Skip to main content

Bea Karp

Bea Karp was born Beate Stern in Lauterbach, Germany in 1932. She and her family were forced from their home and transported by passenger train to internment camps in the south of France. Bea and her sister Susie were saved by the Jewish French Underground, Œuvre de secours aux enfants (OSE), and were hidden in numerous chateaus and convents until the end of the war. They were never reunited with their parents who were murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. Bea arrived in the US in 1947, later settling in Omaha with her husband and four daughters. Bea spoke extensively about her Holocaust experiences with Nebraska and Iowa schoolchildren and at community gatherings. Hear Bea's testimony in her own words.


310 items

The 'Bag Lady' in the Rolls-Royce

  • Date: June 17, 1985
  • Format: newspaper

The backbone of our nation

  • Date: November 12, 2015
  • Creator(s): Liewer, Steve
  • Format: newspaper

Bea Karp

  • Date: 2014
  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp (Bea Pappenheimer) Receiving Citizenship

  • Date: June 24,1968
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Pappenheimer, Deborah

Bea Karp (Beate Stern) and Susie Stern

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp (Beate Stern) and Susie Stern

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp and Her Daughters

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp at Auschwitz I Memorial

  • Date: 2005
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Institute for Holocaust Education

Bea Karp at Chateau La Borie Children's Home

  • Date: 1945-1946
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Ruth Zarnicer Wertheimer

Bea Karp at Majdanek Memorial

  • Date: 2005
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Institute for Holocaust Education

Bea Karp at Warsaw Monument

  • Date: 2005
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Institute for Holocaust Education

Bea Karp Honorary Degree

  • Date: 2011
  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp Honored at Creighton University

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp in Poland 2005

  • Date: 2005
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Institute for Holocaust Education

Bea Karp Posing with Students

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp Recounts Her Holocaust Survivor Journey

  • Date: October 13, 2010
  • Format: digitalpub

Bea Karp Shoah Foundation Testimony Part 1

  • Date: November 1, 1995
  • Format: testimony

Bea Karp Shoah Foundation Testimony Part 2

  • Date: November 1, 1995
  • Format: testimony

Bea Karp Shoah Foundation Testimony Part 3

  • Date: November 1, 1995
  • Format: testimony

Bea Karp Shoah Foundation Testimony Part 4

  • Date: November 1, 1995
  • Format: testimony

Bea Karp Speaking at SAC

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp Speaking at School

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp Speaking for Week of Understanding

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Testimony Transcription

  • Date: June 6, 1990
  • Format: testimony
  • Source: The Jeff and Roby Herr Oral History Archive, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Bea Karp Visits Auschwitz

  • Date: 2005
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Institute for Holocaust Education

Bea Karp Walnut Middle School Testimony

  • Date: February 28, 2019
  • Format: testimony

Bea Karp with Family Members in Poland 2005

  • Date: 2005
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Institute for Holocaust Education

Bea Karp with Grandchildren

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp with Her Four Daughters

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp with Students

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp with Students

  • Format: photograph

Bea Karp's Account of Her and Susie's Location from March 1943 to July 1945

  • Format: document

Bea Karp's Certificate of Naturalization

  • Date: June 24, 1958
  • Format: document

Bea Karp's Children

  • Format: photograph
  • Source: My Broken Doll, page 126.

Bea Karp's Grandson, Danny Krantz

  • Date: 2005
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Institute for Holocaust Education

Bea Karp's High School Diploma

  • Date: 1951
  • Format: document

Bea Karp's Power of Attorney for the Commission pour l'indemnisation des victimes

  • Format: document

Bea Karp's Questionnaire for the indemnification of victims

  • Format: document

Bea Karp: Holocaust survivor feels obligation to share painful memories

  • Date: March 15, 2018
  • Creator(s): Biga, Leo Adam
  • Format: digitalpub

Bea Pappenheimer (Bea Karp) and Bob Pappenheimer

  • Format: photograph

Bea Pappenheimer (Bea Karp) and Bob Pappenheimer

  • Format: photograph

Beate Stern (Bea Karp) Age 15

  • Date: 1947 ca.
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Pappenheimer, Deborah

Beate Stern (Bea Karp) Age 3

  • Date: 1935 ca.
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Pappenheimer, Deborah

Beate Stern (Bea Karp) Age 5

  • Date: 1937 ca.
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Pappenheimer, Deborah

Beate Stern (Bea Karp) age 7

  • Date: 1939 ca.
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Pappenheimer, Deborah

Beate Stern (Bea Karp) at Chateau Couret

  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Pappenheimer, Deborah

Beate Stern (Bea Karp) at wedding of Vivette Samuel

  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Pappenheimer, Deborah

Beate Stern (Bea Karp) Naturalization Card

  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Pappenheimer, Deborah

Beate Stern (Bea Karp) Wearing Blanket Jacket

  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Pappenheimer, Deborah
⟰