Kinderheim at Bergen-Belsen was run by two former Auschwitz prisoners, Luba Tryszynska and Hermina Krantzova. There are several books and articles about how The Angel of Bergen Belsen, Luba, sheltered and saved the Dutch "Diamond children" at Bergen-Belsen. Often omitted are, however, additional Polish Hungarian, Slovakian, and other Jewish children who were also brought to the Kinderheim. It is known that on January 5, 1945, 21 boys were brought to Kinderheim from the Buchenwald concentration camp and Ravensbrück. Many of the non-diamond children were deported at the beginning of December 1944 from Piotrkow Trybunalski in Poland. The picture is from the movie taken by the British at the liberation of the camp on April 15, 1945, showing Luba carrying one of the youngest children. The rest of the children are a mixture of Dutch, Polish, and Slovakian children.
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On December 5, 1944, according to a German list 57 children (under 16 years old) from barracks 17 that in two days became parentless were sat on a truck and driven across over Bergen-Belsen camp to the Women's camp. There, at night they were abandoned close to the Barrack 211. Among the children was Gerrit Cohensius, 13 years old. Most of the children torn from their families were much younger than Gerrit, many of them born 1942-1943. The youngest one, a boy Philip was just 13 months and born in the Westerbork transit camp. On December 5, 1944, according to the German list above 57 children (1 - 16 years old) from barracks 17 were sat on a truck and driven across over Bergen-Belsen camp from Star Camp to the Women camp. There, at night they were abandoned close to the Barrack 211.  |
The fate of the children in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp varied and depended on several factors. One of the most important factors was which group of persecuted people they belonged to. Others were, where and when they had been caught, how old they were, and when they arrived.
The Holocaust survivors, depending on their state of health, were placed in various facilities, ranging from boarding schools for children and detention camps for grownups to specialist hospitals in different cities. Many survivors had tuberculosis and were placed in special TBC hospitals. Therefore, in many cases, mothers were separated from their children and placed far away from each other.
Often the fate of children who had been deported on their own or accompanied by their mothers or relatives differed in comparison with the children who lived in the camp without any relatives.
The last weeks before the liberation of Bergen-Belsen were essential for the survival of both children and grownups. The prisoners were left without water and food and numerous died in epidemics. Children who were at Barrack 211 had much bigger chances to survive than children without any caregivers.
Children who were at Barrack 211? Actually a mixture of three groups. Dutch children without parents, Polish boys brought from Buchenwald, and Polish children with mothers brought from Ravensbrück. Polish children in these two groups were originally from Piotrków Trybunalski ghetto, see below.
The last weeks before the liberation of Bergen-Belsen were essential for the survival of both children and grownups. The prisoners were left without water and food and numerous died in epidemics. Children who were at Barrack 211 had much bigger chances to survive than children without any caregivers.
Children who were at Barrack 211? Actually a mixture of three groups. Dutch children without parents, Polish boys brought from Buchenwald, and Polish children with mothers brought from Ravensbrück. Polish children in these two groups were originally from Piotrków Trybunalski ghetto, see below.
Dutch Children
57 Diamond children (or less), were the children of Dutch Jews who were skillful diamond workers deported first to Westerbork detention camp and thereafter on December 5th, 1944, to Bergen-Belsen. They lived as families in the Bergen-Belsen exchange camp. Families were taken apart when it became clear that Germany would not set up (at the end of the war) any diamond industries. First, the fathers were sent away from Bergen-Belsen to Sachsenhausen, and shortly thereafter the mothers to Beendorf in early December 1944.
Only 4 men out of 175 survived the hard labor in Sachsenchausen. When the front approached, the women from the factory in Beendorf were put in April 1945 on the train heading to Hamburg, a train that was a kind of a spoke train. Finally, these women came to Padborg in Denmark and from there further to Sweden in May 1945, just before the end of the war. Of the original 108 women, 65 arrived in Sweden and three more died there. The reunion between the mothers and children took time, however, most of the Dutch women got quickly information about the fate of their children. Most of the Dutch children in Kinderheim were at the age 14-15. It is known that two of them, Kallus Rudolf and Emma went together with "Polish children" from Kinderheim to Sweden onboard White Boat S/S Kastelholm. At the beginning of February 1946 children went from Stockholm to the Netherlands where they reunited with the oldest brother Otto (Menachem). All three siblings traveled later to Israel, where they grew up in the home of Auschwitz survivors Leni and Leo in Beth Aliya. Neither of their parents survived the Holocaust.
Polish Children
Two groups of children were Polish children, boys, and girls, from the Piotrków ghetto. There are data about the transport of 21 boys from Buchenwald to Bergen-Belsen. When they arrived the Dutch children were already at the Kinderheim. Girls (originally from the Piotrków ghetto) came almost at the same time from the Ravsnsbrück. Numerous girls came with their mothers.
Originally Polish children were on the deportation train that left Piotrków Ghetto. The train consisted of cattle wagons with males and females. In the wagons with male Jews, there were boys with fathers and uncles and in the female wagons, there were women with children, mainly girls. At one railway station, the train stopped and was divided and cattle wagons with females were heading to Rawensbrúck while those with men went to Buchenwald concentration camp.
Brothers, sisters, and cousins among Kinderheim children.
Rubinlicht 2 girls
Rosenblatt and Goldhersz - two sisters that had three boys, Sevek, son of Bela Goldhersz and Jozef and Richard sons of Bela Goldhersz (cousins of Sewek).
Rosenblatt brothers
When the day of deportation came in December 1944 Rosenblatt brothers went to two different concentration camps. Jozef, the older one, 13 years old (born 1931) went with his father Moszek to Buchenwald while his brother, Ryszard 8 years old went with his mother to Ravensbrück concentration camp. On January 5th, 1945, one month after that the brothers were torn apart at the Piotrków Trybunalski railway station they were reunited in Bergen-Belsen. Józef came from Bergen-Belsen together with a group of 21 boys from Bergen-Belsen while Ryszard came with their mother and other women and children who were previously sent to the concentration camp Ravensbrück.
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| When the day of deportation came in December 1944 Rosenblatt brothers went to two different concentration camps. Jozef, the older 13 years (born 1931) went with his father Moszek to Buchenwald while his brother, Ryszard 8 years old went with his mother to Ravensbrück concentration camp. Dabrowski Moniek 12 years old (born 1932) went with his father Szoel. Jakubowicz Stefan was born in 1937 and his brother Jakubowicz Jerzy in 1930. They went together with their father Mojzesz. Both boys survived the Holocaust and were liberated in Buchenwald. |
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| Jozef, the older one of Rosenblatt brothers, 13 years old (born 1931), went with his father Moszek to Buchenwald while his brother, Ryszard 8 years old went with his mother to Ravensbrück concentration camp. On January 5th, 1945, one month after that the brothers were torn apart at the Piotrków Trybunalski railway station they were reunited in Bergen-Belsen. Here registration card of Jozef from Buchenwald with a registration stamp from Bergen-Belsen, January 7the, 1945. |
Fajner sisters
Fajner sisters, Estera and Rachela, and their mother Ita were all the time together since they were deported from the Piotrków ghetto in December 1944. After their mother, Ita died just one after the liberation of Bergen-Belsen in May 1945, Estera, 10 years older than Rachela took over the role of mother. Sisters came to Sweden with White Boat SS Kastelholm and were placed in Bjerred, where Luba T and Hermina were. Other children with mothers were placed at Sundsgården at Råå.
Other children in Kinderheim
In Sweden and also before at Bergen-Belsen hospital separation due to The Holocaust survivors, depending on their state of health, were placed in various facilities, ranging from boarding schools for children and detention camps for grownups to specialist hospitals in different cities. Many survivors had tuberculosis and were placed in special TBC hospitals. Therefore, in many cases, mothers were separated from their children and placed far away from each other.
Twins that were together during the entire war were torn apart as it was revealed that one of them has hearing problems. She was placed in Manilla school in Stockholm while sister was at boarding school in Southern Sweden.
(photo credit: courtesy of Roman Wasserman Wroblewski)
