From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Four letters from Josef Fryszman, Switzerland and France, and related letters, 1945 - 1946

From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Four letters sent by Josef Fryszman from Switzerland and France to Schwarzbaum, and two related letters, 1945 - 1946. 16 pages, handwritten, original, in Polish Inventory: 1. Letter sent by Fryszman from Leysin, Switzerland, to Schwarzbaum, also in Switzerland, on 18 August 1945. Fryszman thanks Schwarzbaum for his support and wishes him good luck in his move to Mandate Palestine (which, according to him, should take place on 23 August 1945). 1 page, handwritten, original, in Polish 2. Letter sent by Fryszman from Geneva to Schwarzbaum in Palestine, 9 June 1946. Fryszman thanks Schwarzbaum for his letter and financial support. He writes that he has found a job in chemistry and is very happy. He adds that people from Palestine came to Switzerland to study medicine, and he noticed their different mentality. He expresses his wish to start a new life in Palestine and asks about the option of coming as a student. Finally, he writes that his sister is not doing well in France and advised him not to visit her. 2 pages, handwritten, original, in Polish 3. Letter sent by Fryszman from Paris to Schwarzbaum in Palestine, 10 August 1946. He describes his visit to his sister in France, gives information about his studies and his financial situation and answers Schwarzbaum's previous letter. He describes the hardships of life in postwar France. He has used the money he received from Mrs. Nutkiewicz to pay his tuition in Lausanne. He adds that he has not received any financial support from the Pro Leysin organization. He intend to stay in Paris for a few more days and asks Schwarzbaum to send his reply to Mr. Rotner's address in Leysin. 8 pages, handwritten, original, in Polish 4. Letter sent by Rotner from Leysin to Schwarzbaum in Palestine, 15 October 1946. He reports that Fryszman is still in France since the federal police has refused to grant him an exit visa. He adds that he cannot send the money Schwarzbaum asked for due to financial reasons. 1 page, handwritten, original, in Polish 5. Letter sent by Fryszman from Paris to Scharzbaum, also in Paris, 24 October 1946. Fryszman tries to arrange a meeting with Schwarzbaum on his visit to Paris. Fryszman writes his address and also adds the address of his cousin, Pinchas Aronowicz, for whom Fryszman was wrorking. 2 pages, handwritten, original, in Polish 6. Letter sent by Rotner from Switzerland to Schwarzbaum in Paris, November 1946. He writes that Fryszman is still in Paris and adds that he is still unable to help Mr. Muller financially. 2 pages, hadnwritten, original, in Polish About Alfred Schwarzbaum: Alfred (Alf) Schwarzbaum was a Jewish merchant from Bedzin, Poland, who fled to Switzerland after the occupation. In Switzerland, he set up a relief enterprise, and supported hundreds of Jews. 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 Myslowice 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 1945, he immigrated to Mandate Palestine. In Israel, he supported funds and provided stipends for students in need, in several Israeli institutes for higher education. He died in 1990.