As a young man, Bernard L. Ginsburg was working as a photocorrespondent for a Ukrainian newspaper when the Nazis aimed theirwar machine at the Soviet Union.
Mr. Ginsburg, a Polish native who spoke several languages, began aharrowing journey to escape the German onslaught. He headed east, andat one point was arrested by the Nazis and accused of spying for thePoles.
Mr. Ginsburg escaped and obtained a doctored passport that allowedhim to travel safely to Central Asia, where he stayed until the endof World War II.
Mr. Ginsburg, who eventually immigrated to the United States andworked for almost 20 years as a photojournalist for the University ofChicago, died Saturday at Evanston Hospital. He was 84.
Mr. Ginsburg's son, Elliot, recalls the stories his father toldabout his experiences during the war and afterward.
"It was one episode after the other. He was really a fighter andhad lived by his wits," his son said.
When the war ended, Mr. Ginsburg headed back to the Polish villagewhere he had been raised. By the time he reached the town, "he hadvisions of blood on a wall, and he knew his world was shattered anddecided he couldn't go back," his son said.
Mr. Ginsburg went to live at a camp for displaced persons inStuttgart, Germany. There, he became editor of a small paper and wasunexpectedly reunited with his only remaining living relative.
"One of his brothers survived, but they had lost contact. One dayon the street, his brother comes up behind him and says `Guess who?'" his son said.
In 1946, Mr. Ginsburg came to Chicago. He worked as aphotographer, doing portraits and commercial work before landing ajob with the U. of C. in 1961.
Besides his son, survivors include his wife, Rose; a daughter,Vivian Miller, and five grandchildren. Services were Monday.
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