Rudolf Karger

Born out of wedlock in Vienna’s 16^th district (Ottakring) in 1930. His mother passed away in 1936, his father failed to care for the children. Grew up at his grandmother’s place in extremely crowded conditions. In March 1938 an uncle was arrested and deported to Dachau. Following abuse by another uncle at age eleven, at first to the Child Foster Care Service. Following two weeks of observation, he was taken on September 1, 1941 to Spiegelgrund for one year. In the wake of an attempt to escape, severe abuses and several weeks of observation at Pavilion 15 or 17, then in the correctional group at Pavilion 11. From September 1942 until July 1943 at the Mödling educational facility. From there to a foster family in Southern Hungary until he fled from the approaching Red Army to Vienna. Shortly before war end, he evaded draft into the home anti-aircraft defense and struggled along until liberation. After liberation, he was caught illicitly trading saccharin and detained at Kaiserebersdorf for four years. Following release in 1950, tailor‘s apprenticeship, worked in various professions, among others, at the Theater an der Wien.