Remember Me! Honoring those who died in Belzec. Holocaust Roll of Remembrance Us www.HolocaustResearchProject.org (original) (raw)

Belzec Death Camp

"Remember Me"

The following list shows details of the people who were deported to Belzec death camp, and were either murdered or survived. The list is not a list of names, but a list where generally some details are known, albeit brief.

A limited list of full names, with no biographical details, only will follow in due course:

Glossary

Judenrat – Jewish Council – a form of self-government, but in essence the sole agency with which the Germans would deal with.

Kapo – From the Italian capo meaning chief. A prisoner chosen by the Germans to supervise other prisoners.

Alphabetical Listing of Belzec Survivors and Victims

Maurycy (Moses) Allerhand and Family

Born in 1862. A famous lawyer from Lvov and Professor of the Lvov University and author of many books about jurisprudence, which are still used today by lawyers and students.

Before the war he was a member of the Supreme Court in Poland. Between 1941 and 1942 he wrote a diary about his time on the Lvov ghetto.

In August 1942 he was deported to Belzec, together with his wife Salomea and his grandson Jozek, during the “Great Action”.

All three perished in the camp. His diary of the Lvov ghetto was found and his second grandson published it in a Polish language version – Dr Leszek Allerhand – “ Notes from the Other World”.

Mina Astman

A Jewess from Zolkiew who at the end of March 1942 was deported to Belzec but managed to escape from the death camp with Malka Talenfeld, and returned to Zolkiew.

Her subsequent fate is unknown.

Herman Auerbach

Born during 1901 in Tarnopol, Poland.

Professor of Lvov University, famous mathematician, before the Second World War he published many works about mathematics and geometry which have been translated from Polish into French and German, and are still in use today.

When he was in the Lvov ghetto he wrote his last works on geometry on the reverse of German documents. On 17 August 1942 during the “Great Action” in the Lvov ghetto he was deported to the Belzec death camp.

His last work written in the ghetto was published in Poland in 1992.

Bachner

A dentist from Krakow. He arrived at the Belzec death camp in the last transport from Krakow at the beginning of 1942. When the transport reached the camp, he succeeded in entering a latrine, where he hid, for a few days. Under the cover of darkness he was able to leave the pit, escape from the camp and returned to Krakow.

His fate is unknown.

Szlamek Bajler and Family

Taken on Monday 12 January 1942 from the town of Izbica Kujawska to Chelmno death camp, where he worked burying bodies in mass graves in Rzuchow forest after the Jews had been gassed in the gas vans.

On Monday 19 January Szlamek escaped from the vehicle carrying him and the other grave- diggers to the forest from the “Palace”. He made his way to Grabow, where he spoke to the Rabbi about what was happening in Chelmno. He gave the false name Grojanowski.

From Grabow he walked to the Warsaw Ghetto to warn the Jewish community of the destruction of the Jewish race taking place. Ill and extremely exhausted Szlamek was given shelter by people working for the Emanuel Ringelblum Archives- Hersz Wasser and his wife Bluma, who wrote down Szlamek’s account.

Members of the Ringelblum archives sent Szlamek to Zamosc, to stay with his sister in law Fela. Szlamek was deported to Belzec death camp from Zamosc on 11 April 1942, together with his sister in law, but before his death he managed to inform the Ringelblum archive that the extermination camp in Belzec – “It’s the same as in Chelmno”.

Szlamek’s report about Chelmno was published in Poland, after the war, during the war it was used in the secret reports sent from Poland to London, informing the allies of the death camps in Poland.

Shimon Hirsh Bajler,

Born in 1901 – brother of Szlamek and married to Fela, deported to Belzec with his family on 11 April 1942 where he perished.

Fela Bajler

born in 1905 resettled from the Warthegau to Zamosc, married Szlamek’s brother Shimon Bajler. Deported to Belzec on 11 April 1942 with her husband and son Abram Icchoc born in 1927 and her daughter Rivka born in 1938, where they all perished.

Baldachim

Engineer Baldachim came from Rzeszow, according to Panteleon Radunkow, who was a Ukrainian teacher in Belzec village during the war. He worked in a group of Jewish prisoners who were allowed to work outside the death camp, guarded by Ukrainians.

Radunkow met Baldachim several times, and from him he learnt about the death camp and the killing methods. Radunkow sent postcards from Baldachim to the Rzeszow ghetto where Baldachim’s family still lived.

According to Radunkow, Baldachim was killed during the liquidation of the camp.

Gitel Balsam

Born in 1925 in Gorlice. Deported from Gorlice to Belzec in June 1942 where she perished.

Jakub Baran

Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942

Salomea Beck

Born in May 1924 in Zakopane, Poland. Daughter of Henrik and Rozalia Beck. Deported from Nowy – Targ , Poland to Belzec in September 1942, where she perished.

Henryk Bekker

Born on 6 June 1886 in Bialystok. An architect who graduated from the Polytechnic High School in Munich. Before the war he was leader of “Folkspartaj (Jewish People’s Party) in Lublin and member of the Lublin City Council.

From 1936 he was president of the Lublin Jewish Community Council, and during the war first president of the Lublin Judenrat. Survivors from the Lublin ghetto remembered him as very kind and helpful.

On 31 March 1942 he was deported together with his wife to Belzec, after the selection of the Judenrat members. He knew about the fate of the deportees, and without any suitcases he went to the Umschlagplatz in Lublin, wearing his prayer shawl.

Lemel Berger

Born on 12 December 1885 in Sokolow, Poland. Until 1938 he lived in Nuremberg, after the “Reichskristallnacht “ he was resettled back to Poland, where he was deported with his wife Sara, who was born Sara Kaufmann, on 18 April 1888 in Niewiadowka.

Both perished in the death camp.

Dr Karol Blem

Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942.

Dr Duetsch and his family

Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec during the “Small Action” on 28 June 1942, when about 8,000 Jews from Lvov were resettled from the ghetto to the Janowska camp and subsequently to the Belzec death camp.

Zofia Dreifach

Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942

Chawe Eichenbaum

Chawe Eichenbaum was born in 1902 in Tarnopol, Poland, to Schmerl Eichenbaum and Schifre Eichenbaum, nee Silberman. Schmerl was a religious scholar.

Chawe subsequently married Samuel Naftali Teicholz in Tarnopol and they lived in an apartment on Rynek Street. Since they had a religious ceremony for the wedding it was not officially recognised by the Polish government.

They had two children Chaya born on 16 December 1923 and Malka born in 1933. Chawe was a housewife, looking after her family, in the Tarnopol ghetto, when on 8-9 November 1942 the Nazis commenced an “Aktion”.

Chawe’s husband Samuel and daughter Malka were shot and she was deported to Belzec. Her daughter Chaya survived by changing her name to Sonja Tarasowa, subsequently marrying JMA van der Horst.

Chaya has four children and eight grandchildren. The Hebrew name of one grandchild Anna, is Chawe after her great grandmother. .

Dr Filip Eisenberg

Well-known bacteriologist. Before the war he was director of the Institute of Hygene in Krakow. He was deported to Belzec in August 1942 during the “Great Action” in Lvov, aged 66 years old.

Ludwika (Luta) Eisner

Born in 1893, nee Weinstock. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec, in the beginning of the first action on 27 July 1942.

Ellenbogen

A Czech Jew who once owned a bicycle warehouse, as remembered by Rudolf Reder.

Fajersztajn Family

The family of a dentist from Lublin. They were deported to Belzec during Easter 1942. They lived in the same house as the family of Dr. Teresa Buk- Szmigielska at the border of the Lublin ghetto in the Old Town.

They had very close and friendly contact with this Polish family. When the SS men forced them out of their flat, Mrs Fajersztain said to the mother of Dr Buk- Szmigielska – “ Farewell Mrs Buk, We know they are taking us to our death”.

Shortly after the war the mother of Dr Buk – Szmigielska met a survivor who told her the Fajersztain family were deported to Belzec – father, mother and two daughters.

Dr Buk- Szmigielska only remembers the surname.

Feiga Felber

Born 1912. Lived in Stzyzow. Deported to Belzec in August 1942 and perished there.

Hersch Felber

Born 1882. Deported to Belzec in August 1942 and perished there.

Moses Felber

Born 1910. Deported to Belzec in August 1942 and perished there.

Zosia Feldman

The daughter of a famous advocate in Czortkow, Eastern Galicia. Deported from the Czortkow ghetto on 21 August 1942

Gabriela Frenkel

Jewish painter and art teacher in Lvov, Gabriela graduated from the Academy of Art in Paris. She was deported from Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942.

Dawid Friess

A well known butcher from Tarnow, deported together with his son and daughter during the first deportation to Belzec on 11 June 1942.

He was 72 years old at the time of the deportation. Srul Goldbaum , Zysla Goldbaum, Marysia Goldbaum and Sara Rebeka Goldbaum, Srul Goldbaum, and Zysia Goldbaum, nee Frydman from Ulicia Kowalska 12 Lublin and their younger daughter Sara Rebeka Goldbaum were deported from the Lublin ghetto to Belzec during April 1942.

Goldschmidt

A chef remembered by RudolF Reder, as well known at the “Bruder Hanicka” restaurant in Karlsbad.

Avrum Grin

Perished at Belzec probably during July 1942.

Golda Grunblatt

Born in 1874 . Lived in Stzyzow. Deported to Belzec in July 1942 where she perished.

Chaskiel Grunblatt

Born in 1899. Lived in Stzyzow. Deported to Belzec in July 1942 where he perished

Mendel Lejb Grunstein

Rabbi from Tarnow. Deported to Belzec on 12 September 1942 , during the second “action” in the Tarnow ghetto

Taube Gumplowicz

Born 28 August 1868 in Krakow and she lived there until 1941. Second wife of Henryk Hersz Gumplowicz, father of Anna Rozalia Imich and Matylda Schneider.

Deported to Belzec from Wieliczka on 26 August 1942

Gisela Gutman

Well-known podiatrist from Krakow. Deported on 28 October 1942 from the Krakow ghetto to Belzec. Markus Gutman, Sophie Gutman, Zofia Gutman.

Deported to Belzec from Zolkiew on 20 March 1942. She was the first woman who entered the gas chamber supporting her mother from this transport.

Chiel Haber

Born 22 February 1900. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec in December 1942 where he perished.

Izrael Haber

Born 18 October 1927. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec in December 1942 where he perished.

Jozef Haber

Born 25 July 1930. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec in December 1942 where he perished.

Laja Haber

Born in 1895. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec in December 1942 where she perished.

Falik Hafner

Jewish historian from Lvov. In Lvov ghetto he organised the secret social help for writers and scientists. He was deported to Belzec during the “Great Action” in August 1942

Shlomo Halberstadt

Member of the Lublin Judenrat. Contrary to some Judenrat members he didn’t believe in the real meaning of the deportations. He was deported to Belzec on 30 March 1942 following the selection of the Judenrat members.

Leonia Halpern

Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942.

Beila Hasen

Born in 1910. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec in June 1942 where she perished.

Jakub Hasen

Born in 1888. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec in June 1942 where he perished.

Mechel Hasen

Born in 1899. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec in June 1942 where he perished

Mendel Hasen

Born in 1883. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec in June 1942 where he perished

Natan Hasen

Born in 1900. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec in June 1942 where he perished

Tauba Hasen

Born in 1897. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec in June 1942 where she perished

Herc

Father and son both deported from Krakow to Belzec. Members of the camp’s Sonderkommando. Both were privileged and had contact with the villagers and they informed them about the extermination process.

The father died a natural death in the camp and because of his position in the camp the SS organised a normal funeral, including a coffin. After the liquidation of the camp young Herc was deported to Sobibor, along with Chaim Hirszman and others.

He escaped on the transport and retuned to Belzec where he talked with some Poles, about the camp, and that he would try and return to Krakow to find his wife and children, who were in hiding.

His fate is unknown.

Szaja Hernhut

Born in 1869 in Zamosc. His family was owner of the printing-office in Zamosc. Deported to Belzec in 1942

Wolf Hess

Head of the Judenrat in Borszczow, Eastern Galicia. According to testimonies of Borszczow ghetto survivors he was a real leader of the Jewish community. He always tried helping the Jews in the ghetto, and ensured the Judenrat was free from corruption.

He refused to be brow beaten by the Germans and because of his brave behaviour Jewish informers in the pay of the Gestapo denounced him to the Germans.

He was arrested and deported to Belzec on 22 July 1942

Miriam Himmer

Born in Gliniany. During the war she lived with her family in the Przemyslany ghetto, Eastern Galicia from where she was deported to Belzec on 12 April 1942 .

Her husband and sons were shot in Przemyslany.

Chaim Hirszman

From Janow Lubelski. In 1942 Chaim was a twenty-nine year old metal worker, was deported from Zaklikow, with his wife and six month old son.

They both perished at Belzec. He escaped from the last train out of Belzec after the camp was dismantled. En route to the Sobibor death camp, Hirszman and two other prisoners- one called Herc, decided to escape from the train by removing a plank from the cattle cars floor. He jumped first, the other two were to jump after him.

He succeeded in escaping and later joined the partisans. He survived the war, and his experiences were recorded by his second wife Pola. Chaim was killed by Polish anti-semites, in 1946, after giving evidence in Lublin.

Suzia Hofert

She was born in 1922. She perished in Belzec in July 1942.

J. S Imber

A Jewish poet who wrote in Yiddish. The nephew of the author of the Israeli anthem “ Hatikva”. Imber was deported on 2 November 1942 from Zloczow, Galicia, along with 2,500 other Jews from Zloczow

Anna Rozalia Imich

Born 24 December 1895 nee Gumplowicz. Lived in Krakow until 1941. Deported to Belzec from Wieliczka on 26 August 1942 together with her sister Matylda Schneider, stepmother Taube Gumplowicz, and other members of the Gumplowicz family.

Jacubowicz

A young physician from somewhere near Przemysl, as remembered by Rudolf Reder

Oskar Katzenellenbogen

Born 1876. Literary critic and journalist. Before the war he was president of the Union of Polish Writers in Lvov. He was totally assimilated to the Polish culture.

In pre-war Lvov he was a very well-known person especially for his sense of humour. He lived in the ghetto from 1941 and he was deported to Belzec in 1942 where he perished.

Josel Kliskes

An elderly man from Zamosc. Arrested by the SS together with some Czech Jews whilst he was waiting for soup at the community kitchen in the Zamosc ghetto.

Deported to Belzec in 1942 where he perished.

Brandla Kulik

Born 1937. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942

Chana Kulik

Born 1936. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942

Estera Kulik

Born 1890. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942

Salomon Kulik

Born 1892. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942

Utka Kulik

Born 1938. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942

Maria (Mirla) Leimsieder, deported from Przemysl ghetto on July 27, 1942.to Belzec death camp.

Feiga Leimsieder, daughter of Maria (Mirla) Leimsieder and Zygmunt (Moritz) Hut, born in Przemysl in 1923, deported from Przemysl ghetto on July 27, 1942.

Sala Lipszyc

Jewish woman from Radom. She was among other Jewish women who worked in the death camp. She maintained contact with some Poles who lived in the Belzec village as she worked at the camp kommandantur on Tomaszowska Street.

She told the Poles details about the extermination process. It is not known from where and when she was deported to Belzec. She was killed during the liquidation of the camp

Dr Bela Mandelsberg – Szyldkraut

She was a doctor of history, after graduating from the Warsaw University. She published historical works about the Jews in Lublin. Before the war she was a teacher in Lublin.

Deported together with her whole family in March 1942.

Dr. Ozjasz Margules

Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942

Golda Mezel

Deported from the Tarnow ghetto during the second “action” on 12 September 1942

Moniek

In Camp II, the extermination area the “work Jews” unloaded the bodies from the gas chambers and buried them in mass graves, later they also cremated the exhumed bodies.

Because of their gruesome work handling the bodies, they were known as the “Death Brigade”. A small team of Jewish mechanics also helped operate the gassing engines.

A Jewish taxi driver from Krakow remembered only as Moniek is said to have assisted Rudolf Reder, when he was asked to tinker with the gassing engines.

Rudolf Reder mentioned this in an interview with Jan She. ZIH Institute Warsaw

Max Munk

Born during 1892 in Vienna. Deported from Vienna to Terezin on 17 December 1941 on “Transport N”. From there he was transported on “Transport Ag” to the transit ghetto in Piaski near Lublin on 1 April 1942.

Deported to Belzec where he perished. A silver cigarette case bearing the inscription Max Munk Wien 27 was found during excavations carried out by Andrzej Kola, Professor of the University of Torun.

Chaskiel Mussler

Born 30 May 1905. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in December 1942

Mariem Mussler

Born 16 March 1870. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in December 1942

Olender

Part of a family from Krasnik near Lublin. The wife of Abraham Olender and his two children were deported to Belzec on 12 April 1942 during the first “action” in the Krasnik ghetto.

Abraham Olender survived the war together with one son, they were imprisoned in the Budzyn labour camp.

Markus (Maks) Pfeffer

Born 1891. A Lawyer by profession. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec during the beginning of the first “action” on 27 July 1942

Sara Chaja Pfeffer

Born 1920. Student. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec during the beginning of the first “action” on 27 July 1942

Rudolf Reder

Born 4 April 1881 in Lvov. A chemist in the soap industry. Deported to Belzec on 16 August 1942. He lived with 500 Jewish workers in one of the two barracks where the Sonderkommando lived.

He worked at digging mass graves and dragging bodies to the pits. He was called the oven specialist after the motor producing the carbon monoxide broke down.

At the end of November 1942 he was ordered to Lvov, by Jirman, to pick up sheet metal in a truck. His sole guard fell asleep and we was able to escape into Legionow Street, as darkness fell.

Reder survived the war and in January 1946 he submitted a deposition to the Main Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes in Krakow.

His book titled Belzec is the only known survivor testimony to be published.

Mendel Reif

An artist from Krosna. He perished in Belzec during 1942

Maksymillana Rosenfeld

Well –known pianist from Lvov. Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942.

Rozenel Family

The wife of Nuchim Rozenel and his three children were deported to Belzec during the first “action” in the Krasnik ghetto, on 12 April 1942.

Nuchim survived the war, imprisoned in the Budzyn Labour camp, he escaped from Budzyn during the evacuation of the camp in July 1944.

Berl Leib Rubinfeld

Born 1938. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in Belzec June 1942.

Hencia Rubinfeld

Born 19 March 1897. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in Belzec June 1942.

Macht Rubinfeld
.
Born during 1894. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in Belzec June 1942.

Szyja Rubinfeld

Born during 1939. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in Belzec June 1942.

Rachel Saleschutz

Deported to Belzec in July 1942 where she perished.

Shloime Saleschutz

Deported to Belzec in July 1942 where he perished.

Jozef Sand

Born 1924. He was a student of the Jewish Gimnazjum in Lvov.

"On a sunny morning in the ghetto, I suddenly encounter someone, Josef Sand, whom I have not seen for years. He adds some information that is so incredible I do not mention it to anyone in the ghetto, so as not to be considered certifiable crazy.

Sand tells me that he ran away from Belzec. I have no clear idea how he escaped. He had been taken there as a member of a small group separated from the one thousand taken to the Janowska camp.

In Belzec he claimed he had helped to build the showers through which poisonous gas could be piped in to kill the trapped Jews, the showers kill thousands each day.

He swears to me that he is telling the truth, but it is impossible to believe what I hear. He looks normal to me and yet his story is incredible. I ask him what he intends to do now.

To leave the ghetto as soon as possible, he says, he just came back to find out about his family. I never see him or hear about him again

”.

Joseph Rebhun – “Leap to Life”, New York 2000.

Jakub Schall

Well-known Jewish historian from Lvov. During the war he collected material about Jewish life in Lvov under the German occupation. He maintained contact with Emanuel Ringelblum from the Warsaw ghetto.

He was deported to Belzec from Lvov in August 1942 during the “Great Action” His archive was lost when the ghetto was destroyed.

Lieba Schapiera

Born during 1902. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec, perished in June 1942

Markus Schnek and Sarah Rachel Schnek

Markus was the son of Bernard Schenk, a tailor by profession, was married to Sarah Rachel Schenk, nee Goldberg. The family was very poor, they had 12 children, and they lived in Lemberg. One of their sons Adolf was born in 1911 in Lemberg, but fled to Switzerland via Vienna. A younger sister Betty survived because she emigrated to Palestine. The fate of the other 10 children is unknown. Both were deported to Belzec death camp from Lvov (Lemberg).

Feiga Scheps

Born during 1897. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec, perished in June 1942

Schussel

A merchant from Krakow, as remembered by Rudolf Reder

Matylda Schneider

Born 2 August nee Gumplowicz, in Krakow. She lived there till 1941. Deported to Belzec from Wielczka on 26 August 1942 together with her sister Anna Rozalia Imich, stepmother Taube Gumplowicz and other members of the Gumplowicz family.

Leon Schrager

A Jewish carpenter from the Lvov ghetto. Deported to Belzec in March 1942. From the station in Belzec he sent a letter to his son Henryk that he has arrived in Belzec

Schreiber

A Jew from the Sudetenland, a former Lawyer, remembered by Rudolf Reder. He worked in the camp office, and he probably perished in the camp.

Rabbi Anshel Schreiber

Hassidic Rabbi from Lvov, a famous religious scholar, member of the Religious Affairs Department in the Lvov ghetto. He was deported to Belzec in March 1942 although he had a special ID card that he worked for the Lvov Judenrat.

Official reason for his deportation – Schreiber was too religious and he looked like a typical orthodox Jew – during the March “action” in Lvov the Nazis selected traditionally looking Jews for deportation.

Jakub Segel

Deported from Zolkiew near Lvov during the first action on 20 March 1942. When an SS man in the death camp informed him they will be sent to their deaths he said goodbye to his wife in public.

The whole transport started to cry before they entered the gas chambers. This story was related in Zolkiew following Mina Astman and Malka Talenfeld’s escape from Belzec.

The Siegfried Family

Natan Siegfried and Regina Siegfried. Natan – 65 years old and his wife Regina – 63 years old nee Ressler were the parents of nine children.

They lived at 10 Kazimierza Wielkiego, Jaslo, Poland. At Belzec they were murdered along with other members of their family that included two sons, two daughters, three daughters- in –law and three grandchildren.

Fishel (Phil) Siegfried their eldest son emigrated to USA in the early 1930’s. Emanuel Siegfried survived the war and is now living in Staten Island, New York. He is married with two sons.

Bertha Siegfried – Presser also survived the war and is living with her son in Los Angeles, USA.

Esther Siegfried

Daughter of Natan and Regina. Born in 1920. Perished in Belzec

Eva Siegfried- Schwinger

Daughter of Natan and Regina Siegfried. Born in 1907. Married to Efram Schwinger, they had a child Mundziu aged five years old. Efram Schwinger survived the war in Siberia, Russia – he later emigrated to USA

Josef Siegfried

Son of Natan and Regina Siegfried. Born in 1903, perished in Belzec

Szymon Siegfried

Son of Natan and Regina Siegfried. Born in 1910. Married to Rachela Kaplan, they had a child Chial aged 5 years old. Perished in Belzec

Erna Schwinger - Siegfried

Daughter –in –law of Natan and Regina Siegfried. Born in 1910. Married to David Siegfried, their son. He survived the war in Siberia, Russia.

He later emigrated to the USA, living in Brooklyn, New York. Then emigrated to Israel where he died in 1974. Erna perished in Belzec

Mina Spirer – Siegfried

Daughter- in- law of Natan and Regina Siegfried. Born in 1911nee Spirer. Married to Benjamin Siegfried had a child Gretusia age five years old both the child and mother perished in Belzec.

Benjamin Siegfried jumped off the train that was deporting his family to their deaths in Belzec. He assumed his mothers maiden name Ressler, during the war.

He was liberated from the concentration camp at Ebensee, he was imprisoned in nine concentration camps. He emigrated to the USA where he remarried and fathered three children.

He lived in Brooklyn, New York, USA, until his death in 1978.

Dr Josef Siegfried

Born in Radomysl Wielki. An economist who graduated from the Universities in Vienna and Cologne. Before the war he was the representative of the Lublin Trade Company.

During the war he was a member of the Lublin Judenrat responsible for health affairs. He also worked with the Judische Sozial Selbshilfe. Deported to Belzec in April 1942

Rivka Silberpfenig

Deported from the Tarnow ghetto during the second “action” on 12 September 1942.

Dr Michal Sokaler

Lawyer and violinist from Lvov. Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec during the “Great Action” in August 1942 together with 50,000 other Jews from Lvov.

Maria Spodek

Young Jewish woman from Zamosc. She was deported to Belzec and selected on the ramp for work in the camp laundry. She was killed during the liquidation of the camp

Otto and Martha Stadler

Otto Stadler was born in Strazow Na Sumave, Czech Republic on 22 March 1897. He met Martha Drucker born in Korycany on 14 May 1897 in Zlin, Moravia in 1924.

They moved to Vienna where Otto went into business with a cousin, selling down for duvets. In Vienna two children were born Harry in 1925 and Robert in 1929.

In 1934 the family moved from Vienna to Klatovy Czech Republic, then to Pilsen and then Prague in April / May 1939. Both Harry and Robert came to England as part of the KinderTransport from Prague in 1939, organised by Sir Nicholas Winton. Harry settled in Cranleigh, Surrey.

From Prague Otto and Martha Stadler were taken to Terezin during February 1942 and were deported East in the middle of March 1942 om “Transport AB” to the Izbica transit camp in Poland.

They were in all probability transported to Belzec where they perished.

Ozjasz Styk

Famous co-painter of the “Raciawice Panorama” – the painting depicts the battle of Raciawice fought in April 1794 between Russian troops and a Polish peasant army defending Polish independence.

The Poles won the battle, but lost the war. Before the Second World War the painting was exhibited in Lvov, today it is exhibited in Wroclaw. He was deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942

Azriel Szeps

Born in 1886 in Zamosc. He was a well –known tailor in Zamosc, member and activist of the Zionist organisation and vice-president of the Zamosc Judenrat.

Before the war he was a member of the City Council and Jewish Community Council. In October 1942 he was deported with Jews from Zamosc to Izbica and in early November 1942 he was deported from Izbica to Belzec.

Rudolf Reder witnessed his death and described it in his memoirs – The transport came about 15 November 1942 . When the whole transport was sent to the gas chambers, Szeps was stopped by an SS man and then beaten by SS-men Jirmann, Schwarz, Schmidt and Ukrainian guards.

During this brutal beating the camp orchestra had to play “Es geht alles voruber”. After seven hours of constant torture, he was pushed to the edge of a grave and shot by Schmidt.

Pesa Tauba Szeps

Born in 1890. Wife of Azriel. Perished in Belzec

David Szeps

Son of Azriel and Pesa Szeps. Deported with his parents and perished at Belzec

Lea Szeps

Daughter of Azriel and Pesa Szeps. Deported with her parents and brother she perished at Belzec.

Frajda Szlam

Born in 1890 in Zamosc was deported to Belzec together with her husband Icek Dawid, who was a merchant in 1942. Both of them perished in Belzec

Szmirer

Podgorski a survivor from the Lublin ghetto, witnessed that during the liquidation of the ghetto in March / April 1942 he met Mr Szmirer a 21 year old man somewhere on a ghetto street.

Szmirer was the son of a well-known furniture merchant from Lublin. He was deported to Belzec during the “action” in March 1942. Hidden under the clothes of the gassed victims, Szmirer escaped from Belzec in the Belzec – Lublin freight train.

Back in Lublin, he informed the members of Lublin’s Judenrat about his experiences – not many Jews in the ghetto believed him. Probably he was killed during the final liquidation of the Lublin ghetto on 9 November 1942

Malka Talenfeld

A Jewess from Zolkiew who escaped at the end of March 1942 with Mina Astman. Back in Zolkiew they told their story of how they escaped.

“ in closed wagons they were brought into Belzec camp. They were ordered to undress. The people became scared. One of them asked an SS man who was nearby “What is the reason that we should undress?”

Afterwards the women were ordered to enter a barrack. Exploiting the disorder, noise and lack of experience of the SS man, Astman and Talenfeld jumped into a nearby ditch and sat there undiscovered until dark.

Under cover of darkness, they escaped from the camp, and returned to Zolkiew.

Dr Wachman

Lawyer from Lvov. Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942

Wajsbrot

Hassidic rabbi from Turobin. During the war he was living in the Krasnik ghetto together with his son and son’s family. In October 1942 during the second “action” in the Krasnik ghetto, they were deported to Zakloikow, which was the main assembly ghetto for the Jews in Krasnik county.

From there Wajsbrot and the rest of his family were deported to Belzec

Josef Wajselfisz

Born 1 August 1898. Activist of the Zionist Organisation in Lublin, member of the Jewish Community Council working with Hebrew schools.

During the war he was a member of the Lublin Judenrat. Together with his whole family they were deported to Belzec on 31 March 1942.

The Family Weinstein

Reuven Weinstein, his wife Bluma, nee Salesschutz, and their daughter Shaindel perished in Belzec in July 1942. Berthold ( Olek) Weinstock

Born in 1897. An electrical engineer by profession. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec, during the beginning of the first “action” on 27 July 1942

Irena Stella Weinstock

Born in 1903, nee Reisner. School teacher by profession. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec, during the beginning of the first “action” on 27 July 1942

Izydor (Chaskiel) Weinstock

Born in 1865. Jeweller by profession. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec, during the beginning of the first “action” on 27 July 1942

Ludwiczek Weinstock

Born 1934. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec, during the beginning of the first “action” on 27 July 1942. “ I remember how poor Ludwik cried when the ghetto was sealed, that he didn’t want to be a Jew and that he wants to leave the ghetto.

-From a letter from Klara Pfeffer to Wiktor Reisner

Fajwel Wilner

He lived in the Debica ghetto, which was located in the Krakow district. Deported from Debica to Belzec during the last deportation from this town on 15 November 1942.

He knew about the destination of the transport and organized a common prayer in the cattle car.

Szmul Wolman

Born 4 November 1889 in Lublin. Owner of a number of large hardware stores in Lublin. Deported to Belzec in March 1942

The Wolsztajn Family

Szmul Wolsztajn

Born in 1890, married Zera, had two children Lejb and Roja. Szmul and his family were “resettled” to Zamosc in 1940. Member of the Judisches Soziale Selbshilfe in the Zamosc ghetto.

Deported to Belzec in August 1942 during the second “action”, where he perished with his son Lejb. Szmul’s wife Zera who was born in 1892 was deported to Belzec with their daughter Rojza who was born in 1921, on 11 April 1942, where they both perished.

Lejb Wolsztajn was born during 1927 in Wloclawek, “ resettled” to Zamosc with his family, he was deported to Belzec with his mother and sister on 11 April 1942

Lejb escaped from Belzec and returned to the Zamosc ghetto. There he told the Judenrat in Zamosc about the death camp and what happened to the Jews from Zamosc.

In August 1942 he was deported again to Belzec together with his father Szmul where they both perished.

The Zloczower Family

Shlomo Zloczower

Born in 1890 in Lvov. A tailor by profession. He married Rachel, they had two daughters Chana born in 1920 in Lvov and Rena born in 1924 in Lvov.

The father and the two daughters were deported to Belzec in 1942 where they perished

Israel Zloczower

Born 1900 in Lvov. Son of Selig and Perl Zloczower. A tailor by profession. Brother of Shlomo and Pepi Zloczower.

He perished in Belzec in 1942

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Sources:

Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka – by Yitzhak Arad, Indianna University Press Bloomington and Indianapolis 1987.
Belzec – Rudolf Reder – Panstwowe Muzeum Oswiecim- Brzezinka.
Belzec – Excavations 1997 – 1999 by Andrzej Kola – USHMM Warsaw – Washington 2000.
Chelmno Witnesses Speak – The District Museum in Konin – 2004 – Lodz.
The Holocaust – by Martin Gilbert – Collins, London 1986.
Jewish Gen
Ghetto Fighters House
Main Commission of the Investigation of the Nazi Crimes in Poland
USHMM
Zydowski Instytut Historyczny Warsaw (ZIH)

Private Sources / Testimonies / Correspondence

Lukasz Biedka
Testimony by Jekutiel Cwilich
Sophie Frankenberg, nee Mendelson
Charles van der Horst
Jan Imich
Institute for National Remembrance in Warsaw – Trial against Hermann Worthoff – Wiesbaden. ( Worthoff SD Officer in Lublin – responsible for the liquidation of the Lublin ghetto)
A. Kopciowski
Robert Kuwalek
Testimony of Abraham Olender- The Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw
Robin O’Neil
Rhoda Pelliccia
Kazimiera Poraj
Testimony of Nuchim Rozenel – The Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw
Lillian Siegfried, Staten Island, New York
Harry Stadler
Gerszon Taffet – Zaglada Zydow zolkiewskich Lodz 1946
Statement of Miesczyslaw Kudyba and Edward Luczynski at the Belzec Investigation Commission 1945/46
Statement of Edward Luczynski and Tadeusz Misiewicz at the Belzec Investigation Commission 1945/46
Chris Webb

Copyright 2007 CRW H.E.A.R.T