Guenter Goldsmith, a Holocaust survivor who joined the U.S. Army and took part in the Allied invasion as a paratrooper and was highly decorated for his service, died Monday, Oct. 15.  He was a resident of greater St. Louis since he escaped from Nazi Germany in  1941, when he was 15 years old.

Mr. Goldsmith was a longtime survivor docent at the St. Louis Holocaust Museum and Leaning Center, where his presentations enthralled those who attended his talks.He was also a member of the Holocaust Education Awareness Commission, appointed in 2007 by then-Gov. Matt Blunt.

At the time, Mr. Goldsmith told the Jewish Light that he became involved with the Holocaust Museum after one of his grandsons made a video interview of him about his experience during the Holocaust.  “It took a long time, but that’s what started me talking about the Holocaust,” he said at the time.

From that time forward, Mr. Goldsmith had been speaking about the Holocaust at the museum. He said that he hoped his spot on the governor’s commission would help spread awareness of the Holocaust.

“Being a Holocaust survivor, I think I add a little something to the commission,” he said at the time of his appointment.  “I hope we can get young people especially to remember what happened and hopefully prevent things like that from happening again.”

Irl Solomon, a longtime docent at the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center, remembers Mr. Goldsmith fondly. His favorite part of Gunther’s survivor testimony mentions that he remained in Germany after the war as part of the U.S. Army’s clean-up operations, but that euphemism does not tell the real story.  “Guenter scoured the countryside looking for ex-Nazis now pretending to be innocent civilians, questioning them aggressively and turning them in for further legal action,” he said. “Always soft-spoken, he would display a big smile when telling his tour group that it gave him great satisfaction to identify himself as a “Jewish soldier, U.S. Army” to the Nazis he apprehended.”

Guenter Goldsmith was born Nov. 12, 1925 in Hanover, Germany, the son of Julius and Irma Bierhoff Goldsmith. After his father was taken away to a concentration camp by German authorities, Mr. Goldsmith’s mother  found her son safe passage to the  United States through an uncle in St. Louis. He immigrated to the United States in June 1941, when he was 15 years old. Mr. Goldsmith’s escape to St. Louis was assisted by the Jewish Family & Children’s Service.

During the Holocaust, Mr. Goldsmith lost all of his family in Germany at the time. His father died in 1938 of pneumonia after being forced to stand outside for an entire night in freezing weather. His mother died in a concentration camp in 1944.

He attended Soldan High School, where he learned English, ran track and made many friends. Upon graduation from Soldan, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, trained as a paratrooper and communications expert. 

Mr. Goldsmith  earned two Bronze Stars for participation in the Battle of the Bulge and Rhineland Operation.  He participated in the Allied invasion of Germany during 1945, when he parachuted across the Rhine River into German with the 17th Airborne Division, and served as an advance scout until the surrender of Germany in May 1945.  He remained in Germany as part of the U.S. Army’s clean-up operations.

Upon his return to St. Louis, Mr. Goldsmith attended the St. Louis College  of Pharmacy on the GI Bill, where he became a lifetime member and active participation in the AZO Fraternity.  He was active in the college’s alumni association for many years and served as president of the college’s centennial celebration.

He operated several independent pharmacies in the St. Louis area, including Forsyth Drug, Medical West Pharmacy and Goldsmith Pharmacy.

Mr. Goldsmith was married to Antoinette “Ann” Goldsmith and the late Diane Patricia Goldsmith.  His survivors include Judy (Max) Bierman, Steve (Lexie)  Goldsmith and Harold (Hal) Goldsmith; stepsons Jim and Bob Feldhaus and seven grandchildren.

Funeral services were held last Thursday at United Hebrew Congregation, where Rabbi Adam Bellows officiated. Burial was at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

Memorial contributions preferred to S. Louis Holocaust Museum and Learning Center, Jewish Family & Children’s Service or St. Louis College of Pharmacy.