From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Letters and telegrams concerning support for the Wunsch family and receipts for financial transfers to the family members

From the Alfred – Alf Schwarzbaum collection: Letters and telegrams concerning support for the Wunsch family and receipts for financial transfers to the family members through various institutions and acquaintances. 75 pages, typewritten and handwritten original, in German, French, English, Polish and Hebrew Inventory: A. Four telegrams sent by Schwarzbaum to Max Wunsch in Melbourne, Australia, on financial matters. The telegrams mention Emil - Eduard Lipton and reports that Steffi Wunsch and the children are well. One telegram has Mr. Lipton's address in Sydney inscribed on the back. 5 pages, typewritten and handwritten original, in English B. Receipts for the purchase of goods and their delivery to Steffi Wunsch in Praha (Prague) by H. Attenberger A. G in Zurich, 1944 - 1945. 7 pages, typewritten original, in French and German C. 1. Receipts and confirmations from financial institutions in Lausanne for the transfer of financial support to Max Wunsch in Prague, 1940 - 1941 and 1944 - 1945. Some of the receipts contain messages from Schwarzbaum regarding Steffi and the children. 2. Official confirmations for the reception of food parcels, signed by Steffi in Prauge, 30 January - 2 February 1945. 3. Receipts for the delivery of foodstuffs from Mandate Palestine to Steffi in Prague, 1946. 4. Receipts for the payment of customs fares for products and for telegrams and food parcels sent from Palestine to Max and Steffi, 1939 - 1945. 5. Receipts from the foreign trade institute in Tel Aviv for the delivery of foodstuffs and other products to Steffi in Prague, 1946. 6. Official letter from a financial institution in Zurich, sent to Schwarzbaum on 16 February 1949. 7. List of financial transfers made by Schwarzbaum, 29 August 1949. The file also contains: 1. Receipt for financial transfer to Eduard Lipton, 27 December 1947. 2. Receipts for financial support for the Neumann family in Canada, 1950 - 1955. 3. Receipt for financial transfer from Fritzi Schwartz to Hala Schwarzbaum, Alfred's daughter. 63 pages, print and handwritten original, in English, Polish, German, French and Hebrew Source file: 27245 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.