the first, uh, opened up an

00:33:57.989 - 00:34:14.629

American obligation. There was a man, an Italian Jewish man who took care of the 22 couples, like, made sure that supplies were enough food and all kinds of things. He said to me, Eugene, why don't you go up to the American consulate? I said, you've got

00:34:14.629 - 00:34:24.969

to be kidding. I mean, what in the world am I going to do all that? He said, look, what do you got to lose? Come on, let me take you. So I went up to the American consulate, And he looked at me the way he looked

00:34:24.969 - 00:34:40.179

and, uh, I told him a little story. He says, it's enough. He let me come and see you. So about 2 or 3 days later, he came out. When he saw my son was, we, we had two carnation box which we put together. That was his

00:34:40.179 - 00:35:05.500

bed. And the conditions that, He said, come on up to the counsel. We went up, I have the paper here so that we, He This was the, uh, the, this embassy was opened up June the first. We went up there and within 10 days, we, we

00:35:05.500 - 00:35:21.050

got a visa. My wife, my son, we arrived, we, we had no paper which says in our case, we didn't, we didn't have no identification except what we said. We had to swear that we are man and wife. And that was it. In July 20th, we

00:35:21.050 - 00:35:37.129

arrived in the United States. July 20th, 1946. 1946. I didn't know a single word of English. I didn't know a single human being. The highest, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and the United Nations Relief Organization put us up in a loft on Lafayette Street in Manhattan.

00:35:38.560 - 00:35:58.780

And the 4th day I went to work and you came under the auspices of the Displaced Persons Act signed by Harry Truman in in which 65,000 people were allowed to immigrate, correct? Right. And so you started working 4 days after you got. Right. To. New York.

00:35:58.840 - 00:36:15.360

And I never was unemployed or never was sick for. As a, as a, so all those times at your father's knee where you were learning the tailored craft kept you alive during World War II. first time I had a job, I was sewing, sewing shoulder pads

00:36:15.360 - 00:36:34.969

in a jacket all day long. The, the, my luck was that while we were in Italy for 16 months, I picked up Italian. And I speak Yiddish language, uh, which, at home was one of the major languages. And 50% of the people in the garment industry

00:36:34.969 - 00:36:47.679

were Jewish and 50% was Italian. There was two unions, the Jewish Union and the Italian Union. So, you could talk to all of them. I talked to all of them, and then everybody picked me up, you know, yes, and I, I sing Italian and I, uh,

00:36:47.810 - 00:37:08.100

you know, so, uh, it was sort of, Uh, uh, I can't possibly tell you, uh, they, Uh, they got to like me and they helped us and did whatever, so. How many languages do you speak, Jean? Uh, 4. Uh, English, Italian, Yiddish, and. And Hungarian. And

00:37:08.100 - 00:37:28.889

then, I tell you, when I started that, and I said one time, when you said Italian, I said, you know, mama, but they hugged me and kissed me. I couldn't believe, you know, I'm a kid, a Jewish kid from, and I, I spoke Italian. That's what.

00:37:29.219 - 00:37:45.199

Well, now, OK, how did you get from New York City, To Kansas City, the middle part of the country. I happened to work for a man. It was Mike Schulman and Company, one of the owners, his name was Mr. Schwartz. He's was Hungarian. So he picked

00:37:45.199 - 00:37:59.449

me up a little bit sort of, and I, he was one of the partners, and he was the designer for the company. So I asked him, after a couple of months, I said, you do me a favor. Can I watch you to work? Well, he said,

00:37:59.810 - 00:38:15.250

because of the union, they said you couldn't. So what I did, 4:30, when everybody finished, I went downstairs. I waited 10 minutes. I came up and I worked with him until 5:30, 6:00 sometimes, 6:30. That was it. Within one year, I became his assistant. He saw

00:38:15.250 - 00:38:31.929

that I was talented. I had a good feeling for it. And, uh, I think the 3rd year I was in the United States, I got a job as a head designer. And how I came to Kansas City. I switched jobs over there two times. I was

00:38:31.929 - 00:38:51.459

head designer for Barker and Levin Company. The trade name was Lessie Jr, which was the 2nd largest coat and silk manufacturer in the United States. We had 20 factories in New York City itself. So, Uh, there was a company here, Youth Craft Manufacturing in Kansas City.

00:38:52.520 - 00:39:11.770

And Their business was sort of going down. Their coat business was very bad. They had a designer here, like 15 years, an old man. They were looking for a designer. They had a buying office in 450 7th Avenue. The buyer's name was Milton Siegel. Uh, Mr.

00:39:11.780 - 00:39:27.850

Carrison, who was the owner of Youth, told them, listen, uh, find me a good designer, somebody said. Who, who was the owner of Youth Craft? Leon Carrison. Leon Carrison. Right. OK. He told Milton to find a good designer for him. He said, whatever it is he

00:39:27.850 - 00:39:45.750

wants a top man. So, Milton was the peace goods buyer for the company, and he also knew he, somebody who was the peace goods manager. Anyway, one day he caught me for lunch, and he says, listen, I have a man here who wants to talk to

00:39:45.750 - 00:40:06.699

you. I said, uh, he said, don't ask me any questions. So, I went to, um, Uh, the park. The Central Park South in the hotel. He took me up and I met Liam Garrison, and, uh, he was telling me that the, Uh, you know, things, what

00:40:06.699 - 00:40:22.330

happened to me, started traumatization. He said, listen, how about you take a job in Kansas City? I said, you know, no way in the world. I already bought a house. I had 4 children. Uh, he said, tell you what, here's a ticket for you. Come for

00:40:22.330 - 00:40:37.489

a weekend, just visit. So, I came with my wife. And of course, Mary Carson his wife was a gorgeous, beautiful woman. They took us, dined us, and thought, oh my God, we went, we went, you know, everywhere and took heartfelt. She bought my wife a beautiful

00:40:37.489 - 00:40:55.489

dress and, uh, so finally I came home and about a month later he says, uh, how much money are you making? I was making $250 a week, which in those days was pretty good. So I'll tell you what, I'll give you 4 times. $400 a week.

00:40:56.959 - 00:41:14.209

Come the right one. He said, I'll pay you, you're moving, pay, anyway, he made the down payment on this house, because otherwise I wouldn't, So I came here, I left my family there because I didn't know. What's going to happen or whatever it is, I said,

00:41:14.250 - 00:41:34.459

let me try it out. So, I started working here, I came in September 1959. My family moved exactly a year after. So I wasn't sure if I really wanted to move, so Leon gave me a proposition. He told me if I stay here 5 years, So

00:41:34.459 - 00:41:53.510

the date, he will let me buy into the company. He is not going to make me a partner. I just didn't buy. I said, OK, it was a handshake. 5 years passed by, we increased the business tremendously. Our coal business was just absolutely on fire. So,

00:41:53.649 - 00:42:09.929

I, I didn't do anything for 5 years. After 5 years, I sat down, what about our deal? He says, well, he says, listen, do me a favor, sit a little bit. I'll give you $25,000. Uh, in a year or so, let's see what happens, because that

00:42:09.929 - 00:42:30.989

time they were negotiating with a company called CBK Cadione Company, that they're going to go public or whatever it is. I said, OK. The year passed by, and I said, what about it? He says, well, Uh, I started pulling, I said, you know what? About that

00:42:30.989 - 00:42:48.760

time, there was a company called Fashion Garment Company. The owner Henry Present? Henry Present, who died, But it was handy's father. He told his son, Henry, when he dies, he only wants to have one designer, that's Eugene Lebo. We used to go together and we were

00:42:49.320 - 00:43:07.199

buying and stuff. Uh, it was just about when God sent something, you know, uh, when you're on an ocean and you have to be saved, uh, the, The salesman, the sales manager approached me and he said the same thing. He the president wants to talk to

00:43:07.199 - 00:43:24.790

me. So I went over to his house one night and he told me the story that his father told me, and he wants me to come for that, and he offered me immediately $28,000 plus this, in a bonus and whatever I want. Yeah. So, I went

00:43:24.790 - 00:43:42.290

to Leon and I said, Leon, I'll give you two weeks. That's it. Well, he said, well, uh, he offered me $50,000 On a, on an escrow, if I stay one more year, I can have the $50,000 was, uh, Joe Krachi was a lawyer. And I said,

00:43:42.409 - 00:43:57.560

Leon, 6 years, we increased the business so much, you never kept your word. I don't care how much money you pay, I am going. They almost killed each other, the two of them, because of me. Henry presents and Leon Karrison. Right. Anyway, that's how I wound

00:43:57.560 - 00:44:18.610

up, and I worked there 18 1/2 years until, Until the end. So, so you're a youth craft for, what, 6 years? Yes. And after that, all the years I work to, uh, Henry present, I was making the last year at the $70,000. And what year did

00:44:18.610 - 00:44:37.110

you retire from, uh, Fashion Builder? You stayed there until the bitter end? Not exactly the bitter end, but, uh, in 1983. 1983. Yeah, I had a, uh, I have an open heart surgery and my doctor said, If, if I go back to work, he'll give me

00:44:37.110 - 00:44:51.770

6 months. But I did, even after that, I went back a couple of hours a day for another year. Uh, you know, he paid me very well, but it helped them out and, you know, in Kansas City, it was a very hard thing to get a

00:44:51.770 - 00:45:09.189

designer. Nobody wanted to move from New York. And to replace somebody is practically, It, it was unbelievable. It, it, I feel lucky if you get somebody who's really good, because. Um-hum. Like me, I had a good job and I, the only reason I really did that,

00:45:09.219 - 00:45:26.110

because I had 4 children and I didn't particularly like the New York area. Um-hum. Um-hum. And. To raise the children. Yes. OK, so, You came in 1959 and you retired in 1983 after having worked for Leon Carrison for six years and then Henry Present the rest

00:45:26.110 - 00:45:45.169

of that time. Uh, I wanna, I'm not a designer. Uh, I wanna ask you some questions about design. Uh, you were obviously very, very talented at what you did, and yes, you had trained at the elbow of a designer in, in New York, but what Uh,

00:45:45.330 - 00:46:03.239

were you on leading edge on coats and suits, or, or were you following the trends? What were you doing the trends in both. It, it takes, took a little, uh, uh, a little of both. My best education was working for in for the uniform. As a

00:46:03.239 - 00:46:18.419

matter of fact, we had a show here, uh. You working for the uniforms when you sewed for the Nazis? Yes. That was probably the best, uh, education, because the thing you did there had to be perfect, first of all. And there was no ifs and buts

00:46:18.419 - 00:46:41.379

in the, uh, officer's uniform. And We had the, the show in Kansas City about the story of Adelman, and I recreated the Nazi uniforms from memory completely. Here in Kansas City. It was the Glass booth was the name of the show. And, I mean, it just,

00:46:41.770 - 00:46:56.810

I, I had a very good memory. I could go to a show and see a certain garments, and I could go home and copy it within. So, you had that gift. Yes. Of, of, of going to the, uh, to New York, for example, and going around

00:46:56.810 - 00:47:12.389

in some of the places. Looking at something. I, I, I also, I went shopping for the company to see, What is selling and what, you know, snoop around in stores. I went one time to Werner's on 34th Street. I never forget in my life, I bought

00:47:12.389 - 00:47:31.760

a little pen coat for 2495. I came home, we must have produced about 20,000 cars. We started with each year we gave a different number. It was 1122, then it was 22, 22, 32, 40, went up. Every year we sold 20,000, or the one style, it

00:47:31.760 - 00:47:50.909

was just that, and many times. And they were selling for. How much in New York? 2475. And for. What could you make it for here? 5975 wholesale. And what did you make it for here? I'm just telling you, for, we produced the garment and sold it

00:47:50.909 - 00:48:11.129

for 5975 wholesale. I bought it for 2495 retail, but my eyes, you know, I, I picked something. Let me tell you a little story. I used to go 23 times a year to Chicago. I, I stayed at the, uh, hotel on, uh, what's the name? Uh

00:48:12.020 - 00:48:27.020

very close between Marshall Field and Sears. Palmer House? Palmer house. I stayed always at the Palmer house. I went to Marshall Field, And there were 4 girls on the floor. I called over the 4 girls. I said, listen, I come here 2 or 3 times a

00:48:27.020 - 00:48:40.959

year. I, I, I'm going to buy some garments, but I don't want to buy for one person, because sometimes I come, he's not on vacation. I'm going to make sure whatever I buy, I want to split the commission 4 ways, anytime I come. And I gave

00:48:40.959 - 00:48:56.159

each 1 $50. Those days were pretty big money. And I'll tell you something, I knew exactly what was selling. They took me back. I know the checkout, what was selling, what wasn't selling, and, you know, a little bit of personality helped an awful lot. The people

00:48:56.159 - 00:49:12.070

didn't know this. I'm, now, I'm telling you. OK. So, every time I went there, it was like a holiday to me. You can't believe how happy I was, because usually I bought 3500 $4000 garments, and I bought them back. That's what we always did. And then

00:49:12.070 - 00:49:26.189

we sold them off here or whatever it is and we never returned the garment. But whatever I bought, uh, that was it. So for them, when they get 7% commission, you know, $4000 those days, those girls a lot of money. Sure. And you, and you. So

00:49:26.189 - 00:49:41.949

part of my success that I had connections at Bullock's in Los Angeles. I used to go 233 times a year at least. I stayed in the Century Plaza when, uh, President Nixon was there. And there are many things and stories I can tell you just. Um-hum.

00:49:42.290 - 00:49:57.250

Would you take some of those designs and then modify them slightly? Yes, modify them. Based on your own sense of what you thought would sell in your market. Right. And also, we put a different lining in the garments, as you can see. Our garments was absolutely

00:49:57.250 - 00:50:13.739

beautiful. The linings of the, uh, the coats, I still have some of the linings here. I didn't know what you're going to ask me to see all those garments was outstanding beside anybody else, something different that nobody else did, OK? So, that helped, and I tell

00:50:13.739 - 00:50:27.969

you, during all my years, since I started being a head designer, I never had a bad season in my life, not the company. And how many seasons did you have at, uh, Youth Craft? Uh, two, we, every company, we had two seasons. Two seasons and fall,

00:50:28.050 - 00:50:43.479

but we also developed a holiday line, the latest year. This was our, it was like a, a, Yeah, let's look at that. You see this embroidery here? Oh, yes. This was our, anytime when you see a garment like this was made in fashion. This was. This

00:50:43.479 - 00:51:01.560

was fashion built. Uh, yes, fashion is garment. Did anybody make a better, uh, coat. No. Than fashion Built in Kansas City? No. No. Nobody, I don't think anywhere in the United States. The quality we made are absolutely superb. And of course, you were the designer and

00:51:01.560 - 00:51:17.750

you I was in charge of. You insisted on responsibility. Well, I had many times we had a fight with my boss for one thing. Uh, I have to tell you, handy present. I realized after I retired what the success was, that he was a good man

00:51:17.750 - 00:51:33.229

with a pencil, and I was a good designer, actually. If I would put in everything that I designed, I don't know if it would be profitable. But what happened, first of all, after the garment was done, he had somebody who changed the buttons. So if I

00:51:33.229 - 00:51:46.669

put in a 75 cents button or something to make it look beautiful, he changed the boil for 7 cents or 8 cents. I, I, it maybe it took out from the fullness, a little, yeah, a little thing. I didn't know all this. The, the pattern maker

00:51:46.669 - 00:52:01.469

said do this and do that. And changing the, this a little bit and that a little bit. So I realized later years that what a good combination it was because he was, make sure that we made money and I made sure that things looked beautiful. So,

00:52:01.500 - 00:52:17.290

it's a good combination. One time in my life, I made a gorgeous, beautiful garment, which sometimes it happens. I walked in the showroom and handyra was sitting there. He had the half glasses like this on his nose. Doing something in a book. I said, hey, you

00:52:17.290 - 00:52:31.959

have to take a look. Uh, look at this garment I just made. He looked at me. He says, uh, I don't give a hoot. If it sells, I like it. And, you know, I mean, here's your head designer, the highest paid man in the company. I

00:52:31.959 - 00:52:45.699

come with something nice, and he, like, cooled me off with a, a pail of water. I didn't want to say the exact word he told me. So this is how he's been. But that shows the respect that he had. I, you design it and I'll sell

00:52:45.699 - 00:52:59.389

it, and, and we'll make money. He didn't mean my thing. He didn't say, I, I, I was so proud about a beautiful garment to me. He said, I don't give a damn how it looks. If it sells, I like it. Well, I, how do you feel?

00:52:59.429 - 00:53:14.449

How was your relationship with Henry present? Always, we are always on edge. I never agreed with him on anything. If not for his wife, uh, I would never have that job. But what happened, He was a difficult man to work with. He good man to work

00:53:14.469 - 00:53:28.560

with, very difficult man. And like I said, but we never had any muscle. When I went to Sanctuary Plaza, he wanted me to go and buy myself a suit. He wanted to buy my wife. My wife came with me many times. Money was no object. I

00:53:28.560 - 00:53:45.050

never, one time came out and I gave a bill. I don't know, whatever I charged $3000. Uh, in those days, I paid $120 a room. And I, I went down, you know, Century Plaza, and, uh, everywhere I went to, anywhere in the country. Never asked me

00:53:45.050 - 00:53:58.209

a question, paid the bill, but we, when it came to garments, some garment that took a little more than he could sell it for, or he figured he wouldn't put it in, no matter how good it is. He doesn't care what it sells. He cared what

00:53:58.209 - 00:54:12.610

we should make money out of it. Um-hum. So he had a, Henry had a keen sense of how much the marketplace could bear was an accountant by and who the customers were. He was an accountant by trade, and he worked during World War II for the

00:54:12.610 - 00:54:28.280

government. And he was a very good mathematician. I mean, he could figure out exactly anything was not profitable. It didn't matter how good it is, how many times I was so, felt so bad. But he, that's what it is. And I said, after I retired, I

00:54:28.280 - 00:54:45.149

realized what a good combination we. Can you imagine? I mean, it, it takes two to tango. Right, genius. Uh but I would give it all. How is your relationship with your son, Scott? Very good. He, he respected me very much. He, he was actually the one

00:54:45.149 - 00:55:04.540

who, uh, I gave my bills after. That's wonderful. That trip. He was very good. I never had a problem. He paid me, Um-hum. I had a charge card from the company. I can go anytime, anywhere. Charge and he never questioned me about anything, and I tried

00:55:04.540 - 00:55:21.699

to be, uh, keep my integrity. I never had any trouble with it. Gene, you came in 1959. You retired in 1983 when When did the ladies' coats and suit business start going down, and in your opinion, my opinion what was the reason for that? Uh, the

00:55:21.699 - 00:55:38.760

reason for that, I'll tell you something. I was at Fashion Bu and I love to stay and watch the people always bothered me. At first I tell you a story with the unions and all kinds of stuff. It's unbelievable. When it came 4:30, by 4:30 already

00:55:38.760 - 00:55:52.000

people were at the bathroom. They already had their thing, and when it came in that second, they already ran and punched the clock. And I always said, you know, you get paid from 8:30, from 8:30 to 4:30, whatever it is, and they, That 5, 10 minutes

00:55:52.000 - 00:56:08.239

a day, you know, it, it's, it's just unbelievable to me. Oh, my God. So I watched the people, and I see they were wearing garments made in Taiwan that they bought from Kmart for $19.24 dollars. And I said to the girls, I said, you know, you

00:56:08.239 - 00:56:24.899

work here. You get 40% discount whatever you buy here. I said, you know, you're going to put yourself out of a job, so help me. This is exactly what, and, you know, That's what happened. The garments started going down and they started bringing in this garbage

00:56:24.899 - 00:56:45.540

from Taiwan, which we couldn't possibly produce because the labor was so beautiful in those garments. It was unbelievable, and that's exactly what happened. Incidentally, talking about the union, I, I, when I. When I started being a designer, I had to join the International Ladies Garment Workers

00:56:45.540 - 00:57:06.399

Union, the designers guild. At that time, I paid $500 a year. There was no monthly, $500 a year to be a member, and the boss of the company also paid $500. When I came to Kansas City, everybody was union except the designer. So I put in

00:57:06.399 - 00:57:24.260

10 years, $1000 a year, and I couldn't get, uh, uh, Retirement because according to the law, you have to work 20 years and being a union member and pay in in order to get retirement. So all that money was down the drain, and it really upset

00:57:24.260 - 00:57:37.909

me because even after I came here for one year, I paid, but I didn't know, That, that the boss didn't pay and I couldn't, I didn't know exactly the deal, but that was it. All the money was lost, and I said, you know what, they, they

00:57:37.909 - 00:57:53.010

are absolutely unbelievable. Um, so you didn't have a very high opinion of the union? Well, I, I never did over there and I never did over here because people who are good, never had a problem getting a job. Um-hum. And people who are a problem, those

00:57:53.010 - 00:58:08.540

are the ones that we have the most problem. Insulin this garment that we sold so many, Had a bleed in the back, in the center back. I had a stitch on top. They fought me for that stitch. Uh, we never agreed on, I couldn't agree on

00:58:08.540 - 00:58:28.280

the price, but after they started making 1000, they were making so much money that it was just unbelievable. It, it, it's incredible. Um-hum. So, you know, it's, even whatever company it was, once they get into the swing of it, they did very, very good. Um-hum. So,

00:58:28.389 - 00:58:44.340

uh, what do you attribute your success to as a designer? Well, I think I told you something about it. First of all, I, I had a, a good few. Second of all, like I told you, I was able to snoop around and always find out. I

00:58:44.340 - 00:59:00.129

had a friend from New York who was selling sketches and things, and I, he, he always kept me about what was going on. I had a good information system and a good natural, The talent, I would say. Yeah, so you were a musician, weren't you, and

00:59:00.129 - 00:59:20.239

an artist, so you had a very strong creative side. Yes, I had a strong creative side, and I was fast and good. My patterns were absolutely. Was there another designer in Kansas City who was close to you, approached you in skill and capability? I really don't

00:59:20.239 - 00:59:34.820

know. I, I, I would say probably on the, I was on the top, one of the top men. Well, I, you probably were the top man. If you, if you couldn't think of who your competition was, you were the top man. I really couldn't. I'm not

00:59:34.820 - 00:59:56.570

trying to belittle anybody. Certainly, certainly. But they. And I'm sure I was one of the top paid too. Yes, you were paid very, very well in an industry that wasn't noted for overpaying. No, it wasn't, believe me. And, and, uh, did, were you concerned at all

00:59:56.570 - 01:00:18.229

as the designer about the skill level of the people who would do the manufacturing of the garment? Yes. And also, I was pretty much self confident, for one thing. I knew that I was almost, Nobody's indispensable, but I felt that you would have a very hard

01:00:18.229 - 01:00:32.959

time replacing me because it wasn't a question of money. People did not want to come to Kansas City. People who had good jobs in New York and, and they would not take a mediocre person. They always wanted to have the top person in the industry. Um-hum.

01:00:33.469 - 01:00:50.260

By the time you retired in 1983, The industry in Kansas City was gone. It was, wasn't it? No, it wasn't gone, but it was on the down there. It's going and, and you attribute most of that to the fact that Taiwan. That. Overseas production. No, no

01:00:50.260 - 01:01:06.179

question in my mind, that killed the industry. Um-hum. I'm just telling you, but the people who worked for us, we had 210 women working, and then I, I said 1520, 25, 30% were wearing all those garments, and they worked, we had the most gorgeous garments, and

01:01:06.179 - 01:01:28.020

the garments was $59 wholesale. They get 40% off. And the other thing people don't understand, when I started at Fashion, I had to make a course sheet of a garment, approximately, A lot of, Before I present it to him. I started with 19 1 cent, and

01:01:28.020 - 01:01:45.060

then I, I figured it'll take 20, 2.5 yards, and I was lining up the gown and trimming and approximated the labor. Now what was the $19.01? I tried to explain. I, it took me a long time to understand. First of all, there was people who worked

01:01:45.060 - 01:02:05.209

there 2 years, got 2 weeks' paid vacation. If they worked there 3 years, 5 years, they got 3 weeks vacation. We had people there, most of us worked there 40 years, 30 years, 20, uh, unbelievable. The turnout was, was maybe 2%, 5% the most. So, now

01:02:05.209 - 01:02:21.709

you have to figure out there was. 10 paid holidays. There was a three days paid if there was a death in the family, they got paid three days. They, We had three weeks vacation. On top of it, the three weeks vacation was the most interesting thing.

01:02:21.810 - 01:02:37.689

We were the busiest time making money in the company on June, July, August, because by September, the first, the garments have to be in the store. And many of these people took off for vacation during June or July because the husbands got vacation during the time,

01:02:37.810 - 01:02:55.139

so they want to go with that. So, figure out, even if they, Didn't work, but the production and, you know, it adds up everything, and then you had the tax on the retirement fund and, uh, union and all kinds of funds, which amounted to, like, 14.5%.

01:02:55.540 - 01:03:11.810

And if we figured if we produce 100,000 garments a year, I had to start with 19 1 cent. Then we added up the cost of everything else, because, Of these vacations and how, how the thing, people don't realize that. Um-hum. I mean, they, it has to

01:03:11.810 - 01:03:27.479

come from somewhere. Sure. When you designed the garment for Henry Present, did he give you a price point to start with, or did you just design it? No, no. We had a certain, almost everybody was labeled at a certain price range. Fashion build, we never made

01:03:27.479 - 01:03:44.560

a garment less than 4975 wholesale. Mostly 59, even up to 109. It was fortune to 129, 149, you know, right, so I know within my means what you can do more or less. Of course, some of them was a little more difficult, harder to work. Maybe

01:03:44.560 - 01:03:56.570

it will cost more to produce it or less. This is something we done all the time. There was never a day that we didn't have some different, Or something that I didn't agree with him, but it was nothing personal. He'd give me anything in the world.

01:03:57.389 - 01:04:15.149

But that's, I, I said, uh, all the years later, I, I really, truly couldn't believe that. It came to my mind so much. What a combination we had. Um-hum, um-hum. It took two, unique people like you and him with your different skills. With the pencil and

01:04:15.149 - 01:04:36.879

I'm with a, with a, Yeah. And, What did the marketplace acknowledge the quality of your garments compared to other people at that price point? At that price point we had the finest garments. Now there was one company, Rosin, they made like cashmere coats, camel hair coats,

01:04:36.959 - 01:04:53.469

not cashmere, and they are very good workmanship, really good, but they were not a big company. I mean, not competitive. Um-hum. Do you, do you happen to know, uh, what was the biggest. Dollar volume that your company did in a year at Fashion Built. You know,

01:04:53.629 - 01:05:10.189

I don't know exactly what was the biggest, but, uh, about $10 million. And, in, in units. In units. What was the biggest year you had? Uh, I think we had like 130,000 gallons, but you also have to understand, the spring season was never a money making

01:05:10.189 - 01:05:23.219

season. If we broke even in the springtime and we made money in the fall, then we had a good year. So, but there was some springtime that we came up with something that really was good. We made some money. It was a better year, but generally

01:05:23.219 - 01:05:45.659

speaking, uh, the fall season was the bread and butter. Um-hum. Um-hum. Well, as you look back on your, Career, I mean, starting as a young boy at your father's knee to learn the trade and you survived the war because of, of that needle and thread and

01:05:45.659 - 01:06:04.350

your capability and then you came to the United States thanks to the Displaced Persons Act and you're pushing your uh perseverance, your initiative, other people helping you, and then you had this wonderful career, not only in New York but. Back here. How do you look back

01:06:04.350 - 01:06:29.149

on, on that, uh, with what kind of feeling? My feeling is, God bless his soul, my father. I think his wisdom and his. His His, his foresight probably gave me a push the start that probably shaped my life forever. And being that even during the labor

01:06:29.149 - 01:06:45.590

camp I had an opportunity to work in the garment industry, and it took, I, I know for sure that I had a little talent even when I was young, because I used to paint on silk, and I was creative all the time. And I played, I

01:06:45.590 - 01:06:59.870

never read a note in my life. I played the clarinet in the marching band. I played the accordion. Whatever I touched those, it just came to me. I didn't have to learn anything. You were gifted. Yes, yes. You really have to do, and you are lucky.

01:06:59.949 - 01:07:16.709

You have to have, uh, people ask what, what is luck? And I said, luck is, I think the dictionary says preparation meets opportunity. And you can't be lucky. You have to be prepared. And, and that's one of the reasons, uh, the combination of the two, and

01:07:16.709 - 01:07:30.909

that's what it was. I was active in the community. I can't tell you a thing was going on in the city that I didn't take part of it. But the garment industry itself was a phenomenal thing. And we had, as a matter of fact, I have

01:07:30.909 - 01:07:55.020

here the brochure, the Kansas City designers. One year we made a fashion show, which is from the whatever the money that we produced from that show, we outfitted in Colombia, South America, a school for one year. We bought totally equipment, desks and lunches and everything for

01:07:55.020 - 01:08:12.070

a year. Then one time we did, we did all kinds of things that The designers got together. So, you had a, you had a designers guild in Kansas City. Yes. A group that met together periodically. When I came to Kansas City, I wanted to make a

01:08:12.070 - 01:08:33.359

designers guild, but I was almost sued by the, the, by the fashion Group International because they couldn't have a designer's guild here, uh, a fashion. So, and also, I was lucky, I, Became a consultant to Stevens College in Columbia for 25 years with Anne Baummeyer. In,

01:08:33.589 - 01:08:50.988

in their, uh, fashion, uh. Yes, Department. A very highly reputed one. Yes, I have the, the newspaper from Stevens College, uh, showing me in letters and all kinds of stuff. Well, that was a wonderful, uh, You've had a wonderful life and certainly a wonderful career. I

01:08:50.988 - 01:09:10.349

tell you I'd like. Go ahead. We had the largest dress manufacturer in Kansas City, Nelion, because they owned, the, the store itself, Emery Berthier was owned by Nelion, and they made beautiful dresses for 995 wholesale. It was, I, I think, I'm not sure, it's one of

01:09:10.349 - 01:09:26.089

the largest dress manufacturers. Hmm. In the United States or close to it. Um-hum. And the Kansas City was a, uh, every 5th woman in the United States wore a garment made in Kansas City. And you were proud to be a part of that process? Of course

01:09:26.089 - 01:09:41.988

I was proud. Yeah, that was my life and my, my love and my life. Never in my life. Wanted to do anything else but to write them. Never. I never wanted to even think of anything. I love my work and I loved the industry. And also,

01:09:42.028 - 01:09:58.910

we are very good friends, all the designers. I don't know if you will find a group of nicer people than we are here, but very little competition that I know of, or. Well, that's great. You have some, uh, pictures that I'd sure like to add to

01:09:58.910 - 01:10:18.669

the back of this video. Here's a picture of not all of the Leibovitz family, but most of them. Uh, Kate, tell us who they are, please. Well, here on the left is my number 2 son, Alan Leibovitz, his wife, Susan, and their two children, Sarah and

01:10:18.669 - 01:10:48.640

Erin. Then my oldest son, George and his wife Aviva. Then his son Uh, Ronnie Jaron Lebovitz. And he is my son-in-law. Who's the husband of my youngest child, Karen. They have one son here, is Danielle, but now they have two daughters, who is, uh Rebecca. Rebecca

01:10:48.640 - 01:11:10.020

and Rodalia. This is my husband, Gene. This is myself. This is my other daughter, Sherry. And this is Benjamin, her son, and their daughter, Rachel. That is a wonderful looking family. Now, and who are the grandchildren that are not in the picture? They're not in the

01:11:10.020 - 01:11:37.439

picture right now is, Michael? Michael, my son and daughter-in-law's youngest child, my, Daughter and son-in-law's two girls not in there. Dalia and Rebecca. Dalia, who is, unfortunately not with us anymore. Uh, you have a wonderful picture of Dalia. Let's take a look at it. This is

01:11:37.439 - 01:11:58.450

Dalia Leibovitz, our precious granddaughter, unfortunately, passed away when she was 19 years old. Um. So, 4, you have 4 children, and by the way, I haven't introduced Kate, but there she is, uh, 4 children and 9 grandchildren. And, and how many great grandchildren? 5. Well, let's

01:11:58.450 - 01:12:26.109

take a look at your 5 great grandchildren. This is Akiva. Shalom, Dalia, Shira. And Adena is missing. Adina was not married yet, or not born yet. She was born. Pardon me. Yeah. What a beautiful family, 4 children, 9 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren. Right. Jean, uh, what

01:12:26.109 - 01:12:47.180

is this? I was in a marching band. This I was still there in Czechoslovakia 1937, you're off here to the left playing the clarinet, clarinet, yes, and you're also an accordion player in addition to your other artistic skills. Here are Jean and Kate with President Harry

01:12:47.180 - 01:13:05.600

Truman. Tell me what occasioned this picture to be taken. This picture was taken with, uh, Mr. Truman honored Hubert Humphrey at that time, the vice president. And I made the decoration for the new hotel for the affair. So I have the paper, you could read it

01:13:05.600 - 01:13:22.319

or put it as a, Yeah. Path of history. As a matter of fact, The photographer, President Truman told me that it was not too many people that took a picture like this. Um. And you tell me, though, you came over to the United States as part

01:13:22.319 - 01:13:41.169

of the Displaced Persons Act in which 65,000 people came over. Right. And you were two of them, and the bill was signed by Harry Truman. Tell me the story about, uh. Well, he initiated a displacement, displaced Persons Act, which allowed 65,000. Refugees come to the United

01:13:41.169 - 01:13:56.930

States. When I came to Kansas City, uh, with my job, I sent a note thanking President Truman for doing this, and his secretary told me he wanted to meet me. And we became very good friends. As a matter of fact, uh, on the dedication of the

01:13:56.930 - 01:14:12.060

memorial for the the Holocaust Memorial in Kansas City, he was the guest speaker and I played the background music. Is that right? Yes. I did. And I believe he said that you were. You were the only one of 65,000 displaced persons. Right. Who wrote him a

01:14:12.060 - 01:14:24.259

note. That's right. Thanking him for signing that act. Uh, we don't know that. It might have been. Somebody else, but, no, I'm not, I don't. In Kansas City, he's the only one. Yeah. So, I don't think any, well, anyway, that's. That's a, uh. Can I say

01:14:24.259 - 01:14:41.910

something? That's a wonderful story, yes. When I had the tailor shop, I had this picture on the wall, and, Well, this picture is from 1965. I sure don't look like that anymore, but who the customers used to come in and look at, you know, a fast

01:14:41.910 - 01:15:03.129

look, and they would say, oh, that's President Truman and Margaret. And I didn't believe it. It was a good feeling. Let me be Margaret. I had a special invitation to, uh, They had a troop ship a little bit dedicated as of President Truman. And, and I

01:15:03.129 - 01:15:22.279

was one of the invited guests. I also was invited. I was a, um, honorary fellow at the Library Institute, and I was invited when he died, I was. Uh, one of the 200 people was invited to the ceremony. Well, that's. And I had the picture, the

01:15:22.279 - 01:15:46.259

stamps that was issued that day, and I was sitting with Chief Justice Warren and Margaret Truman. This is. That's pretty heavy company, wasn't it? Yes, pretty heavy company. Well, that's wonderful. In 1965, Harry Truman invited the chief rabbi of Israel to the United States. And he

01:15:46.259 - 01:16:05.680

came to the United States. They had a big affair for him, you know, it's. And Jean designed and made a ceremonial robe for the Chief Rabbi. Here you see, uh, the Chief Rabbi on the left and Harry Truman and then. No, don't, don't mix it up.

01:16:05.770 - 01:16:21.810

This is not the chief rabbi I made the robe for. I made the decoration for this affair in the Melbach Hotel. OK. That was the next chief rabbi. The next chief rabbi you made a ceremonial robe for. Right. Which we will show. Here's the chief rabbi

01:16:21.810 - 01:16:38.089

of, of Israel. Uh, for the successor to the rabbi we just saw. I can tell you the story of it. OK. The chief rabbi of Israel who came in 1965 at the invasion of President Truman, I told him I'm going to make him a tapestry. I

01:16:38.089 - 01:16:59.339

made a tapestry and sent it to him and was hanging in the chief rabbinate building in Jerusalem. My grandson, Uh, my oldest son's grandchild went to Israel to study, And one day he went up to the chief rabbinate building and he saw this banner hanging, and

01:16:59.339 - 01:17:12.180

he ran downstairs and asked them if you know who made it, and they told me, told him he made it. He said, that's my grandpa. And uh, this is how it started, and the chief rabbi asked him, do you think that your grandfather would make me

01:17:12.180 - 01:17:30.600

a robe? And he said, sure. So he sent me his picture and his measurement and his specification and I made a robe, and my son George and Alan, I think three of them, Presented to him personally in Jerusalem. That's a wonderful, wonderful story. Jean, what is

01:17:30.600 - 01:17:52.990

this? This is the Austrian government issued in commemoration of the liberation of the camp in Mauthausen. Um-hum. Which was, was that the, Last camp you were in, the first camp. Yes, that's where we were liberated. That's where you were liberated. And this was on the occasion

01:17:52.990 - 01:18:20.700

of the first anniversary of the liberation. Exactly. It's the first day was in memory of the liberation of Malta. Um-hum. So Stern is means in German star. So here are Kate, And her husband Gene. And they will soon, next year. Celebrate their 61st wedding anniversary, being

01:18:20.700 - 01:18:42.180

married August 5th, 1944. August 4th, August 4th, 5th is my birthday. I was young, 1944. 1 the next day. So Jean, tell me how you met this girl and you were married by a rabbi. You never had a civil ceremony until 20 years later or so.

01:18:42.379 - 01:19:02.660

Tell us about that. Well, um. I was in, my wife's mother and my grandmother comes from the same city, uh, in a small little town about maybe 15 miles from where I come from, and they were very good friends. They kept close friendship, and they told

01:19:02.660 - 01:19:22.649

me if I ever go to Budapest, which, I should look them up. So, I, When I was in labor camp, my last year was spent in Budapest, and I looked her up and of course, uh, you know, uh, the first time I didn't really think, I,

01:19:22.790 - 01:19:38.700

I fell in love with her, was no question about it. But what happened when she was in, in the ghetto in Budapest. All the Jews was put in the ghetto. And I was able to get in and out from the ghetto and When I was in

01:19:38.700 - 01:19:55.479

the labor camp, they came, uh, an ordinance that maybe they'll take girls also from 16 to 35 into labor camp. Anyway, but they said if you were married to a guy already in a labor camp, they were, would have been exempt, but never came to it.

01:19:55.899 - 01:20:11.209

But then we, we went to a rabbi in the ghetto and we got married. We both, I have a picture, both of us wore the yellow star. We have a, um, and I, we could show the picture separately. And that's what it was when we came

01:20:11.209 - 01:20:29.669

to America and my son went to the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University, a combined course, last year he went to Israel, and besides studying the, whatever the school was, he studied the girls, evidently, because he fell in love with a girl. And he called me

01:20:29.669 - 01:20:41.339

up. He said, dad, this is the girl I want to spend the rest of my life. I said, George, you're only 20 years old. So he looked at me and said, dad, how old were you when you were married? I said. He said, right, if it's

01:20:41.339 - 01:20:58.839

good for you, it's good for me. So, anyway, they got engaged, but for, to get married in Israel, you have to have your marriage certificate. Uh, otherwise they consider you whatever. Anyway, I went to my lawyer and I said, what in the world am I going

01:20:58.839 - 01:21:12.049

to do? I don't have, I never had, and even if I would have, I wouldn't be impossible to get one. And those children were in school. At the time. It wouldn't look good in the newspaper, we just got married. So, anyway, I, we, he said, go

01:21:12.049 - 01:21:28.259

down to City Hall, and that's what we did. In 1965, we went, I think in March, we went to see how we got married and made sure that it wouldn't appear in the newspaper. It would look funny, three kids in school here. And anyway, 4 weeks

01:21:28.259 - 01:21:43.319

later, my son got married. And that's history. And. So. So you and your son got married the same. The same age. Right. Same time. But let me tell you practically raise my son. We raised 4 children. We did something right. We have, the oldest son has

01:21:43.319 - 01:22:01.859

a doctorate in education. Yeah. The second one is a lawyer. We have, the two girls are teachers. We have rules. Uh, we had, uh, restrictions. I had liquor here all the years open. Nobody touched it. My, my, I put through, my children through college and paid

01:22:01.859 - 01:22:17.310

for all of them because they, Uh, I made a little more money than two of the. Whatever it was, my, uh, son, Alan, uh, was a national scholarship finalist, but they only gave him $100 because I made more money, so. Yeah. Thank God I was. He

01:22:17.310 - 01:22:30.009

was not eligible. Well, I'm very proud. I was able to put him through school and he's still here, and we love each other. That's wonderful. And the children love each other and, Every time when it comes to Passover, we sit down, I tell the people, you

01:22:30.009 - 01:22:43.754

know, we read the story about the Jews leaving Egypt, and I said, look what happened, the two of us came, uh lived through the Holocaust, and our family died now in numbers, 21 people, just out of two, People in a short period of time, can you

01:22:43.754 - 01:23:03.720

imagine in 100 years or 200 years if you would add on all this? Absolutely, absolutely. This is part of history. Did you lose, uh, uh, Kate, did you lose, uh, relatives in the Holocaust? Yes, unfortunately. When I was in the Budapest and the Germans came in,

01:23:04.049 - 01:23:22.040

we went to a synagogue to hide. But, uh, they came about one o'clock in the morning, and they said, everybody down. So everybody came down and, and it's like in this doorway, one stood in this side, one stood that side with a flashlight. And they look

01:23:22.040 - 01:23:39.959

at your face and they say, you go this way, you go that way. My mother and I went left. They took my father to the right, and there were 28 people who they took, and unfortunately, we heard those 28 people was shot in the head by

01:23:39.959 - 01:23:56.060

the Danube. They never returned. They shot them into the Danube. Oh, my, that's terrible. Yeah. And. And, and you have two brothers who are in the. I have two brothers. I lost them in labor camp. Um-hum. My mother lived after the, the war. She passed away

01:23:56.240 - 01:24:14.080

about 12 years ago. She lived to be 96 years old. Hmm. So you had a wonderful childhood up to a point, Than a horrible existence. the world. And then a resurgence. You came, married, came to the United States and had this wonderful family. Yes. That you

01:24:14.080 - 01:24:27.399

have. Yes. This one, this wonderful, uh, career that you had. I don't know if I told you, my first child was born in Italy, in, in, uh. In, uh, this place. This place. Yeah. That, that helped you get over here, didn't it? I got to tell

01:24:27.399 - 01:24:41.680

you something. I don't know if there's a person who's happier to be in the United States. Than we are. I, I'm on the speaker's bureau, and I, uh, last year, my son and I were invited to a Social Security Administration for lunchtime. They have a lunch

01:24:41.680 - 01:25:03.129

room there that we, they invite a speaker. So I said to them, the people who work for the Social Security, uh, I said, tell me, you know something about the United States of America, or everything I said, let me tell you something. Cuba. It's only 90

01:25:03.129 - 01:25:24.240

miles, whatever it is. 90 miles from Miami? From Florida, rather. Key West. Key West. Yeah. It's a dictatorship. Germany was separated between east and west, so, on, on average, 250 people were shot to death trying to just go with the war. They, they were not, uh.

01:25:24.589 - 01:25:40.509

No war. Criminals or anything, just wanted their freedom. North Korea and South Korea have been separated. This was the first year in '94 that they allowed visitation from one side to the other, but somebody in the family had to stay behind to make sure. Cuba, what

01:25:40.509 - 01:25:55.040

I was trying to tell the people swim many times in the ocean. We don't even know how many people died because it was never documented. I said, here, the United States is the only country in the world that if you move out from here. They will

01:25:55.040 - 01:26:09.919

send you social security check no matter where you live, in Russia or China or India's true. Anywhere. Uh, did you know this is the only country in the world. If you retired or move and you pay them the social security, they will send you a check

01:26:09.919 - 01:26:24.810

every month. I had an uncle, Uh, that Hungary from Hungary. He moved back and he was getting $570 a month over there. He made more money from the social security. He lived like a king over there with that money. He had a maid and all that,

01:26:24.970 - 01:26:37.330

so this. Um-hum. Uh, uh, and the people who worked there didn't know that the social security, if they send the check, this is the only country in the world. Um-hum. So country. Well, this country has been, uh, great for you and you've been great for this

01:26:37.330 - 01:26:51.180

country. Right. With this wonderful family you have and, You, you're, you'll leave at some point in time, a great legacy. Well, we came with two dialects. As Americans 6 month old baby. I can, this I can show you the many thousands of letters I have that,

01:26:51.189 - 01:27:04.740

I. No language schools. The kids send me letters, and I go, when I go to speak, I, half my time I speak about the Holocaust and half the time I want to tell them how lucky they are that they can go to school here and all

01:27:04.740 - 01:27:19.779

the good things about the United States. Amen. Well, that's a great way to end this interview. And I want to thank you very much for the interview and for what you told us about your early days and, and then about your great successes in the garment

01:27:19.779 - 01:27:39.250

industry and then serving the citizens of Kansas City. Thank you. Our life, we said always we. We don't believe in miracles. We depend on it, and that's why we are here. I wanted to be, make sure that the children and my grandchildren, We'll never have to

01:27:39.250 - 01:27:50.850

go through what we've been through and hopefully that we're going to have a little peace in the world, but we need so badly, and there's the greatest country in the world. With all the fault that people find in the United States, still the greatest country in

01:27:50.850 - 01:28:02.709

the world. God bless America. What can I say? God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you. This is a small part.