Fred Heyman, born in Berlin, Germany, is the son of Leopold and Gertrud Heymann, and the only male survivor to the family name at time of his birth.  He resided in the German capital until the end of December 1946.  During this time, Fred experienced anti-Semitism and witnessed the rise and fall of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.  On Kristallnacht, November 1938, on his way to school, he literally walked across broken glass from destroyed Jewish businesses.  When he arrived at school, he found it and its adjacent synagogue torched and in flames.  Then, his formal education was halted at third grade for nine years.  Besides the daily fear of Nazi atrocities, laws and restrictions placed on the Jewish community, he lived through WWII and escaped injury during the frequent Allied bombing of the city.  At one daytime air raid three bombs fell on the building where he had taken shelter.  Digging out from the rubble, the street was in flames. He escaped flying burning cinders by seeking shelter in the city’s subway.   It was after one of these air raids that the family went into hiding by assimilating and moving to an area where nobody recognized their identity.  A Catholic family helped them survive during these difficult times.  Once more the family was confronted with life threatening experiences when Russian forces liberated Berlin.  He and his dad missed an incoming artillery round as they were walking out of the shelter during a lull in fighting.  Days later when Soviet forces threw a hand grenade into the shelter, he survived again.  A final survival occurred when Russian shock troops rounded up the males from the shelter and placed them in front of a firing squad unless wristwatches would be handed over.  These final days of WWII experiences were actually within walking distance from the bunker where Adolf Hitler committed suicide.  Soon after the war Fred started as an electrician apprentice, but the apprenticeship was interrupted when the family applied to immigrate to the United States under the Displaced Persons Act.  The Heyman’s disembarked in Manhattan on January 24, 1947.  With the help from the JOINT Distribution Committee, they started a new life in America and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Fred soon enrolled at The Milwaukee Vocational School and took an one year eighth grade completion course for new Americans which enabled him to begin his high school education.  Again his education was interrupted when the Korean conflict broke out and he was drafted into the Oklahoma National Guard 45th Infantry Division.  While in combat as a radio operator, Fred completed his high school with self study courses given by USAF.  In 1953 he was naturalized and became citizen of the United States.  He attended the University of Wisconsin and studied electrical engineering.  Fred got married and fathered Renee and Gareth and has four grandchildren.  He was employed at A.T.&T. for over 40 years before he retired.  He is the past President of Milwaukee Memorial Lodge, B’nai B’rith served on the Milwaukee Council of B’nai B’rith.  Career advances required two relocations, Chicago and New Jersey.  He settled with his spouse in Morristown New Jersey.  He is the discussion leader of a current events group, “Behind The Headlines”, Brandeis University National Woman’s Organization – Morristown Chapter.  After the death of his beloved spouse in 2004, he continues to head the “Theater Lovers”, who attend the latest shows on Broadway.  Fred also serves on the Holocaust Council of Metro West in Whippany, New Jersey and has delivered numerous speeches with other survivors about the Holocaust.  Fred is a volunteer at VMC (Volunteers Morris County – Outreach Program), making visits to homebound persons.  He serves as a member of the Morris Rubell Holocaust Memorial Foundation who sponsors student trips to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.