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Caro, Alfred

Alfred Caro was born July 27, 1911, to Sally and Frida Caro in Szamotuly, Poland. The family then moved to Berlin, Germany, where Sally, a decorated veteran of World War I, bought a butcher shop. Alfred had three sisters, Cecila, Jenna, and Nora and two brothers, Alex and Siegbert. Alfred had fond memories of his childhood in Berlin, where he was raised in a conservative Jewish home.

In public school, Alfred was one of the only Jewish students. He participated in a number of local sports clubs and particularly enjoyed boxing. After Alfred completed his compulsory education, he studied to be a butcher in Halberstadt, Germany, for three years, returning to Berlin in 1928. Alfred recalled that shortly thereafter, the depression hit Germany hard, and the Nazi party rose to prominence.

Once Hitler came to power in 1933, Alfred noticed changes taking place around him, including antisemitic legislation. About this time, Alfred’s father’s business failed when his non-Jewish clientele dwindled. In 1935, after the Nuremberg Laws stripped the Caro family of its citizenship and rights, they became Zionists and tried to find ways to flee Germany, but it was
too expensive to leave. In 1938, while being falsely sought as a political opponent, Alfred turned himself in to Nazi authorities, hoping his actions would protect his brothers.

Upon arrival in Sachsenhausen concentration camp, Alfred was forced to do hard labor amid primitive conditions and brutal treatment, all the while witnessing the arrival of new transports from all over Germany. After six weeks of appealing to the police in Berlin, his mother managed to orchestrate his release from Sachsenhausen in July of 1938.

HICEM, a large aid organization in Berlin, helped Alfred get a visa to immigrate to France where he lived in Paris with other refugees until he and about 500 other German and Austrian refugees were granted permission to live and work in Colombia. After two weeks aboard a ship called Cuba, Alfred arrived in Colombia with no money, possessions, nor the ability to speak Spanish. Until he caught malaria, Alfred worked in the gold mines deep in the Colombian jungle. Later Alfred moved to Bogota, where he became very successful, eventually owning a restaurant and butcher shop with an affluent clientele.

In 1952, Alfred decided to join his sister, Norma, who had earlier immigrated to America, settling in New York and learning English while working as a butcher for a German-owned delicatessen. Around this time, while on vacation, Alfred met his future wife, Helen, a divorcee living with her son, Allen, in Alabama. After a quick courtship, Alfred joined
his new family in Anniston, Alabama, where he opened Caro’s Restaurant. Alfred and Helen had a daughter, Alice. The Caro’s enjoyed living in Anniston, especially the warmth of the local people and donating to many local causes, particularly the YMCA.

(taken in part from the Echoes and Reflections curriculum)

About Caro, Alfred

Name in US
Alfred Caro
Parent's Name
Frida and Sally Caro
Sibling(s) Name(s)

2 brothers & 3 sisters(Jennie, Norah, Cecilia)

Spouse(s) Name(s)

Helen Nathan Arkus Caro, born July 22, 1913, Emmerich, Germany.
Married September 4, 1954, New York, NY. (Helen is the sister of Greta Nathan Kemp. Helen had a son from a previous marriage, Allan)

Children's Names

Alice Paulette Caro, born August 10, 1955, Anniston

Date of Birth
July 27, 1911
City of Birth
Samter
City of Birth, Alternate Names

Szamotuly

Country of Birth
Poland
Religious Identity (Pre-War)
Jewish
Religious Identity (Post-War)
Jewish
Camp(s), Name/Year(s)

Sachsenhausen

Year/City/Ship to U.S.
Nov. 8, 1952/ New York, New York / by airplane
Alabama City of Residence
Anniston
Date of Death
July 29, 2007
City of Death
Anniston
City of Burial
Anniston / Highland Cemetery
Dates Lived in Alabama
1954-2007
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The Birmingham Holocaust Education Center (BHEC) seeks to educate the people of Alabama about the history of the Holocaust so that new generations will apply the lessons of the Holocaust to the construction of a more just, humane, and tolerant future. By preserving and sharing the stories of local Holocaust survivors and commemorating the events of the Holocaust and the lives of those who perished, the BHEC seeks to promote a moral and ethical response to prejudice, hatred, and indifference for the benefit of all humanity.

Birmingham Holocaust Education Center

Established in 2002, the BHEC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to Holocaust remembrance and education throughout the state of Alabama. The work of the BHEC is inspired by Alabama’s Holocaust survivors, whose presence in our community makes us mindful of the injustices in their past. The BHEC is committed to preserving their memories and continuing their legacy.

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