Embedded Files
Mom's Memoirs:
Mom's Memoirs:
He (Raphael) ["my father"] had two younger sisters, Pola and Fanny, both gifted pianists....
Fanny was quite a bit younger (born in 1900) than my father (born in 1884 or so[1]). She married a man called Juscio Uryson and they did not have any children. She was my favorite aunt as she was only 20 years older than me although I did not know her all that well either. While I was a child she still lived in Lodz - I was there twice - when I was about 7 years old and then again when I was 15 or 16. During the war they were in the Warsaw ghetto - her father died in the ghetto of pneumonia - she helped nurse him. From the ghetto both she and her husband were taken to a concentration camp - perhaps Auschwitz and neither survived.
Inna Pistrak's Memories:
Inna Pistrak's Memories:
I know that our family fled from Poland to Moscow in 1915. I think Fanya was not married yet. A gifted pianist, she studied at the Moscow conservatory with one of the best professors.
...
I don’t remember when exactly grandfather Herman and his family returned to Poland[2]. But I know that Fanya was crying bitterly, she didn’t want to leave Moscow and the Conservatory. I often think that if she had stayed she would have escaped the torture of the ghetto and the Auschwitz. But she could also end up in Gulag, as many others. Who knows… I remember that we got the chance to send food to Poland, to the ghetto, when Stalin and Hitler were good friends yet, in 1940-1941.
Letter from Lodz, June(?) 4, 1939[3]
Letter from Lodz, June(?) 4, 1939[3]
My dear, beloved Madziuchna!
We were very happy with your card. You haven't written to us lately, and although we longed for your letters, each of us understood the reason for your silence. We had cards from Rafał from Amsterdam,[4] he wrote that he was going to England and since then we have no news from him, if not for your card, we would be very anxious about him. So what's up? It's really about time you get down to something and be together. I consider it lucky that you have a sister whom you can survive this period of searching and wandering. As for Raphael, I am only glad that he is a great optimist, does not lose his head and believes in his strength - it is a great gift, may God help him! There is little new to us. The mood at home is quite depressed, Józio[5] works late at night, he looks terrible - his father hasn't earned anything at all lately, somehow all his business has been cut off right away, which is very depressing for him. I walk all day with a pencil in my hand and "count", unfortunately only my bad mood is the result. Maybe the situation will change for the better, otherwise it will have to be remedied somehow (change the flat, dismiss the girls). Honestly, I can tell you that I am very lonely in this respect, I have absolutely no man whom I could honestly consult. Józio is constantly passionate, my father has a strange view of these things (he believes that one cannot live more modestly, with which I personally do not agree at all) and I cannot talk about it with strangers or even with my family, because I always for them to point out that I live beyond their means, it is difficult "Сытый голодного не понимает."[6] a trusted person, and you, Madziuchna, I think you are. And now I'm very interested in Jani. Write a little more about her, what is her mood in, does she have company or does she have "someone"? I am reading your card now, you write that you want to work and help Raf. - you see, this is the most important thing (I think about myself at the moment) God, with what envy I look at women who knew how to become independent, I think about it a lot, I also have some plans, but I must admit that in today's situation it is very difficult. If you would come to us, you would be a very welcome guest with us, I know, after all, that I like you, and this is the most important thing in this case. As for the lessons, languages are taught here quite a lot, but it is a matter of luck and it is difficult to predict anything in advance. I have already written to you about everything. Now I expect letters from you. I kiss you strongly, strongly your
Fani
Why is Raf. not writing ???
Postcard to Mom from Aunt Fania from Warsaw Ghetto, Oct. 22, 1941
Postcard to Mom from Aunt Fania from Warsaw Ghetto, Oct. 22, 1941
Aunt Fany to Mom Oct, 22 1941.pdfBest guess at German:[7]
Warschau dem 22/10 41
Liebste Jani! Schon lange haber uir von Dir keine Nachrichten und auch ich habe an Dich nicht geschrieben, was mir sehn leid tut. Wirsindt aber alle so in antspruch genommen, dass wir sum schreiben wenig zeit haben. Heute whielt ich von Tante Rosa Deine Sachen, die für mich bestiment waren: Sportzaikchen, voten Sveter, Schal Strümpfe und Schlüpfer. Alles war erunüch und wird me su Gute kommen. Empfanga meiner herrlichsten Danke für Deine Gaben der Opa hat sich auch damit sehn gefruet. Es geht ihm gesundheitlich nicht übel, obwohl er in sehn bescheidenen verhaltnissen leber must. Ich habe darfur aber keinem Rad. Bei Gelegenheit dankt er Dir fur kahas, dem ihm sehn geschmecht hat. Von Tante Franka missen uir dass zu gehst Deine Endesamen macht, haffentlich must Du sie jut bertehen was uns alles sehr gluchlich macher wird. Unsere innijsten Wunsche poljen ur siblarm Deine Eltern. Schon lange haben sie uns nicht geschrieben. Sind sie so feder faül wir erwanten unbechingt Nachrichten von Dir Madie und Rolf. Sei gesund und [gehü sot] von uns allen auch von Tante Rosa. Deine Fany
Google Translate:
Dearest Jani! I haven't had any messages from you for a long time and I haven't written to you either, which I am sorry. But we are all so concerned that we have little time to write. Today I chose from Aunt Rosa your things[8] that were best for me: sports tights, cute Sveter, scarf stockings and panties. Everything was unreal and will come to me. Received my most wonderful thank you for your gifts the grandfather has seen with it. His health is not bad, even though he has to live in modest circumstances. But I am not allowed to have a bike. On occasion, he thanks you for kahas, who has disgusted him. From Aunt Franka we miss that going to make your final seeds, hopefully you have to survive them jut which makes everything very easy for us. Our innermost wishes poljen ur siblarm your parents. They haven't written to us for a long time. If you are so lazy, we will definitely get news from you Madie and Rolf. Be healthy and of all of us, including Aunt Rosa. Your Fany
Postcard to Mom from Aunt Fania from Warsaw Ghetto, Apr. 13, 1942
Postcard to Mom from Aunt Fania from Warsaw Ghetto, Apr. 13, 1942
Best guess at German:[7]
Warschau 13/4 42
Liebste Jani! Besten Dank für Deine wei Karten vom 19/3 und 25/III. Ich freu mich schon aus Ralphs Brief, da ich schon lange von ihm keine
Bei uns hält noch der Winter sest, un mochten auch schon etwas wärmen haben. Nächste Woche beabsichtige auf dem Friedhof zu gehen, um eine bescheidenes Denkmal für Opa zu bestellen, sonst kann sein Grab verscheiden. Das Geld werde ich von Verkauf seiner Sachen haben. Tausend küsse Fanny
Google Translate:
Dearest Jani! Thank you for your two cards from 19/3 and 25 / III. I'm looking forward to Ralph's letter because I haven't had any news from him for a long time. Your things[8] and uvar: Sweater with 2 brazen, skirt, neml and pants Pola's swords received and was very moved. In contrast, a scarf and belt were missing. Write in detail about this and Aunt R. to Franka. Juzio works blessig like before. We live a modest and lonely life, we meet with Aunt R. and we want to talk about such. We hope to see our brother and sister soon. Hassendish are doing well.
With us the winter still holds up, and we want to have some warmth. Next week intend to go to the cemetery to order a modest monument for Opa, otherwise his grave may perish. I'll get the money from selling his things. A thousand kisses Fanny
Notes:
Not sure why Mom was so off, but Raphael was born in 1892. Also, looking into Fania, JRI-Poland suggests 1905 as her birth date.
In late November 1916, she was still in Moscow. See wedding congratulations.
Hard to decipher month, looks like a 6. Grandfather left Berlin in early April 1939.
Mom and Granny's notes don't mention Amsterdam as one of his stops.
Nickname for her husband, apparently a diminutive for Jozef, which might be his given name.
"The well-fed does not understand the hungry." A well-know Russian proverb.
These are my transcriptions; did my best with the German handwriting. Clearly some words I haven't gotten right!
I have written elsewhere about being surprised at how mail continued to get through during wartime, but with packages to Warsaw I hadn't given any thought until I found out about Aunt Franka's letters to a gentleman who was getting packages to Poland from Switzerland through Portugal! According to these archives:
Alfred (Alf) Schwarzbaum was born in 1896 in Sosnowiec, Poland. He later moved to Bedzin, became a businessman and started a family. In late September 1939, following the German occupation of Poland, he sent his daughter to England. In November 1939, he was jailed for several weeks in Mysłowice and was interrogated by the Gestapo. After his release, he turned down an offer from Mosheh Merin, head of the Sosnowiec Jewish council, to be his deputy. Using his connections and his fortune, he was able to obtain visas for Switzerland. In April 1940 he left Poland and settled in Lausanne. Schwarzbaum soon started sending out food, clothing, money and papers to Poland. He managed to navigate between the often uncoordinated Jewish and Zionist organizations based in Switzerland, to transfer financial help to Jews in Poland. He sent hundreds of parcels to German occupied localities, via Lisbon, Sweden and Turkey. He visited refugee camps in Switzerland, and corresponded with persons living under the Nazi rule. He also produced passports, which led him into trouble with the Swiss police, who feared for violation of the country's neutrality policy. In 1946 he immigrated to Mandate Palestine.
Geni Data
Geni Data
Birth: 1900
Death: Auschwitiz ?
Immediate Family:
Daughter of Herman Jonas and Klara Jonas
Wife of Juscio Uryson
Sister of Rafal Jonas and Pola Rafalvna Jonas
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