Lou Dunst Collection

Collection

Identifier: MS-0529

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Lou Dunst Collection consists mainly of correspondence received from young audiences who have heard Mr. Dunst speak about his Holocaust experiences. There are also newspaper clippings, photos, videos and DVDs of interviews with Mr. Dunst, including a VHS tape entitled "From the Ashes." Interviewer Judge Norbert Ehrenfreund and Lou Dunst simulate the Nuremberg Trials as Mr. Dunst describes his Holocaust experiences. The collection also includes a DVD of Lou Dunst's 80th birthday and reunion with his liberator as well as photos and DVDs regarding the March of the Living and his Holocaust experiences.

Dates

Creation: 1930 - 2014
Creation: Majority of material found within 1999 - 2014

Creator

Dunst, Lou (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The copyright interests in some or all of these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creator(s) of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of archival collections is such that multiple creators are often applicable and copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. In any case, the user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, obtaining publication rights and copyright infringement. When requesting images from Special Collections & University Archives for publication, we require a signed agreement waiving San Diego State University of any liability in the event of a copyright violation.

Biographical Note

Lou Dunst, a San Diego businessman, is a Holocaust survivor who was liberated at age nineteen along with his brother, Irving from the Ebensee Concentration Camp in Austria. Mr. Dunst has made it his life’s work to educate people, especially young people, about the Holocaust. He uses his personal experiences, which include imprisonment in several concentration camps, the loss of his parents and escaping death on a daily basis. Each year since 1998 he has accompanied Jewish students on the March of the Living in Poland and Israel. He has told his story all over the world, as well as in Southern California. As a guest speaker at schools from elementary to high school to university, from Jewish to secular to Christian, Mr. Dunst has made a great impression on all those who have heard him speak. In 2014, My bargain with God, The Story of Holocaust Survivor Lou Dunst, written by Rabbi Ben Kamin was published and in 2015 a film about Lou Dunst entitled, I Had to Clean My Heart , A Survivor’s Story by Robert Schnieder and Alberto Lau was released.

Extent

2 Linear Feet (Two records cartons)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

The materials in this collection were donated to the Jewish Historical Society of San Diego in 2004 by Lou Dunst (JHSSD #2004.03).

Source of Acquisition

The Jewish Historical Society of San Diego transferred this collection to Special Collections & University Archives on July 22, 2015.

Accruals and Additions

2015-025. The first part of the collection was originally donated by Mr. Dunst in July 2004 and consisted of one VHS tape entitled "From the Ashes." Interviewer Judge Norbert Ehrenfreund and Lou Dunst, simulate the Nuremberg Trials as Mr. Dunst describes his Holocaust experiences. Additional items were added October 2009, including correspondence from school students in response to Lou Dunst's presentations about his Holocaust experiences and a DVD of Lou Dunst's 80th Birthday and reunion with his liberator. In November, 2011, Mr. Dunst added correspondence, photos and DVD's regarding the March of the Living, his speaking engagements, correspondence from school children and DVD's regarding his Holocaust experiences.