Meet Holocaust Survivors

Adam was born in Poland in 1922 to a liberal Jewish family. He was the only child of Giza Menase and Jakub Kahane. Adam lived with his parents in Lodz until their divorce when Giza and 5 year old Adam moved to Jaslo to be with her family. Adam visited Jakub, who ran a pharmacy in Lodz, once a year. In Jaslo Adam attended school and spent much time outdoors skiing, playing tennis, and kayaking with his cousin, Reggie.

Agi Laszlo Geva was born on June 2, 1930, in Budapest, Hungary. When the Germans occupied Hungary on March 19, 1944, Agi, her younger sister, Zsuzsanna, and her parents, Rozsa and Zoltan Laszlo, were living in Miskolc, Hungary. Zoltan, who had been ill for a long time, died that day.

Albert Garih and his twin brother were born June 24, 1938, in Paris, France, to Benjamin and Claire (née Alfandari) Garih. Albert’s twin died in infancy. Natives of Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey), Benjamin and Claire had each moved to Paris in 1923, where they met and married in 1928. Benjamin worked in a garment factory and the family lived in the janitor’s house at the factory, where Claire stayed home taking care of Albert and his two sisters, Jacqueline, born in 1930, and Gilberte, born in 1933.

Alex Schiffman-Shilo was born in Strasbourg, France, to a Jewish family who had emigrated from Galicia, Poland. His father, Feibisch, was a traveling salesman who sold leather goods, and his mother, Henia Tauba, was a certified Hebrew teacher who worked as a seamstress for Feibisch’s business. She also took care of Alex and his older sister, Madeleine. For work purposes, Alex’s father moved the family to Paris in 1938.

Alfred “Al” Münzer was born on November 23, 1941, in The Hague, Netherlands. He was the youngest of three children born to Simche (Siegfried) and Gisele (Gitla) Münzer (sometimes Minzer). Simche owned a men’s tailoring business, and Gisele remained at home to look after Alfred and his two older sisters, Eva and Liane.

Alfred “Freddie” Traum was born in Vienna, Austria into a traditional Jewish family. World War I left Freddie’s father, Elias, severely disabled with arthritis, and he barely left the apartment. Freddie’s mother, Gita, therefore, was often out of the apartment for business. Freddie and his father spent many afternoons together where Freddie learned from his positive outlook and his determination to overcome life’s hardships.

Allan Firestone was born Abraham Wiżnitzer on January 31, 1933 in Kołomyja, Poland (present-day Ukraine). His father, Azriel, and his mother, Clara, ran a small grocery store and bar. Allan had four older sisters: Rose, Frieda, Julia, and Rachel.

Andrew “Andy” Jampoler was born Andrzej Jampoler on January 15, 1942 in Lwów, German-occupied Poland (present day: Lviv, Ukraine) to Karol and Hanka (Awin) Jampoler. Andy’s father Karol attended the Lwów Conservatory with plans to become a conductor. Both of his parents came from prosperous and educated Jewish families who were assimilated into Polish society, spoke Polish at home, and did not observe Jewish religious traditions.

Ania Drimer was born Franciszka Silbiger on April 16, 1942 to Adam and Ernestine (née Berglas) Silbiger. She was born in a Soviet forced labor camp (gulag) in the interior of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR or Soviet Union) in a town called Kharitonovo, near the Arctic Circle.

Anna Grosz was born Anna Seelfreund on April 20, 1926, in Racşa, Romania, to Samuel and Ilona Seelfreund.