Gino Hollander Grassroots TV 1

Описание: Audio and Video Transcription
Name of Donor/Interviewer: Ron Langer
Partner organization affiliation (if any): RFVHP/Aspen Historical Society
Name of the veteran or civilian being interviewed as it appears on the Biographical Data Form: Eugene (Gino) Hollander
Birth Date: 08/04/1924
Recording format VIDEO type: DV Cam
Estimated length of recording (in minutes): 84 minutes
Date of Recording: February 3, 2007
Location of recording: Grassroots Television, Aspen, CO


Interviewer: Ron Langer
Roaring Fork Veterans' History Project, Aspen Historical Society and Grassroots

0:16 This is Ron Langer, we're at Grassroots TV in Aspen Colorado. I'm interviewing Gino Hollander, that's Eugene F Hollander who lives currently in Aspen. Was born in Newark, New Jersey on August 4, 1924. He was-- he served with the 10th Mountain Division, 86th Regiment achieving the rank of staff sergeant, served from January 10, 1943 through September 1945.

0:53 So Gino, I'd like to -- to start out just talking a little about growing up. I have particular interest because I'm also a New Jersey boy. I know you were born in Newark, what were things like growing up in Newark in the 20's and 30's?"

1:16 Well the 20 part, I don't remember very well-- born in 1924 - So not much recall of that— my -- we went to --well they weren't even the suburbs --that wasn't the name that was given -- none of the hideaways were started.. You migrated some how or other- we went to Maplewood, the South Orange area --in 1930, that's where I pick up my memory more or less.

1: 52 I had been in Europe for almost a year, before that -- which was
in 1929 with my family— and I have memories of that -- just vague ones of the museums, and of this, and that and so on.

2:04 Why did they travel to Europe ?
My father was an executive in a fur business, for dying and dressing, which in Newark was a very big one A. Hollander and Son

So this was a business trip?
He made --- He had been traveling since the 1920's yearly by boat for the firm, there were some plants in Europe and he went over and every once in a while the family went with him.

2:52 And this was 1929 --? 1929, 1930.
So it was --that was the year of the stock market crash?
Yeah -- but somehow or other the firm did fairly well -- with rabbits dyed beaver— or whatever it was -- or rabbits dyed mink. They did pretty well. And they got through that period. It's disappeared since and changed - but it'd been around about 50 years at the time. That was my background. I expected to go into it when -- as work.

And so you went to school and graduated high school in Maplewood?
In South Orange NJ, South Orange - from there- awful student, just awful. I don't know how many days I attended -- but as I recall it was at least a day a week I wasn't there. I just, just sort of wasn't with it - some how or other and nobody pinned me down on it and one thing and the other.

3:47 I was medioc.. - I came in with C's or something-- but not attentive. It's not the way that I've ever learned - in that fashion. I learn by doing

4:02 And from there-- I graduated, I suppose I went to Hobart because I had a C average instead of ya know one of the other schools--??? But it was nice and ...

Hobart's in upper New York State?
4:32 Yes it's a small liberal arts college. Was very nice, I had no problem with it. And did very well. Immediately took to it well -- it was a different atmosphere.
But a -I guess it was from the film and also the times -- You would've had to have been there to know. But we were losing a war --in a big way. And the entire nation was involved— entire nation was involved. And so - It was in the spirit of things, as well.

That you decided to enlist --
That I volunteered -by I had seen a training film at school of the 10th Mountain Division.

5: 05 If I could drop back to my youth for just for a moment. The only thing I really remember strongly - really turned on by is - at 13 years old I went off on a bike trip from NJ, this was from Maplewood. And I went for 1000 miles into Canada -- this was alone --cooked up some story or other with my family -- we were going with somebody - it didn't work out that way and I went alone—I just remember- Produced by Jonathan Kloberdanz, @GoodKarmaFilms432 on Instagram
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