Concentration Camp Liberators Oral History Project
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Interviewer
Michael Hirsh
Publication Date
3-21-2022
Date
May 2009
Abstract
Charles T. Payne was a private first class in the 89th Infantry Division when it liberated Ohrdruf, a subcamp of Buchenwald, on April 4, 1945. In this interview, he briefly describes his background before entering the service, and discusses his basic training experiences. The division arrived in Europe in January 1945 and proceeded as part of the Rhineland Campaign and the Central Europe Campaign. On their way to Berlin, they encountered Ohrdruf, which was the first concentration camp liberated by the American Army. Payne describes finding Ohrdruf and what he saw there. Payne, the great-uncle of U.S. President Barack Obama, was the relative Obama referred to in a 2008 campaign speech, in which he mentioned having an uncle who liberated a concentration camp.
Keywords
World War II (1939-1945), Holocaust (1939-1945), Concentration camps, Concentration camps--Liberation, Veterans, Genocide, Crimes against humanity, United States. Army. Infantry Division 89th, Ohrdruf (Concentration camp)
Extent
00:45:12; 20 page transcript
Subject: geographic
Ohrdruf (Germany)
Language
English
Digital Date
2022
Media Type
Oral histories
Format
Digital Only
Identifier
C65-00102
Recommended Citation
Payne, Charles T., "Charles T. Payne Oral History Interview" (2022). Concentration Camp Liberators Oral History Project. 90.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/concentration_OH/90
Rights Statement
