Student Profile: Rachwalski

I initially searched the database for the exact last name Rachwalski, and returned approximately 9 different individuals with that last name. I then looked at the dates of birth and sex of each individual to narrow down my search for the student that signed the album. After looking at both of those factors, I stumbled across Szaja Rachwalski. According to the USHMM database, he has a year of birth listed as 1928. I also double-checked on the spreadsheet version at jewishgen.org and found a more precise d.o.b. of 15.01.1927. These dates of birth are both listed, but the years are so close that it could really be either one. I then went through all of the other databases listed at jewishgen ( Lodz Hospital Records, Auschwitz and Sachsenhausen records, and survivor lists) and found Szaja's name spelled similarly as Shaja. I believe this to be the same person because they do, in fact, share the same date of birth. I also believe that this is the student that we are looking for because his occupation is that of a Schueler, and that his date of birth falls within the range of School #12A students that would have signed the album.

This is very interesting research, and it is possible that you have found a very interesting match. However, there are a bunch of assumptions which would need to be confirmed for me to be sure you've identified the person who signed the album.

1. You suggest that Szaja is the boy who signed the album, but there was also a male student named Alexander who was born in 1934. If Szaja was really the boy Shaja (b. 1927), then why would you choose him over Alexander? Both were born on the fringes of the age range for students in school 12A.

2. While it's intriguing that there is a Shaja/Szaja Rachwalski fborn on 15 January 1927 from Kutno (near Lodz) who winds up being deported via Auschwitz to Sachsenhausen-Lieberose in November 1945 (and from there to Mauthausen, it appears) and ultimately survives, we don't have any documentary evidence tying him directly to the Lodz ghetto (there's no record of a Szaja Rachwalski with this birthdate or living with Menachem or Chaja in the ghetto). So, there's no way to confirm that these are the same boys. One of the liberation records states that his parents were Menachem and Chaja, but I can't find any record for them in the Lodz Ghetto Inhabitants database.

Basically, I think you've found a really strong match, but we are just shy of enough info to be sure right now. I hope someone can find more info on this boy!

Excellent research.

Please read the expert reviewer's comment on your research and make the corrections and additions he suggests.

Can you tell me a little more about the particular source in which you found this information on JewishGen?

I agree this information is correct for Szaja, but please consider the other possible candidate to have signed this name as well.

According to the secondary sources (based on Szaja's Auschwitz prisoner number that I found on jewishgen.org Auschwitz transport database), Szaja was registered at Auschwitz on October 2,1944. His exact transport and transport date are unknown at this time. That particular date states that the transport that was registered at Auschwitz was over 900 people, and that it was held pending transfer (2 Lodz jews were sent to Golleschau subcamp and the others were sent to Gleiwitz I subcamp). He was "involuntarily" transported on November 27,1944 with 355 other jewish men to Sachsenhausen. He was 17 years old at the time of his transport to Auschwitz, and then his eventual transport to Sachsenhausen.

I agree this information corresponds to what happened to Szaja.