From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Letters from Chelly Rosenwald, Zurich, 1943 - 1947

From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Letters and postcards sent by Chelly Rosenwald from Zurich to Schwarzbaum in Lausanne, Switzerland, 1943 - 1947, concerning her sister Rosa Birnfeld (nee Hornstein) and her family. Typerwritten and handwritten original, in German The letters concern requests to assist Rosa, her husbnad Marcus and their son Josef, who are in Lviv (Lemberg). Rosa and Marcus's personal information is enclosed. The file also contains: 1. Letter from the Paraguayian embassy in Bern, Switzerland, to Mendel Hornstein in Berlin, regarding visas for him, for his wife Fejga and their daughter Hanna, as well as immigration certificates, 23 December 1942. 3 pages, typewritten and handwritten copy, in Spanish and German 2. Letter from Hornstein to Schwarzbaum, asking for his help, 27 May 1940, and two letters from the law office of B.&J. Lifschitz, May - July 1942, regarding Hornstein's request. 3 pages, typewritten original, 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.