Holocaust Memorial Education Center

Holocaust Memorial and Education Center Interview with Gabrielle Walborsky 

Date: October 3, 2023

Interviewer: Nancy Gorrell

Q: How did you happen to discover your grandfather, Carl Bergman's memoir, “The Story of My Life” written in 1988?

A: I always knew I had it. It was in my room in family’s house in Westchester. I had been looking for it for a while and finally found it. I wanted to make sure that my daughter, Charlotte, knew about had it. I originally read it in 1988. 

Q: Did you ever know your grandfather? What was he like?

A: Yes, I knew him so well for a good part of my life. He lived to almost 99. I was 43 when he passed. I had so many good years with him.

Q: What was he like?

A: He was extremely independent. He really knew how to live on his own. He lost his wife at the young age of 61 to cancer.  Painful as it was to lose his wife, Helen, he lived a rich and fulfilling life for the next 30 years. He loved to travel all over the world. He loved his family, his daughters, his son-in-laws, and his grandchildren. He led a very active life. He was a big bridge player and art lover. Took advantage of all life in New York City. 

Q: Was your grandfather a religious man?

A: Religious? Not religious. He did not belong to a synagogue. 

Q: How would you describe your grandfather in his career?

A: A very successful businessman with two other partners selling and marketing kitchen gadgets. 

Q: How has finding “The Story of my Life” affected you? 

A: I always knew the story. Our family always felt it was important to know our difficult history. All the details he wrote and the family histories he wrote, I do not recall in hindsight. But to have it all together in a story, it’s a chronicle of the times and our family.