From the Alfred - Alf Schwarzbaum collection: 17 postcards from Germany, Poland and Switzerland, 5/3/1943 to 28/10/1943

From the Alfred - Alf Schwarzbaum collection: 17 postcards and letters - requests for help, confirmation for receiving assistance and discussion of everday affairs - sent to Alfred - Alf Schwarzbaum from the following locales in Germany, Poland and Switzerland: Berlin, Bedzin, Podgorze, Sosnowiec, Warsaw (Warszawa), the Luebbenau camp, the Tittmoning camp, Geneve and the Swiss labor camps of Champery and Birmensdorf from 5 March 1943 to 28 October 1943. 40 pages, handwritten and typewritten originals, in German and Polish Inventory: Three postcards from Abram Zajdman in Berlin, 29 June, 5 September and 10 October 1943. 6 pages, handwritten, in German An empty envelope from Zajdman in Berlin, 2 August 1943. 2 pages, print, in German A postcard from Fridela Steiner in Berlin, 3 September 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in German An empty envelope from Jakob Lichtensztajn in Bedzin, 30 April 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in German A postcard from Mordke Lichtensztajn in Bedzin, 6 May 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in German A postcard from Mariene – Sara Zylberszac in Bedzin, 29 June 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in German A postcard from Chaja Klinger in Bedzin, 6 April 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in German Kilnger writes that she has already written to Nathan Schwalb that Samek C. has visited them with his friend Helf (help). Frumka Plotnicka and Szlomo were also present. She writes that Samek is well, his family has four members, since his mother is in [?]. His daughter is very cute, and they do not need food parcels. A letter from H. Herszlewicz in Bedzin, 17 April 1943. 1 page, handwritten, in German A postcard from Hanka in Bedzin, 11 June 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in German A postcard from Elias Israel Gert [?] in Bedzin, 6 May 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in German A postcard from Charlotte Rosenthal in Podgorze, near Krakow, 22 October 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in German * The Krakow ghetto, located in the Podgorze suburb, was liquidated in March 1943. Jews brought over from other places cleaned the place until December 1943. A postcard from Avigdor Zanrompf in Luebbenau, 16 July 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in Polish A postcard from Ch. Laskier in Luebbenau, 3 September 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in Polish A postcard from Michal Laskier in Tittmoning, 1 September 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in Polish. Laskier was a member of the Jewish Council in the Bedzin ghetto. A letter from Benjamin Graubart and Michal Laskier in Tittmoning, 23 June 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in German and Polish Confirmation for receiving a postal item from the Relief Committee for the Warstricken Jewish Population (RELICO) in Lausanne, Switzerland, 19 August 1943. 2 pages, handwritten, in Polish Two letters from Abraham Silberstein at RELICO in Geneva, 13 July and 18 August 1943, regarding the handling of the Zajdman and Steiner cases. 2 pages, handwritten, in German The file also contains empty envelopes sent to Schwarzbaum from the following persons: Henryk Wesolowski, Bedzin, 29 June 1943 Israel Szyjch Wygodzki, Bedzin, 13 May 1943 S. Wertheimer, Birmensdorf, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, 3 June 1943 J. Gottfarstein, Champery, Canton of Valais, Switzerland, 30 July 1943 Leopold Israel Schneider, Sosnowiec, 29 May 1943 H. Lustiger, tailoring workshop, Bedzin, 26 May 1943 Edmund Flak, Warsaw, 5 March 1943 Wl. Pelka, Metoer factory, Sosnowiec, 10 April 1943 About Alfred Schwarzbaum: 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 1946 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.