From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Postcards and letters from Leon Heller, France and Switzerland, 1945

From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Postcards and letters sent by Leon Heller from France to the Schwarzbaum family in Switzerland and Mandate Palestine, 1945. The letters and postcard contain information about family and acquaintances. 20 pages, handwritten original, in Polish and French Leon writes that he is lonely and mentions the persons he met and the matters he handled. He thanks Schwarzbaum for his help and relates his efforts to trace his family. He mentions Felix Aisenstadt, Salek and Leon. Note: Aisenstadt (b. 25 march 1912), a native of Slonim, Poland, was in the Warsaw ghetto before being transferred to the Vittel camp. He escaped from a transport to Auschwitz and reached Switzerland by foot. There, he met Irene - Irka Schwarzbaum, Alfred's daughter, and the couple married in Haifa, Palestine, in 1946. Felix's testimony is on Collection Section file 3576. Heller was probably a friend or associate. Inventory: 1. Letter sent by Heller from Flines lez Raches, France, on 15 May 1945. He writes that Salek works for the Americans, Leon is in Bordeaux, and both are waiting to immigrate to Palestine. He adds that Zygmunt Reiter travelled to England and that the other friends are at a hachshara (Zionist training center). He reports that he has handled the matters of Boris Kejlsk, Mr. Knout, R. Raban, P. Spiegel and Mr. Kopel. He adds that he has no new from his brother and that he is still coping with mental issues. Leon asks about Felix and writes that he has met Naum - Nachum Goldenberg, a young refugee from Felix's hometown, who had come from a camp in Germany. 2 pages, handwritten, original, in Polish 2. Letter sent by Heller from Paris, France, on 26 May 1945. Heller discusses refugees coming from Germany to France and the difficulties they face: finding homes, coping with psychological issues, immigrating to Palestine, etc. He adds that he has met other acquaintances of Felix, including Mr. Rjazner from the Warsaw ghetto, and that 14 girls from Bergen - Belsen have arrived. 2 pages, handwritten, original, in Polish 3. Letter sent by Heller from Flines lez Raches to Irene, 17 June 1945. He writes that he is still trying to contact his sister Nina and his brother Harry, and trace other relatives. Heller asks about the Schwarzbaums' plans to immigrate to Mandate Palestine and writes that Felix wishes to immigrate. He asks about Felix and writes that he has found Sacha Heiman, Felix's friend from the ghetto. Hello describes his psychological distress. 2 pages, handwritten, original, in French 4. Postcard sent by Heller from Flines lez Raches on 10 July 1945. Heller regrets not meeting Felix before his departure to Palestine and asks the Schwarzbaums to let him know before they immigrate. 2 pages, handwritten, original, in Polish 5. Letter sent by Heller from Flines lez Raches on 10 July 1945. He thanks Alfred for his help and writes that he know the Schwarzbaums are planning to immigrate to Palestine soon. He adds that Salek and Leon have already immigrated, but that he has decided to stay in France one more year. He adds that he has not yet found his sister Nina and hopes Schwarzbaum would be able to find her for him. He has contacted his brother in the US, and he sent him two telegrams and food. He reports that he has handled all the matters he was asked to handle. He once again describes his psychological distress. 2 pages, handwritten, in Polish 6. Postcard sent by Heller from Flines lez Raches on to Schwarzbaum in Geneva, 15 July 1945. 2 pages handwritten, original, in Polish. Source file: 24090 7. Postcard sent by Heller from Flines lez Raches on to Schwarzbaum in Lausanne, 9 August 1945. 2 pages, handwritten, original, in Polish 8. Postcard sent by Heller from Lausanne to Schwarzbaum in Haifa, Palestine, 3 October 1945. 2 pages, handwritten, original, in French 9. Letter sent by Heller from Flines lez Raches, 14 October 1945. Heller writes that he has received two letters from Lodz, informing him that almost his entire family perished in the Holocaust. He adds that only his sister Nina Heller - Wolperska is alive and is at the Foehrenwald DP camp near Munich, Germany. He writes that she is in poor shape, and that he and his brother in New York are trying to get her to Switzerland or France. Finally, he updates Schwarzbaum about Knout and gives Mr. Abrahamer's address. He notes that he wishes to marry before leaving Europe. 2 pages, handwritten, original, in Polish. Source file: 26196 10. Letter sent by Heller from Flines lez Raches, 5 November 1945. He writes that his sister Nina is planning to leave Foehrenwald and go to Palestine with George Bryzman. He asks for Schwarzbaum's help in finding information about Bryzman and asks if Felix knows him. He adds that he will meet Knout in Paris. 2 pages, handwritten, original, in Polish. Source file: 26196. 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.