From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Letter sent by Samuel - Isi Graudenz from the Shanghai ghetto to Schaul Weingort in Switzerland, 1942

From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Letter sent by Samuel - Isi Graudenz from the Shanghai ghetto to Schaul Weingort in Switzerland on 10 December 1942. Graudenz, a native of Mir, Poland, and a member of the HaMizrachi movement, is writing to his comrade, reminding him their studies ni a seminar in Berlin in 1938, when Samuel was deported (on 28 October 1938) to Zbaszyn, Poland, having not obtained a German citizenship. He then travelled to Lithuania and worked with Zerach Wahrhaftig to facilitate the immigration of Jews to Mandate Palestine. He then travelled via Japan to Shanghai. He discusses other activists and asks for urgent financial assistance and the arrangement of immigration certificates for several persons. He mentions the following people: Nachum Goldmann, Dr. Weinberg, Spier, Joseph Ganeger, Nathan Schwalb, Abraham Silberschein, Rabbi Botschko, Rabbi Kalmanowitz of Mir, the Polish ambassador Romer, Iwry, Dobekierer, Dr. Schwarzbart, Regina Garbownik, Arje Haendler and Cilli Graudenz. 3 pages, typewritten copy, in German Original file: 27119 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 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.