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Rolf Bergman

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Rolf Bergman
Rolf Bergman
Personal details
Born1923
Died1981
NativityGermany
ReligionJewish
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN32899248
RankPrivate
Camp RitchieClass 11 (25 August – 23 October 1943)
Section5A
EnlistedNew York City, New York
TeamIPW 79
Teammates
Team — IPW 79
These are other soldiers listed on the same team roster. People moved between teams; overlapping service dates are not always documented.
Research notes on this page are compiled from the source file and later edits. They may be unverified, incomplete, or incorrect, and should not be treated as established fact. Please correct the article or add sources on the talk page. For class-roster terms, see About the data.
Sources & confidence: Treat Research notes as leads, not settled fact. Prefer NARA, the class roster, newspapers, Find a Grave, or published histories for contested claims. Mark unsourced claims with {{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.


Rolf Bergman (1923–1981) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 11 and served with IPW Team 79.

Biography

Rolf Bergman "was born in Berlin in 1923. According to his daughter, Ritchie Boy Rolf Bergman passed away April 10, 1981 at age 57. More information on Ritchie Boy Rolf Bergman about his first years in the United States and his arrival at Camp Ritchie:" He enrolled at NYU before his 15th birthday and was close to graduation when he turned 18.

Dan Gross, the resident historian for all things related to the Ritchie Boys, provided the following information on Ritchie Boy Rolf Bergman (1923-1981): M/Sgt Rolf Bergman ASN 32899248 Class 11 (German) Assigned to IPW Team 79, attached to XII Corps. Here are some more photos of RB Rolf Berman in the European Theater of Operations. Helene Bergman has shared photos of her late Father, Ritchie Boy Rolf Bergman.

RB Bergman enlisted in the US Army in New York City on April 29, 1943 as a PVT. Ritchie Boy Bergman started his training in the 11th Class at Ritchie as an Interrogator of Prisoners of War, and obtained his American citizenship on September 8, 1942. He was never a German citizen even though both his father and he were born there because his grandfather had a Nansen passport as a refugee from Odessa (per Wikipedia, a Nansen is an internationally recognized refugee travel document issued between 1922 and 1938 to stateless persons).

He took German 4 over the summer to polish his English, and graduated Washington Irving High School in June 1937. The makeup is only dust on sweat. Here are some more details about his getting settled in the United States.

"Once they arrived in the US, the Joint Distribution Committee arranged for them to go to Havana and re-enter as immigrants.

Research notes

Gallery

  • More information from the daughter of Ritchie Boy Rolf Bergman about his early years in Germany. "His parents owned a millinery store; his mother made women's hats. In 1936, a few months after his bar mitzvah, the German police raided his parents' store because an employee had denounced them for tax fraud. When my grandfather suggested to his accountant that he should go to the police station to show them his…
    More information from the daughter of Ritchie Boy Rolf Bergman about his early years in Germany. "His parents owned a millinery store; his mother made women's hats. In 1936, a few months after his bar mitzvah, the German police raided his parents' store because an employee had denounced them for tax fraud. When my grandfather suggested to his accountant that he should go to the police station to show them his…
  • The top picture below is with RB Bergman (r) and his commanding officer (l), and in the picture below is RB Bergman and a pal in the motor pool.
    The top picture below is with RB Bergman (r) and his commanding officer (l), and in the picture below is RB Bergman and a pal in the motor pool.
  • The top picture below is with RB Bergman (r) and his commanding officer (l), and in the picture below is RB Bergman and a pal in the motor pool.
    The top picture below is with RB Bergman (r) and his commanding officer (l), and in the picture below is RB Bergman and a pal in the motor pool.

Technical record

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 58
Nara ASN 32899248
Nara Name BERGMAN ROLF
Nara State 23
Nara County 61
Nara POE 2364
Nara DOE 290443
Nara Grade Alpha PVT
Nara Grade Code 8
Nara Branch Alpha NO
Nara Branch Code 2
Branch No branch assignment
Nara Term or Enlistment 5
Term of enlistment Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Defer. Date 0
Nara Source 0
Nara Nativity N1
Nara Year of Birth 23
Nara Race J
Nara Race Description White not yet a citizen
Nara Education 4
Nara Civilian Occupation 992
Nara Marital Status 6
Nara Height (inches) 54
Nara Weight (lbs) 108
Class_ASN 32899248
Class_Name BERGMAN, Rolf
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both

Sources

  • Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
  • NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
  • 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-11-15 (5 posts)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2021-02-19 (1 post)
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