Bernhard Johnny Gordon was born on the 22nd of November 1905 in Oslo. He was the youngest of four children to Aaron (b. 1860 in Skuodas, Lithuania, d. 1925 in Oslo) and Sarah Gordon (b. 1864 in Skuodas, d. 1941 in Oslo). His parents came to Norway in 1903. Bernhard married Edith Betty (b. 1901 in Skuodas). They had three children; Ahren (b. 1928), Leopold (b. 1932) and Doris (b. 1934). The children belonged to Ila school district in Oslo. Edith had a grocery business while Bernhard ran his own clothing store.

On the 26th of October 1942 Bernhard was arrested and placed in Bredtveit prison. Two days later he was transferred to Berg prison camp outside Tønsberg. On 26th of November the same year he was deported with D/S Donau to Stettin and from there to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Onboard the prison ship was also his wife and their three children. Upon arrival at Auschwitz the whole Gordon-family where immediately sent to the gas chamber and killed.