Gender: boy
School:
Gymnasium and high school for boys
Gymnasium and high school students were typically between 14 and 20 years old. A gymnasium student in September 1941 was likely born between 1921 and 1927.
The gymnasium and high school for boys was located on Otylii. The street name was changed to Ottilienstrasse when German occupation began in 1939. See
www.lodz-ghetto.com for a map of Otylii and the rest of the Lodz ghetto.
Stage 1: Identity
Student's Given Name:
Mojzesz Josef Cwajgenbaum
Source: Lodz Ghetto Inhabitants
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Birth Date:
1925-08-25
Source: Lodz Ghetto Inhabitants
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
User Comment:
There are two entries for Mojzesz... One includes the middle name Josef, and they both have a birth year of 1925 and the same street address. So, I am quite confident that they are the same boy. In addition, their birth date makes them the best match for the boy who signed the album.
Approver Comment:
I agree! As you suggest, in 1941 Mojzesz would have been 16 years old, making him the right age to attend gymnasium. There are no other male M. Cwajgenbaums in the database who would have been the right age in 1941. I also agree that both entries for Mojzesz do refer to the same person, for the reasons you list. Great work!
Stage 2: The Ghetto
Change of Address:
1942-11-05
Source: Lodz Ghetto Inhabitants
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Ghetto Street Address:
Moltke, 29
Source: Lodz Ghetto Inhabitants
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Cranachstrasse, 11
Source: Lodz Ghetto Inhabitants
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Sulzfelderstrasse, 69, 20
Source: Lodz Ghetto Inhabitants
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
User Comment:
The change of address date indicates that Mojzesz survived through the major deportations of 1942. That's good news!
Approver Comment:
Thank you for entering all of his addresses into this stage. Let's make a note that the change of address date you cite is the date on which he moved to the Cranachstrasse address. Have you been able to find any information about his family?
I'm excited to see what you find in the next stages, since we know he was still in the ghetto in November 1942. Good luck!
Stage 3: Labor Camps
No research performed on this stage
Stage 4: Auschwitz & Beyond
Student's Given Name:
Mejsens Cwajgenbaum
Source: Dachau Concentration Camp Records
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Birth Date:
1925-08-25
Source: Dachau Concentration Camp Records
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Arrived at Camp:
1944-09-01
Source: Dachau Concentration Camp Records
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Death Date:
1945-04-18
Source: Dachau Concentration Camp Records
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Prisoner #:
96684
Source: Dachau Concentration Camp Records
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Camp Deported/Transferred from:
Auschwitz, Poland
Source: Dachau Concentration Camp Records
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Place of Birth:
Litzmannstadt
Source: Dachau Concentration Camp Records
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Camp Deported/Transferred to:
Dachau, Germany
Source: Dachau Concentration Camp Records
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
Place of Death:
Dachau, Germany
Source: Dachau Concentration Camp Records
Status: Submitted 3/30/2012;
Confirmed
| Researcher:
birponcz
User Comment:
Despite the variation in names, as well as another Mojzesz Cwajgenbaum who shows up in the database of camp prisoners, I feel that Mejsens is the better match because he is listed as coming from Litzmannstadt (Lodz) and has the exact same birth date as Mojzesz from Stage 1. Mojzesz/Mejsens was among approximately 2,500 Lodz Jews sent to Dachau via Auschwitz in late 1944. Sadly, it appears that he died at Dachau only days before the camp's liberation. It is unknown whether he died at the main camp or at one of the subcamps like Riederloh II or Kaufering IV where a number of Lodz Jews were sent as forced labor. It is known that mortality was very high at these camps in late 1944 and early 1945. It is also possible that Mojsezs perished on the death march from Dachau to Tegernsee; though, I don't know if that would have been registered in the camp records.
His wartime address is given as Srediejaka. I'm not sure what to make of that.
Approver Comment:
I agree that the exact match for the date of birth and very close match for the names indicates that Mejsens Cwajgenbaum is in fact the same person as Mojzesz Cwajgenbaum.
Srediejaka is listed as an original address, rather than a place--I wonder if we're looking at a street name in Lodz? I was unable to find a street name in the list of Lodz streets that was similar to Srediejaka, but a quick Google search reveals that this name is only associated with the Mejsens record you found and no other database entry. Perhaps there was a misspelling somewhere along the way. I hope we're able to solve this mystery.
Thank you for your thorough work on Mojzesz' records and for your help in completing his life history. You can now fill out a biography for Mojzesz, if you wish. Again, thank you.
Stage 5: Liberation & After
No research performed on this stage
Research contributed by the following user
