The story of my life - Benno Gitter

The son of devout but undogmatic Jewish parents, Mozes Bernhard Gitter (known from an early age as Benno) was born in Amsterdam in 1919, where his father was rapidly establishing himself in the tanning and leather trade. In May 1940, the day after Benno's 21st birthday, the Germans invaded Holland, and life for Jews became increasingly precarious. The Gitter family survived the occupation for two desperate and terrifying years. Then in 1942 they managed to escape to Portugal and then to Argentina.In Buenos Aires Benno Gitter took to his new life with enthusiasm, joining his father in the local leather industry and before long helping to make Argentina one of the world's greatest exporters of quality leather. He was also promoting international trade, not least with the emerging State of Israel. Then in 1954, married with two young children, he realised his lifelong dream of aliya - emigration to Israel. For the next forty years he was involved as a banker, entrepreneur and fundraiser in many of the key developments of Israel's growing economy. He reveals encounters with personalities such as Queen Juliana and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Eva and Juan Peron, prime ministers David Ben-Gurion, Yitzhak Rabin, Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, Shimon Peres, Pinchas Sapir and others.Despite his share of misfortunes, especially the heartbreaking loss of his youngest daughter Ariela at the age of fourteen, Benno Gitter's optimism and humour are undiminished. The Story of My Life is an evocative and fascinating account of a life rich in experience, achievement and memory.