From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Three letters sent in 1940, 1943 and 1945 by Arieh Liwer

From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Three letters sent in 1940, 1943 and 1945 by Arieh Liwer. 6 pages, typewritten, in German Inventory: 1. Postcard sent on 10 October from Bedzin to Schwarzbaum in Lausanne. 2 pages, handwritten original, in Polish 2. Letter sent on 8 November 1943 from Ilag VII Z in Tittmoning, Germany where Liwer was interned as a Paraguayian citizen, to the Schweizerische Gesandtschaft in Berlin, regarding his brother David. 2 pages, handwritten original, in German 3. Letter sent on 15 January 1945 from Ilag XVIII in Spittal an der Drau, Austria, to his brother in law. He writes that he has not received an answer from Nathan (possibly Nathan Schwalb), that Horowitz is in Oflag VII - C in Laufen, Germany, and that Majer Rosenkier's daughters Rachel (b. 13 August 1924) and Iwa (b. 23 March 1928) are at the Gruenberg labor camp for women in Poland. He mentions Chaim - Machel Zylberberg and Mirjam Goldstein - Neusaltz. 1 page, typewritten, in German 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.