STEVEN SPRINGFIELD - brief biography:

New York, the American metropolis, one of the world's major cities - and the port of arrival for countless European emigrants.

Steven Springfield grew up in Riga/Latvia, the son of a Jewish family of retailers. He went to a Hebrew school and came from a musically ambitious home in which both Russian and German was spoken.

At the age of 18, he was forced to move to the Riga ghetto with his family. Except for his elder brother, who now lives in New York, his entire family was murdered.

Steven Springfield survived the Kaiserwald and Stutthof concentration camps, before being sent on the Death March. He was liberated along with his brother by the Red Army in 1945. After working as an interpreter for the Soviet army for some time, he was again arrested. He was freed after four months of brutal incarceration. This led him to decide never to return to Latvia again, and to emigrate to the USA.

In March 1947, the ship "Marine Flasher" entered the harbour of New York. Steven Springfield was on deck singing God bless America.
    He began a new life in New York, although he had nothing to start with. His only contact was one uncle. He was, however, supported by Jewish aid organisations.

Today, he lives as a retired businessman in Long Island together with his wife Muriel. Steven Springfield has been President of the "Jewish Survivors of Latvia" since 1984.

Since 1998 he is a member of The Commission of the Historians of Latvia. The main task of the Commission is to study the issue "Crimes against Humanity Committed in the Territory of Latvia under Two Occupations, 1940 - 1956".

For his merits in the Latvian - Jewish relationship, on November 17th 2002 Steven Springfield was awarded with the highest Latvian award, the Three-Star Order by President of Latvia, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, in Riga.

LiveInterview with Steven Springfield on Radio EINS  
Recorded from the Film Magazin of Knut Elstermann on August 24th 2002