Remembrance and commemoration
Objects carry memories
A project of the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the end of the war and liberation of concentration camps
Commemomoration in NeuengammeRemembering together
More than 100,000 people were imprisoned in the Neuengamme concentration camp by the SS. Around half of them did not survive. Every year on the anniversary of the liberation on May 3, we remember the fates of the former prisoners together with the survivors and the relatives.
2021 is different in many ways Commemoration under special circumstancesSurvivors and their relatives share their stories with us
This year, we are not able to come together with our guests from all over the world for a commemorative ceremony. But how can we still do it together? We asked the survivors and former prisoners' relatives about objects which stand for their memories or are associated with them. We would like to tell you their stories.
How we rememberWhat does a suitcase have to do with memories?
Memories are connected with people or places, events or personal encounters and often with objects – an old suitcase, for example. Martine Letterie is the President of the Amicale Internationale KZ Neuengamme and granddaughter of Martinus Letterie, who died in Neuengamme. In the video, she explains what the suitcase is all about.
How we remember Objects tell stories about people
Every object is unique and stands for a personal story. In the course of this digital narrative, objects presented to us will be linked to the memories of survivors and their relatives in five chapters:
- Imprisonment and liberation
- Stories passed down through generations
- Encounters with the past
- Remembering together
- Hopes for the future
The pocket watch with the string I crocheted as a girl and the wedding ring with my mother's name.
My father was chemist by profession.
Kibbuz Braunschweig
The letter I wrote to my mother from the concentration camp.
My mother was looking for her children.
Metal tag with the prisoner number I got in Hamburg.
Memory of Veinge
We promised to meet every year on April 15.
The last picture of my grandfather.
Why did no more letters come?
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The pocket watch with the string I crocheted as a girl and the wedding ring with my mother's name.
My father was chemist by profession.
Kibbuz Braunschweig
The letter I wrote to my mother from the concentration camp.
My mother was looking for her children.
Metal tag with the prisoner number I got in Hamburg.
Memory of Veinge
We promised to meet every year on April 15.
The last picture of my grandfather.
Why did no more letters come?
Imprisonment and liberation
Imprisonment and liberation
Concentration camp survivors often regard objects, letters and photographs as symbols of their memories of persecution. But the objects also symbolize the carefree life before the deportation and the life after the liberation shaped by suppression and processing of their experiences as well as new beginnings.
Imprisonment and liberationThe life before persecution
Most concentration camp prisoners remember their childhood and youth as a time of normality and safety before the Nazi persecution changed their lives forever. Old photographs of long-deceased family members bring back vivid memories and are therefore particularly important for the survivors.
Imprisonment and liberationRelics of the imprisonment
Only a few survivors still have objects from the time of their imprisonment. That is why they are very precious to them.
Imprisonment and liberationStarting a new life
After their liberation, many survivors had to start a new life from scratch. Jewish survivors mostly did not want to go back to their countries. Many of them were the only survivors of their families who no longer had a home. A large number of them emigrated to the USA, England, Canada, Israel and other countries. The memories, however, were impossible to shake off. Photos taken after the liberation symbolize the long-awaited freedom and the start of a new life after years of imprisonment and repression.
Imprisonment and liberationLike windows into the past
Young people who were deported with their families have had to process more than their own imprisonment. They were often separated from their parents in camps and many of them did not survive. Only a few survivors have photos or objects that used to belong to their family members who were murdered.
Ewa Zelechowska-Stolzman and Barbara Piotrowska were deported from Poland after the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 together with their families. Both their fathers did not survive their imprisonment.
Ewa Zelechowska-Stolzman and Barbara Piotrowska were deported from Poland after the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 together with their families. Both their fathers did not survive their imprisonment.
Passing down memories
Stories passed down through generationsPassing down memoriesBarbara Piotrowska writes:
"It was not until 2019 that I decided to part with these objects: I gave the rings to my father's grandson (my son) and the pocket watch to my father's great-grandson (my grandson)."
Barbara Piotrowska, who was deported with her parents after the Warsaw Uprising, and missed her father terribly after the war, passed his wedding ring, his pocket watch and the family seal ring, which were very close to her heart, on to the next generations.
Barbara Piotrowska, who was deported with her parents after the Warsaw Uprising, and missed her father terribly after the war, passed his wedding ring, his pocket watch and the family seal ring, which were very close to her heart, on to the next generations.
Stories passed down through generations
The objects families choose to keep create a connection with the past. When the objects are passed on to the next generation, so are the stories they represent. This is the way in which objects pass down stories through generations.
Stories passed down through generationsFamily stories
Stories which are passed down are connected to different objects. What are the stories behind these objects?
Stories passed down through generationsFamily stories
Inherited objects tell us stories about relatives who were deported to concentration camps. It is an encounter with people we never met in person.
Stories passed down through generationsA book that belonged to my grandfatherGreetje Van den Driessche explains why this dictionary is more than just an old book
"The object I would like to show is a two-volume 'modern dictionary' from 1938. These 'encyclopedic works' are very dear to me because they belonged to my grandfather, Urbain Van den Driessche. For me, they stand for his work as a teacher at an elementary school in his village. The fact that he personally signed these books makes them extremely special and valuable for me."
Stories passed down through generationsA missing piece of the puzzle
Greetje Van den Driessche tells us why objects help her keep the memories of her grandfather alive – and why this is important for her.
Encounters with the past
Different stories within one familyEncounters with the past
Greetje's father Mark Van den Driessche too has studied his father's story. He never met Urbain. He learned of his death through a letter. Today, Mark Van den Driessche is the President of the Belgian prisoners' associaton Belgische Vriendenking/Amicale Belge de Neuengamme founded by the former prisoners.
Encounters with the past Uncovering stories
It is often the case that people learn about the fate of their persecuted relatives only years later, during a visit to an archive or upon having a long-lost family heirloom returned to them. Such encounters with the past have shaped the view of their own personal family stories.
Remembering together
Remembering together
People like to remember together. Concentration camp survivors come together with their fellow sufferers. They share their memories with others. During commemorative events and on places especially set up for that purpose, we remember the fates of the victims of Nazi persecution.
Remembering together"I do not want to leave any mementos behind"Melitta Stein, a survivor, tells us:
"This is my only memory of the horrible days me and my entire family spent in six concentration camps. I am the only one who survived. I do not want to leave any mementos behind for my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren."
Remembering together Commemorative ceremonies and places of commemoration
Visits to and ceremonies at memorial sites and other places of commemoration are moving experiences for survivors, their relatives and other companions.
Remembering togetherVisit to NeuengammeMarianne Rysz from the Danish association "Frihedskampen 1939-1945 - de skal ikke blive glemt" writes:
"This photo symbolizes the most beautiful memories of our visits to the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial. It shows the following former Danish prisoners (left to right): Harry Henriksen, Henning Louis Jensen, Eli Larsen, Erik Kragelund Nielsen and Mogens Henrik Nielsen."
Hopes for the future
Hopes for the future
Survivors often connect their hopes for the future or statements with the memories they share with the public.
Hopes for the future"We who survived the hell that is war"Sisters and survivors, Kseniya Olhova and Lidiya Turovskaya tell us about their hopes for the future:
"For us who survived the hell that is war it is important that the young generations understand that the world has to be protected from fascism and the peace defended at all costs."
Hopes for the future"…that their names are never forgotten."
Hopes for the future "Our victory over the Nazis"The survivors Hédi Fried and Livia Fränkel
"These are the families Fried and Fränkel celebrating Hanukkah in 2019. We were 50 people but since then four more babies have been born into our families and one is on the way. That is our victory over Hitler and the Nazis!"
How we remember yesterday tomorrow
How we remember yesterday tomorrowTo pass on the stories
Not only mementos are kept and handed down through generations but also the stories about people connected to them. This is how personal fates are remembered.
Martine Letterie and her son Hedde Smedinga talk about the importance of preserving memories and passing on stories.
Martine Letterie and her son Hedde Smedinga talk about the importance of preserving memories and passing on stories.
In conclusionA sincere thank you
We would like to thank everyone who shared their objects, memories and stories with us. You have enabled us to take part in your personal stories virtually.
We hope to see you all at the commemorative ceremony to mark the 77th anniversary of the liberation in 2022.
We hope to see you all at the commemorative ceremony to mark the 77th anniversary of the liberation in 2022.
Impressum
This pageflow was created by the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial.
Curators:
Alexandre Froidevaux
Iris Groschek
Ulrike Jensen
Lennart Onken
Thank you to the BE|YOND strategic consulting GbR for the consultation and the execution of the pageflow.
Curators:
Alexandre Froidevaux
Iris Groschek
Ulrike Jensen
Lennart Onken
Thank you to the BE|YOND strategic consulting GbR for the consultation and the execution of the pageflow.
Hidde Smedinga
What do I take away from the story?
Hidde Smedinga is Martine Letterie’s son. He describes two family stories he had dealt with intensively: His father’s father was a guard in the Westerbork camp and his mother’s father was a prisoner at the Neuengamme concentration camp.
Why objects and memories are important
Mark Van den Driessche
Encounters with the past I never met my fatherMark Van den Driessche tells us how he learned of his father's death:
"My objecs are two letters my mother received in April and May 1946 from Heinrich Güthing who had worked at the Blohm&Voss shipyard where he met my father. My father was arrested on August 12, 1944 during a resistance activity. I was born on October 13, 1944 which means that I never met him. According to the death register, my father died on January 6, 1945. It is strange that these numbers match his prisoner number."
Encounters with the pastA letter brings certainty
"When Heinrich Güthing’s letter arrived, that was a great shock for my mother because she had not heard from my father until then. She even hoped that he would come back. She replied to Heinrich Güthing and we started to get to know him better. When I was six, we visited Heinrich and his wife. This is when I heard him talk about the horrors of the camp life in Neuengamme and at the Blohm & Voss factory. I heard it firsthand!"
Encounters with the past A hero who received too little attention
"That is why this letter is so important for me, but also for the public because it is a proof that not all Germans were Nazis. Heinrich Güthing did a lot to alleviate the suffering of the prisoners, even at his own risk. That is what makes him a hero who received too little attention for what he had done. I am happy I got to know him!"
Ksenija Olchowa and Lidija Turowskaja
Hopes for the futureKsenija Olchowa and Lidija TurowskajaSisters and survivors from Moscow
Melitta Stein
Remembering together Annual reunionRemembering together
"This is a photograph of my 'comrades' from the camp who survived and returned to Czechoslovakia. From 1950 on, we met every year on April 15. That was the day we were liberated in Bergen-Belsen."
Remembering together Concentration camp prisoners meet
"I only remember some of their names: Lilly Schubert, Zdena Stranska, Dagmar Franklova (Lieblova), Margit Barnayova, Zdena, Vera Ledererova and Olga Seidlova. You forget things over time, I am 92! In this photo, I am standing on the left in the back row."
Helga Melmed
Imprisonment and liberationHow family photographs survivedHelga Melmed talks about how these family photographs taken before the deportation survived:
"A lot of photos came from my aunt who was a sister of my mother's and when we were in Berlin and things were a little more normal, my mother would send pictures to my aunt who was living in the States already, she was living in New York at the time, being proud of her only child and then I got the pictures back."
Hédi Fried und Livia Fränkel
Imprisonment and liberationSheltered childhood
Hédi Fried and Livia Fränkel too still keep the photographs of their immediate family as their most valuable possession.
Sighet, ca. 1929: Sisters Hédi (left) and Livia Szmuk
Sighet, ca. 1929: Sisters Hédi (left) and Livia Szmuk
Dita Kraus
Imprisonment and liberationDita Kraus
"I also got the family photos from uncle Hugo. Such items were very precious and many survivors missed them terribly."
Dita, 1942
Dita, 1942
Mogens Henrik Nielsen
Imprisonment and liberationBeautiful memories
Mogens Henrik Nielsen still has fond memories of his childhood in Denmark, sheltered and filled with love.
Mogens Henrik with his family on his Confirmation day
Nachum Rotenberg
Goto first pageFamilie Dorgelo
Encounters with the pastRecovering a long-lost walletThe Dorgelo family tells us about an unexpected restitution:
"This is a newspaper article about how my father got back things that belonged to his brother who died in Neuengamme. This had great significance for him. His brother's son, who never knew his father, was also there."
Encounters with the pastAn ode to our father
"The article represents the will to make amends which my father valued so much. When the wallet was returned, he said: 'Germans are of goodwill!' At the same time, it is an ode to our father who died in late 2019 at the age of 99."
Marc-Alain Grumelin
Encounters with the pastLooking for the loved onesMarc-Alain Grumelin, Rose Grumelin-Witońska’s son, talks about his search for his half-sibs:
"I am sending you a copy of a letter from June 1946 which I found among my mother’s things. She died in 2012. In it, she is looking for her children (my half-brother and half-sister) Roman and Eleonore who were among the 20 children who were subjected to 'medical experiments' in Neuengamme and later murdered at a school on Bullenhuser Damm in Hamburg."
Encounteres with the past Late discovery
"It was not until 1980, when the journalist Günther Schwarberg wrote to us, that we learned what happened to the children. He had followed the traces of my mother in Arolsen."
The picture shows Rose Grumelin-Witońska and her son Marc-Alain Grumelin during a visit to the Bullenhuser Damm Memorial in Hamburg in June 1982.
The picture shows Rose Grumelin-Witońska and her son Marc-Alain Grumelin during a visit to the Bullenhuser Damm Memorial in Hamburg in June 1982.
Kristof van Mierop
Encounters with the past"They stripped him of his identity"Kristof van Mierop tells us why his grandfahter’s prisoner number is still so important to him:
"I have an object at home which for me represents the time my grandfather spent in Neuengamme and that is his Neuengamme number which he brought back home. It is an important object for me because it symbolizes the very foundations of concentration camps. They stripped him of his identity. He became a number rather than a person with a name. It is the epitome of dehumanization in addition to the inhumane treatment of prisoners."
Encounters with the past Traces of my grandfather
"In the summer of 2015, my wife and I visited Neuengamme for the first time. It was a personal journey to all the places my grandfather went to during his imprisonment. Naturally, I also visited the Neuengamme archives. I met the archivist for the fist time and he looked up my grandfather’s name in his computer. He couldn't tell me anything new, only that he was a Belgian prisoner with the number 44444. That was a bit disappointing, as you can imagine."
Encounters with the pastAn accidental discovery
"But the archivist showed me the archives and the loose-leaf books about the Blumenthal satellite camp and the Cap Arcona and told me I could find more information about the satellite camp there. While I was leafing through the documents, a letter with a phone number I knew very well and the name of the City of Nieuwpoort where my grandfather lived caught my eye. It was a letter written by my grandfather. I have to say that was a very emotional moment because it was so unexpected. The letter was written after the war (the exact date is unknown) and sent to another former Belgian prisoner, Guy Melen, who was trying to reconstruct the plan of the Bremen-Blumenthal satellite camp."
Elly Gross
Goto first page Goto first pageJean Curial
Stories passed down through generationsA kerchief made out of father's prisoner uniformJean Curial, Georges Curial's son, says:
"I am sending you the photos of the objects and documents I cannot part with because they remind me of my father and are very precious to my family.
My father managed to cut off a piece of his prisoner jacket and take it with him as a memento of his experiences."
My father managed to cut off a piece of his prisoner jacket and take it with him as a memento of his experiences."
Stories passed down through generationsThe index card contains only his prisoner number, and not his name
"I am the son of Georges Curial who was deported to Neuengamme on July 18, 1944 and transferred to the Blumenthal satellite camp where he tried to flee. He survived the shipping disaster in Lübeck Bay aboard the 'Athen'. He died in Lyon in 1980."
Stories passed down through generationsThe metal tag with my father’s prisoner number
"I still have the metal tag with his prisoner number, which he used to wear around his neck and brought home."
Stories passed down through generationsMy father is alive!
"May 4, 1945, Stockholm: This is the first message from my father following his liberation. It strikes me that he is more interested in the well-being of his family than in talking about himself."
Stories passed down through generationsThe flag I inherited
"This is the flag made by the Swedish prisoners who were saved by the Swedish Red Cross in Lübeck Bay. It was hoisted every morning. Upon their return, the survivors pledged to cover the coffin of every single one of them with this flag. I inherited the flag from Antoine Bouvier. I treasure it and have honored the pledge to the best of my ability. Today, all the survivors I knew are dead. How can we preserve their memories?"
Charly Dodet
Stories passed down through generationsA book about my uncleCharly Dodet, Marcel Nassogne’s nephew, tells us:
"I did not personally experience WWII but I collected enough information to reconstruct the fate of my uncle, Marcel Nassogne. In this book, I tell the story of his life: I follow him on his way from Chardeneux to Chateau de Bassines, from his sheltered life in the secret school to the denunciations, from his arrest to the deportation to the Neuengamme concentration camp."
Stories passed down through generations…as if my uncle came back to tell us about what he had been through
"The exact circumstances of his death are unknown. Did he die in Neuengamme, on the way to Lübeck, on a ship? He would have turned 100 in 2019. For me, this book is not only a testimony. It feels as if I had been with my uncle through all of that, as if he wanted to tell me what he could have made out of his life."
Marian Hawling
Imprisonment and liberationThe only objects which are left Marian Hawling writes:
"Please find enclosed copies of letters to my mother from Neuengamme. They were written for me in German by a prisoner as my German was not fluent at that time. The letters are the only items I have, which my mother sent to me after the war. I stripped naked before jumping into the water from the burning 'Cap Arcona' except for a pullover, which I found in block 7."
Dita Kraus
Imprisonment and liberationFrom name to numberDita Kraus tells us:
"As one of the women who were taken from Auschwitz to Germany in July 1944, I am always willing to attend commemorative events. I still have the metal tag with the number I was given in Hamburg. I wore it around my neck, as we all had to do. I still have a piece of thread it was attached to. I am sending you a photo of it because I don't dare to send you the object itself. Things often get lost in the mail nowadays…"
Imprisonment and liberationArrival at the satellite camp
Upon her arrival at the Dessauer Ufer satellite camp in Hamburg, Dita Kraus was given a new prisoner number: 616. The fact they had escaped the gas chambers of Auschwitz and the arrival at the satellite camp in Hamburg gave female prisoners hope, recalled Dita Kraus in an interview she gave in 2018.
Mogens Henrik Nielsen
A family in the resistance
As a 17-year-old prisoner in the Neuengamme concentration camp, Mogens Henrik Nielsen wrote two letters to his parents who were both imprisoned in the German camp of Frøslev, located close to the German border, as well as to his sister.
His wife Emmy Reitoft wrote: "For Mogens Henrik, the letters bring back nice memories of his loving and caring parents."
Letter he wrote to his parents and sister from the concentration camp, February 1945
His wife Emmy Reitoft wrote: "For Mogens Henrik, the letters bring back nice memories of his loving and caring parents."
Letter he wrote to his parents and sister from the concentration camp, February 1945
Der Sohn von Marcel Dionot
Stories passed down through generationsA photo in a newspaper from 1945Marcel Dionot's son tells us:
"My father is the one with a walking stick in the first row. The photo was taken by the Keystone agency and printed in the newspaper on Thursday, April 19, 1945.
My father was arrested on May 9, 1944 in Sainte Marie du Bois. He was one of around 2,500 men who found themselves on the last death train to leave Compiègne on July 15, 1944. Not more than 1000 of them reached Neuengamme on July 20 or 21."
My father was arrested on May 9, 1944 in Sainte Marie du Bois. He was one of around 2,500 men who found themselves on the last death train to leave Compiègne on July 15, 1944. Not more than 1000 of them reached Neuengamme on July 20 or 21."
Stories passed down through generationsThe names of the dead were recorded in a notebook by hand
"My father was taken to various camps: Salzgitter, Husum, Kaltenkirchen. On March 15, 1945, he returned to the Neuengamme main camp where he stayed until he was sent on a death march. There, he was forced to collect bodies and bring them to the morgue. The capacity of the cremation furnaces was not sufficient so he had to pile the bodies on top of one another."
Stories passed down through generationsStory behind the photograph
"During the death march, he used the commotion caused by a fire in a barn – which killed several hundred people – and escaped together with two prisoners from Italy and Greece. For a week, they moved westward at night and were captured by American soldiers on April 5. He was the first French prisoner the Allies encountered. The Italian prisoner died, so he decided to go home alone. After changing trains several times, he arrived at the Argentan station in early May.
Please use only Marcel Dionot's name in your public posts. The deportees are the heroes, not their families."
Please use only Marcel Dionot's name in your public posts. The deportees are the heroes, not their families."
Malgorzata Sadowska
The purpose of the so-called premium coupons was to urge prisoners to work harder. The selection of items one could exchange them for, however, was very limited.
The red triangle was used by the SS to identify political prisoners. The letter P meant the prisoner came from Poland.
The name tag her mother wore during a commemorative ceremony.
Malgorzata Sadowska writes:
Here, I am showing mementos, important objects to remember my mother Henryka Sadowska by (imprisoned in Neuengamme and Ravensbrück). She died in 2012.
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The purpose of the so-called premium coupons was to urge prisoners to work harder. The selection of items one could exchange them for, however, was very limited.
The red triangle was used by the SS to identify political prisoners. The letter P meant the prisoner came from Poland.
The name tag her mother wore during a commemorative ceremony.
Malgorzata Sadowska writes:
Here, I am showing mementos, important objects to remember my mother Henryka Sadowska by (imprisoned in Neuengamme and Ravensbrück). She died in 2012.
Helga Melmed
Imprisonment and liberationEnd of childhoodHelga Melmed reports:
"My parents and I were on the very first transport from this location. These are the tracks at Bahnhof (track 17) where I watched my childhood disappear!"
Dorothea Hämer
Encounters with the pastA letter from my father Dorothea Hämer talks about a letter her father Lothar wrote after he was released from the Neuengamme concentration camp:
"This is the letter my father, Lothar Hämer (born on September 6, 1907, died February 19, 1978), wrote to his sister-in-law after being released from the Neuengamme concentration camp. I think the letter illustrates very well the situation of the released prisoners, which can also partly be read between the lines."
When a concentration camp prisoner was being released, he had to assure the SS that he would not talk about his experiences.
When a concentration camp prisoner was being released, he had to assure the SS that he would not talk about his experiences.
Jan van Ommen
Encounters with the pastFrom my father's diaryJan van Ommen tells us who the person behind the name of Henk Dienske in his father's diary is:
"This is a page from my father's diary. On April 8, 1945, he noted down that Henk Dienske was reported dead. He had died on February 16, 1945 in the Beendorf satellite camp of Neuengamme. I have taken part in meetings of relatives in Neuengamme for years. My mother was imprisoned in various concentration camps, none of which were satellite camps of Neuengamme. But we were very close with the Dienske family. My mother had been arrested in the context of the search for Henk Dienske."
Encounters with the pastDutch resistance
"Dienske was active in the Dutch resistance. On Sunday, April 8, 1945, Dienske's death was announced from the pulpits of all Reformed Churches in Amsterdam. Prior to that, a German had personally informed Dienske's wife about his death.
That a German (one of the occupiers) did this personally is, for me, a proof there were instances of respect between the enemies. Without the information about the death of her husband, Mrs. Dienske could have lived in uncertainty for years."
That a German (one of the occupiers) did this personally is, for me, a proof there were instances of respect between the enemies. Without the information about the death of her husband, Mrs. Dienske could have lived in uncertainty for years."
Jesus Mari Txurruka
Encounters with the past My granduncle's pocket watchJesus Mari Txurruka explains what the return of a pocket watch has to do with him discovering his family story:
"This is the pocket watch with a chain which used to belong to my granduncle Pascual Askasibar Iriondo. Pascual was my maternal grandmother's older brother. He died on April 17, 1945 in the Wöbbelin satellite camp, two weeks before it was liberated by American troops."
Encounters with the past An unforgettable moment
"The watch was kept in Bad Arolsen. On May 22, 2017, the ITS (International Tracing System) returned the watch to Pascual's family in a letter. The watch had been confiscated on May 24, 1944, when Pascal was registered as a political prisoner in Neuengamme under the number 31181. In other words: Pascual's relatives got the watch back on more or less the same day it had been taken away from him 73 years earlier. When we opened the watch, we saw it was in a perfect condition and as we wound it, it started ticking after more than seven decades of inactivity. That was an unforgettable moment."
Encounters with the past Nobody knew about Pascual Askasibar
"Although Pascual's birthday was recorded to be on May 7 in the Neuengamme register, Pascual was actually born on May 17, 1903 in Galarraga Erdikoa in Gipuzkoa, a province of the Basque country. Nobody in the family was aware of Pascual's existence. Neither my grandmother nor her sister ever mentioned him. For many families, the Francoist repression meant that every question about the exiled and missing people was kept a secret from those who knew about it."
Encounters with the past A big surprise
"My grandmother probably knew nothing about what had happened to her older brother. So it was a big surprise when we were told that we can recover an object which belonged to a relative we didn't know existed, who had died in a concentration camp in Germany."
Encounters with the pastDouble joy
"I want to show this object publicly to motivate people to look for information about their relatives who died or went missing during the Spanish Civil War or WWII. Perhaps they will be lucky enough to recover their remains or their personal belongings. The joy will be great on both sides – for those who return the items and those who get them back."
Slawa Harasymowicz
Encounters with the pastLetters as symbols of memoriesSlawa Harasymowicz, Marian Górkiewicz's grandniece, tells us:
"These are three letters from my greatuncle Marian Górkiewicz to his wife. Three pieces of paper which trace Marian's fate: his first letter as a concentration camp prisoner, first letter from Neuengamme, sent in spring 1941, and the last letter dated December 1944. A few months after that last letter, Marian perished aboard of the Thielbek, a cargo ship anchored in the Baltic."
Encounters with the pastThe altered handwriting
"I don’t know why his regular correspondence from Neuengamme seems to have stopped in winter 1944: whether he was too weak to write or writing home became impossible, whether the letters were never actually posted or they just disappeared, fragile scraps as they must have been. There is an unsettling continuity in handwriting and language displayed from Marian's pre-war poems and notes and his 'wartime' Kraków diary, which I also have.To me, these three letters represent several years of survival and resistance as much as trauma, they are memorials which challenge memory and this is why I am sharing these personal objects."
Joanna Kiąca-Fryczkowska
Remembering together Traveling from Poland to Germany for commemorative eventsJoanna Kiąca-Fryczkowska (left), a survivor, writes:
"I was 17 when I was deported to the Ravensbrück concentration camp after the Warsaw Uprising."
Remembering together "I don’t have anything left."
"They took all my documents and personal belongings. I don’t have anything left."
Remembering togetherMeeting in Neuengamme
"Every year, I attended the commemorative events you organized. You can see the photos I have picked."
Norbert Zorn
Remembering together Garden of MemoriesNorbert Zorn from the "Association Valeurs de la République Les '42', Alsace-Moselle Pro-Patria" tells us:
"The Garden of Memories, a memorial in honor of 42 Alsatian reserve officers, is being completed in the spring of 2021 in Cernay, France. They were deported to the Neuengamme concentration camp for refusing to be forcibly conscripted into the Waffen SS."
Remembering together A cedar tree
"A cedar tree stands for all the victims of the Neuengamme concentration camp and its satellite camps. Twenty-two of the deported officers died there."
Alla Sergienko/Karl Pajuk
Remembering together Meetings in Hamburg and HanoverTeacher Alla Sergienko (left) says:
"During the meetings in Hamburg and Hanover, I have met people who have dealt with the most difficult history questions. I have seen the staff and volunteers take care of those who had suffered violence and been imprisoned in concentration camps."
Remembering together Meetings with the survivor Karl Pajuk
"Karl Pajuk's life and the journeys I accompanied him on made a lasting impression on me. My students also learned a lot from these meetings."
Remembering together "I would like to thank you all for the work you do."
Juana Sosa Martínez
Hopes for the futureMiguel Sosa TostadoThe granddaughter Juana Sosa Martínez tells us:
"My grandfather was a farmer but also a member of the Assault Guard loyal to the Republican government. When the fascist came to kill him, he had to flee his village. He fought in the Battle of the Ebro and escaped to France over the Pyrenees.
In 1944, he was deported to the Neuengamme concentration camp and later transferred to one of its satellite camps in Meppen. This is where he disappeared without a trace. Honoring our loved ones in any way is very important for me. That is why I am sending you the only photograph I have of my grandfather."
In 1944, he was deported to the Neuengamme concentration camp and later transferred to one of its satellite camps in Meppen. This is where he disappeared without a trace. Honoring our loved ones in any way is very important for me. That is why I am sending you the only photograph I have of my grandfather."
Luc De Bruyn
Hopes for the future Guillaume and Marcellus De Bruyn (ca. 1924)Luc De Bruyn hopes:
"My grandfather Guillaume and my granduncle Marcellus De Bruyn were arrested by the German occupiers in August 1944 in the Belgian village of Meensel-Keizegem and deported to Germany together with 80 other people. Neither survived the imprisonment. I wish their names are never forgotten."
Balbina Rebollar Batalla
Hopes for the future Evaristo Rebollar FernándezBalbina Rebollar Batalla tells us:
"My father Evaristo Rebollar Fernández fought on the side of the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War. He was deported to Neuengamme in 1944 from France."
Hopes for the future Metal tag with the prisoner number
"He brought this metal tag with his prisoner number 32042 home with him after he was liberated. We have kept it in our family like treasure, because it symbolizes the ordeal of my father and his fellow prisoners.
I would like to show this object publicly to keep the memory of the people who fought for democracy and against fascism, such as my father, alive in our society and especially among the young people."
I would like to show this object publicly to keep the memory of the people who fought for democracy and against fascism, such as my father, alive in our society and especially among the young people."
Mirjam Bouchier
Hopes for the future Died in Neuengamme on December 25, 1944 at the age of 20Mirjam Bouchier writes:
"I am sending you a photograph of my father's youngest brother, my uncle Fons Bouchier.
I want to show it to the public because it is very moving and as a message that he should never be forgotten."
I want to show it to the public because it is very moving and as a message that he should never be forgotten."
Magda Wajsen
Stories passed down through generationsThis reminds me of my grandfather more than anythingMagda Wajsen, Kazimierz Wajsen's granddaughter:
"What object should I pick? I looked for my grandfather’s things. My brother has a pocket watch and a lighter. I found an ashtray. That is sad because my grandfather died of lung cancer because he smoked so much. But I remember the ashtray best because it was always on my grandfather's table."
Martine Letterie und der Koffer ihres Großvaters
Goto first pageHédi Fried und Livia Fränkel
Goto first pageMarianne Rysz
Goto first pageSophie Tajch Klisman
Goto first pageNachum Rotenberg
Imprisonment and liberationPreparation for immigration to Israel in the Kibbuz BraunschweigNachum Rotenberg emigrates
After the end of the war, the survivors liberated in the Hanover area started preparing to immigrate to Palestine (from 1948 Israel) in the so-called Kibbuz Braunschweig.
Among them was Nachum Rotenberg who was liberated in Hannover-Ahlem, a Neuengamme satellite camp, and arrived in Palestine in 1946. He shared these photos from the Kibbuz Braunschweig with us. Nachum Rotenberg still lives in Israel.
Among them was Nachum Rotenberg who was liberated in Hannover-Ahlem, a Neuengamme satellite camp, and arrived in Palestine in 1946. He shared these photos from the Kibbuz Braunschweig with us. Nachum Rotenberg still lives in Israel.
Identification document for the Kibbuz Braunschweig where former prisoners prepared to immigrate to Palestine.
Certificate stating that Nachum Rotenberg had been imprisoned in a concentration camp.
Certificate stating that Nachum Rotenberg had been imprisoned in a concentration camp.
Future emigrants in the Kibbuz Braunschweig including Nachum Rotenberg (left) and Benny Vidavsky (top center)
Nachum Rotenberg's father Yehi'el Meir (left) and his mother Sure-Malca Rotenberg (seated) with their relatives.
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Identification document for the Kibbuz Braunschweig where former prisoners prepared to immigrate to Palestine.
Certificate stating that Nachum Rotenberg had been imprisoned in a concentration camp.
Certificate stating that Nachum Rotenberg had been imprisoned in a concentration camp.
Future emigrants in the Kibbuz Braunschweig including Nachum Rotenberg (left) and Benny Vidavsky (top center)
Nachum Rotenberg's father Yehi'el Meir (left) and his mother Sure-Malca Rotenberg (seated) with their relatives.
Former prisoners with their American liberators.
Nachum Rotenberg (center) with former fellow-prisoners in the Kibbuz Braunschweig
Nachum Rotenberg (left) with Benny Vidavsky (center) and an unindentified former prisoner after the liberation.
Preparation for emigration to Israel at Kibbuz Braunschweig.
Preparation for emigration to Israel at Kibbuz Braunschweig
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Former prisoners with their American liberators.
Nachum Rotenberg (center) with former fellow-prisoners in the Kibbuz Braunschweig
Nachum Rotenberg (left) with Benny Vidavsky (center) and an unindentified former prisoner after the liberation.
Preparation for emigration to Israel at Kibbuz Braunschweig.
Preparation for emigration to Israel at Kibbuz Braunschweig
Elly Gross
Imprisonment and liberationThe only survivor of her family
Elly Berkovits Gross is the only member of her family who survived the Holocaust. Her father Eugene died in an forced labor camp in 1944, while her mother Irina and her brother Adalbert were murdered in Auschwitz. Elly herself was liberated in Fallersleben, a Neuengamme satellite camp, in 1945.
Imprisonment and liberationElly Gross tells her story
In 2007, she published her story in a book which she dedicated to all Holocaust victims but primarily to her parents and her brother.
Imprisonment and liberationElly's storyElly Gross stresses:
"We cannot hold new generations accountable for what happened in the past. Those who committed the crimes against us are gone. We, the survivors and former slaves, have aged and will soon be gone too. The next generation will not believe our story. I often think about what I did, what crime I had committed, to deserve working as a slave at the Volkswagen factory at the age of 15."
Helga Melmed
Imprisonment and liberationLife after the liberationHelga Melmed writes:
"Photo of myself and a friend in Sweden after liberation, 1946. My hair is very short (because my head was shaved in Auschwitz) and how tiny my legs are (because my weight was 43 lbs.)"
Imprisonment and liberation"Not only can it happen, it has happened"
"You asked me why I would want to show these photos and share these memories with the public. I would hope that we could convince our children and grandchildren that prejudice has no place in our world! It leads to no good, only bad. And then even worse. Left unchecked to Holocaust! Not only can it happen; it has happened, and will happen again! Unless the younger generations are educated, and the truth is not covered up with lies!"
(Helga Melmed, born in Berlin in 1927, survived the Litzmannstadt/Lodz ghetto and the Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen and Poppenbüttel concentration camps)
(Helga Melmed, born in Berlin in 1927, survived the Litzmannstadt/Lodz ghetto and the Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen and Poppenbüttel concentration camps)
Erald De Wachter
Stories passed down through generationsA jewelry box on my sideboard Erald De Wachter, Maurice De Wachter's son, explains:
"I am sending you a photograph of a small jewelry box which is still of great value in our family. It is a souvenir from Veinge, Sweden. My father Maurice brought it with him when he returned home to Belgium in 1945 and it always stood on a cabinet in his apartment. Today, it is on a sideboard in my living room. It is not worth much, but it holds great sentimental value!"
Stories passed down through generationsHospitality in Sweden
"For me, it is the ultimate proof of the miraculous way Maurice was saved in Lübeck Bay in the course of the White Buses rescue operation organized by the Swedish Red Cross. And it is a testament to the hospitality, generosity and kindness the inhabitants of Veinge in Sweden showed him during his recuperation. The jewelry box will be cherished forever."
About the picture: 1945: Swedish Red Cross buses at the Korsør harbor taking liberated concentration camp prisoners to Sweden.
About the picture: 1945: Swedish Red Cross buses at the Korsør harbor taking liberated concentration camp prisoners to Sweden.
Stories passed down through generationsA village takes care of survivors
"After spending some time in quarantine, the liberated prisoners were taken to cities and villages in southern and central Sweden to recuperate. Maurice was one of the 125 Belgians who were billeted in the village of Veinge."
63 Belgian survivors and their Swedish benefactors in Veinge
63 Belgian survivors and their Swedish benefactors in Veinge
Stories passed down through generationsFriendships were formed
“The Belgians were met with great hospitality. The inhabitants of Veinge would invite them for tee and cake in the afternoon. This is how Maurice met Adolv and Ida Karlsson. They owned a taxi and bus company and Maurice could ride in Adolv’s cab free of charge.”
Stories passed down through generationsMaurice takes the box home as a memento
"On July 11, 1945, the Belgians set out on their journey back home. Maurice had a suitcase with presents for his wife Hilda and his children, including the jewelry box with the inscription 'Remember Veinge'. His return home in the middle of the night was a very joyous occasion. Many people were waiting for Maurice at his house to congratulate him on his miraculous salvation."
Jan A.C. van Boeijen
Stories passed down through generationsI have the same initials like my uncle.Jan A.C. van Boeijen, a nephew of Jan A.C. van Boeijen, explains:
"My name is Jan Adrianus Cornelis van Boeijen (Jan A.C. van Boeijen), I was born in 1946 and I live in Putten, Netherlands. Jan Adolf Cornelis van Boeijen (Jan A.C. van Boeijen) was one of my father’s brothers. He was imprisoned in Amersfoort, Neuengamme and Husum. He was 19 when he died in the Husum satellite camp. I still have this business card that belonged to my uncle."
Stories passed down through generationsHostages from Putten
Jan van Boeijen was one of 659 men from the Dutch town of Putten who were deported to the Amersfoort camp in early October 1944 in reprisal for an attack on a Wehrmacht vehicle. 601 of them were deported to the Neuengamme concentration camp. From there, the SS took most of them to the Ladelund and Husum satellite camps. Only 48 men returned to Putten after the war.
Stories passed down through generationsCommitment to keep the memory aliveJan A.C. van Boeijen writes:
"I am a member of the Board of Directors of the SSVP Foundation (Stichting Samen Verder Putten). The goal of the foundation is to pass the lessons learned from the war and the past on to next generations. The events which took place in October 1944 play a major role, of course."
Memorial stone for the inhabitants of Putten who were deported to the Neuengamme concentration camp.
Memorial stone for the inhabitants of Putten who were deported to the Neuengamme concentration camp.
Henri Schouten
Stories passed down through generationsThe last picture of my grandfatherH.P.H. Schouten writes the following about the photograph of his grandparents:
"Here is the last picture of my grandfather Wouter Verhoef and his wife Gijsbertha. The photo was taken at their daughter's wedding, a day before my grandfather was arrested for being active in the resistance.
Wouter was taken to the Amersfoort camp. After a week he was deported to the Neuengamme concentration camp together with the men from Putten. He died on December 25, 1944."
Wouter was taken to the Amersfoort camp. After a week he was deported to the Neuengamme concentration camp together with the men from Putten. He died on December 25, 1944."
Paula Kuitenbrouwer
Stories passed down through generationsA baby dress makes us smilePaula Kuitenbrouwer writes on behalf of her family:
"Our memories of Anton P.W. van der Lugt (1903-1944) are based on family stories, old photos, letters and hand-written poems as well as some personal belongings which were given back to his widow. A case containing memorabilia stands out: inside, there are handmade, knitted and embroidered baby clothes."
Stories passed down through generationsIsn’t that a dress for a girl?
"When I got these delicate baby clothes as a present from my mother, I was surprised because they were – as you would say today – for a little girl. One has to remember, however, that when my grandfather was a baby there were no disposable diapers; boys and girls wore clothes that resembled dresses and could be opened at the back to facilitate diaper changes."
Stories passed down through generationsIt feels like touching the past
"To marvel at these cute baby clothes feels like touching the past. The thought of our (great-)grandfather’s happy start in life and of him in these clothes makes us smile."
Paula Kuitenbrouwer
Thom Kluck
Maryse Kluck
Paula Kuitenbrouwer
Thom Kluck
Maryse Kluck
Paulina Miecznikowska-Chyła
Stories passed down through generationsA part of my grandmother lives onPaulina Miecznikowska-Chyła, Krystyna Razińska's granddaughter, tells us:
"My name is Paulina and I am a granddaughter of a concentration camp prisoner. Grandma died in 2012, but not before she met my newborn daughter. A part of my grandmother lives on in me: her strength, determination, courage, love. I want to pass these values on to the next generation.
It is important to believe, rather than having doubts and giving up, to forgive and to have faith that someone up there takes care of us. My grandmother had no doubts about that and she survived."
It is important to believe, rather than having doubts and giving up, to forgive and to have faith that someone up there takes care of us. My grandmother had no doubts about that and she survived."
Stories passed down through generationsMemories of my grandmother
"I could… describe my grandmother's suffering, her hunger and her struggle to survive every day in the camp.
I could… recount the bleak stories about the camp and the post-war years – unimaginable for me, difficult and painful.
I could… mention the cross which was taken away from my grandmother in the camp and returned to the family in a miraculous way. For me, it is a symbol of faith, of hope – an indissoluble reminder.
I could… describe her search for Sabina, her sister-in-law. Hundreds of letters, faded over the years, kept in a box in my drawer."
I could… recount the bleak stories about the camp and the post-war years – unimaginable for me, difficult and painful.
I could… mention the cross which was taken away from my grandmother in the camp and returned to the family in a miraculous way. For me, it is a symbol of faith, of hope – an indissoluble reminder.
I could… describe her search for Sabina, her sister-in-law. Hundreds of letters, faded over the years, kept in a box in my drawer."
Stories passed down through generationsTrain at Sülstorf
"But I want to tell a different story. I want to tell why she often traveled to Germany in May. I want to tell you about Günter Kliefoth.
As a brave 13-year-old boy, Günter helped his mother distribute boiled potatoes among the prisoners aboard a train at the Sülstorf train station. My grandmother too was on this train whose destination was unknown. Every cattle car carried more than hundred people. The cars were overcrowded, there was no air, people were exhausted, hungry, miserable and desperate. More than 300 people died during the three-day stopover in April 1945. My grandmother got two potatoes, it wasn’t enough for everyone."
As a brave 13-year-old boy, Günter helped his mother distribute boiled potatoes among the prisoners aboard a train at the Sülstorf train station. My grandmother too was on this train whose destination was unknown. Every cattle car carried more than hundred people. The cars were overcrowded, there was no air, people were exhausted, hungry, miserable and desperate. More than 300 people died during the three-day stopover in April 1945. My grandmother got two potatoes, it wasn’t enough for everyone."
Stories passed down through generationsConnections
"Years later, my grandmother and Günter met again and the idea to make the film 'The Train at Sülstorf' was born.
The memories connected to Sülstorf changed. Sharing memories, suffering and joy, eating meals together, having conversations, meeting new people. My grandmother sometimes spent her vacations with the Kliefoth family in Sülstorf – and I did too. I remember quiet mornings, warm bread rolls and their dog playing with a friendly goat."
The memories connected to Sülstorf changed. Sharing memories, suffering and joy, eating meals together, having conversations, meeting new people. My grandmother sometimes spent her vacations with the Kliefoth family in Sülstorf – and I did too. I remember quiet mornings, warm bread rolls and their dog playing with a friendly goat."
Stories passed down through generationsMy grandmother is a heroine
"My grandmother was a strong, beautiful and modest woman, full of love, faith in God, empathy and goodness. She loved being around people and her laughter was contagious. She never complained about the past which made a great impact on her life. Never have I ever heard so much as a hint of complaint or resentment towards her persecutors. She never felt like a victim or strived for revenge which is why she was so beautiful and special. My grandmother is a heroine and I miss her in my life."
Ewa Zelechowska-Stolzman
Imprisonment and liberation"We should never be apart." That was our family slogan.Ewa Zelechowska-Stolzman tells us:
"It is impossible to describe what my sister and I feel when we look at the few objects that remind us of our beloved father who died in a concentration camp when he was only 47 years old. This pain lives on in our minds. The thought of how much he suffered keeps coming back."
Imprisonment and liberationPrivate memories
"All of these objects are of immeasurable value. A tiny window into my father’s life before the war.
Three landscapes he painted (painting and photography were his hobbies.)"
Three landscapes he painted (painting and photography were his hobbies.)"
Imprisonment and liberationFragments of a life
"He was a chemist by profession: We have a notebook with chemical formulas, an oil painting of my father, a few photos taken during the Warsaw Uprising and a watch which the Arolsen Archives sent to us as my father's personal property. It was not his watch, it probably belonged to a Ukranian or Russian prisoner, based on the letters inside, but we have treasured it nonetheless."
Imprisonment and liberationThe story of my father
"My father Andrzej Żelechowski was born on May 6, 1897 in Krakow, Poland. He was imprisoned in the Neuengamme concentration camp in October 1944 and died there on January 8, 1945. His body was cremated, the ashes scattered on the ground. We were deported like slaves from our country and imprisoned in concentration camps – father in Neuengamme, mother, sister and I in Ravensbrück."
Imprisonment and liberationThe last words
"When we arrived at Neuengamme on cattle cars and the German soldiers ordered my father to get off the train, a terrible feeling came over me. I wanted to throw my arms around his neck, kiss him. Did I know that I would never see him again? His last words were 'I will be back soon' although he knew the truth. Our train started moving and a desperate cry was heard from the railcar."
Barbara Piotrowska
Imprisonment and liberation"It is indescribable how much I missed my father."Barbara Piotrowska tells us:
"Our family was deported in early October 1944 after the Warsaw Uprising. In Neuengamme, men were separated from the group, women and children (including my mother and me) were taken to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. My father died after around 2 months on December 8, 1944 in the Neuengamme concentration camp.
After the war, my mother and I returned to Poland and started building our life anew. I was eleven at the time. My mother and I both missed my father every day for many years."
After the war, my mother and I returned to Poland and started building our life anew. I was eleven at the time. My mother and I both missed my father every day for many years."
Imprisonment and liberationSurprising restitution
"I looked for things to remember him by and in 2001, I learned that the objects which once belonged to prisoners were kept in Arolsen. Fifty-seven years after my father’s death I received a surprising message that his belongings, so dear to my heart, would be returned to me.
These objects are a golden wedding ring with the name of my mother (Marta), a golden family seal ring with the family coat of Arms 'Pomian' engraved in it and a pocket watch with a ribbon I crocheted as a girl. For me and my family, it was an unforgettable experience to get these objects back."
These objects are a golden wedding ring with the name of my mother (Marta), a golden family seal ring with the family coat of Arms 'Pomian' engraved in it and a pocket watch with a ribbon I crocheted as a girl. For me and my family, it was an unforgettable experience to get these objects back."
Imprisonment and liberationA place to mourn
In 2015, Barbara Piotrowska found her father's name in the House of Remebrance. His photo has been hanging next to it since then.
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Objects carry memories
Remembering together
Commemoration under special circumstances
What does a suitcase have to do with memories?
Objects tell stories about people
Mementos
Imprisonment and liberation
The life before persecution
Relics of the imprisonment
Starting a new life
Like windows into the past
Passing down memories
Family stories
Family stories
A book that belonged to my grandfather
Encounters with the past
Uncovering stories
Uncovering stories
Remembering together
"I do not want to leave any mementos behind"
Commemorative ceremonies and places of commemoration
Visit to Neuengamme
Hopes for the future
"We who survived the hell that is war"
"…that their names are never forgotten."
"Our victory over the Nazis"
To pass on the stories
A sincere thank you
Multimedia commemoration
Stay in touch
Impressum
What do I take away from the story?
Why objects and memories are important
I never met my father
A letter brings certainty
A hero who received too little attention
Ksenija Olchowa and Lidija Turowskaja
Annual reunion
Concentration camp prisoners meet
How family photographs survived
Helga and her mother
Helga Melmed on her birthday
At the age of 13
Sheltered childhood
Dita Kraus
Beautiful memories
Mogens Henrik as a student
Remembering the parents
Recovering a long-lost wallet
Looking for the loved ones
"They stripped him of his identity"
Traces of my grandfather
The only photo
Adalbert
A kerchief made out of father's prisoner uniform
The index card contains only his prisoner number, and not his name
The metal tag with my father’s prisoner number
My father is alive!
The flag I inherited
A book about my uncle
…as if my uncle came back to tell us about what he had been through
The only objects which are left
The back of the first postcard
The front of the second postcard
The back of the second postcard
From name to number
Arrival at the satellite camp
A family in the resistance
Letter to the parents
A photo in a newspaper from 1945
The names of the dead were recorded in a notebook by hand
Story behind the photograph
Mementos
End of childhood
A letter from my father
From my father's diary
Dutch resistance
My granduncle's pocket watch
An unforgettable moment
Nobody knew about Pascual Askasibar
A big surprise
Letters as symbols of memories
Traveling from Poland to Germany for commemorative events
"I don’t have anything left."
Meeting in Neuengamme
Garden of Memories
A cedar tree
Meetings in Hamburg and Hanover
Meetings with the survivor Karl Pajuk
"I would like to thank you all for the work you do."
Miguel Sosa Tostado
Guillaume and Marcellus De Bruyn (ca. 1924)
Evaristo Rebollar Fernández
Metal tag with the prisoner number
Died in Neuengamme on December 25, 1944 at the age of 20
This reminds me of my grandfather more than anything
Martine Letterie tells us
The families Fried and Fränkel
Visit to Neuengamme
Sisters
Preparation for immigration to Israel in the Kibbuz Braunschweig
Nachum Rotenberg's memories
Nachum Rotenberg's memories
Nachum Rotenberg in Neuengamme
The only survivor of her family
Elly Gross tells her story
Elly's story
Life after the liberation
"Not only can it happen, it has happened"
A jewelry box on my sideboard
Hospitality in Sweden
A village takes care of survivors
Friendships were formed
I have the same initials like my uncle.
Hostages from Putten
Commitment to keep the memory alive
The last picture of my grandfather
A baby dress makes us smile
It feels like touching the past
A part of my grandmother lives on
Memories of my grandmother
Train at Sülstorf
Connections
My grandmother is a heroine
"We should never be apart." That was our family slogan.
Private memories
Fragments of a life
The story of my father
The last words
A tragic place
"It is indescribable how much I missed my father."
Surprising restitution
A place to mourn