Background
When Holocaust survivor Felix Goldberg spoke at the Yom HaShoah ceremony in the year 2000, I was in the audience. Alas, the synagogue did not record his moving testimony. (I later learned that the Goldberg family did have a video recording) But since I did not yet have that recording, I wondered if his voice could be recreated using AI (artificial intelligence).
Searching the web, I identified a qualified company that I learned later was based in Kviv, Ukraine. A representative was fascinated by my request: could they recreate a Holocaust survivor’s voice, using available assets. The answer was yes. They requested that I send any previously recorded video. I had two: testimony he had previously given in the early 1990’s by South Carolina ETV AND another video, recorded in the late 1990’s by a representative of the Shoah Foundation.
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After receiving and reviewing these two assets, the company requested that I record someone (I hired an actor) reading
Felix’s original 2000 Yom HaShoah speech.
Actor Paul Kaufmann records the speech
That audio recording was then sent to the company. At this stage the company asked that the family members sign an agreement, which allowed them to proceed, which they did.
After several weeks, I received the “voice clone” of Felix Goldberg. To my ears, it is not exactly him, but it’s close.
I invited the family members to listen as well.
And for those who wish to watch/listen to the original speech, as it was captured that day, digitized, it is here as well.
Frame grab from the 2000 speech
My thanks go to Respeecher, and the Goldberg family. It could not have been accomplished without you.
The Felix Goldberg story, along with that of his wife Bluma, is captured in a new book:
WE SURVIVED THE HOLOCAUST: THE BLUMA & FELIX GOLDBERG STORY available everywhere books are sold.
