Sioma and Tonia Bialer Lechtman papers

Vera Lechtman (b. 1938) was born to Sioma (1916-1945?) and Tonia (nee Bialer,1918-1996) Lechtmann in Paris, France. Born in Dunajewce, Russia (now Dunaivtsi, Ukraine), Sioma soon moved with his parents Israel and Feiga (nee Blatt) Lechtmann to Vienna, Austria. He had three sisters: Hava and twins, Luba and Buza. Following a period of increasing violence and the outbreak an Austrian civil war in 1934, the family immigrated again to British-controlled Palestine, where he began working in construction, met, and married Tonia Bialer (1918-1998). Tonia’s family—parents Aharon (1890-1961) and Rachel (nee Wojdyslauza [Wermeister?], 1892-1967) Bialer, and siblings Avraham (Romek, 1912-1945), Joel (Julek, 1919-1999), and Noemi (Ema)—had emigrated from Łódź, Poland, that same year, following Tonia’s brief imprisonment for communist activities. Both Sioma and Tonia joined the M.K.P. (Palestinian Communist Party). In 1936, after their marriage, both were arrested by the British authorities for their communist political activity, and later forced to leave Palestine. Considered stateless, they could not be deported to a specific country and were free to go where they wanted. They left in 1937 to join the fight against fascism in the Spanish Civil War. They traveled first to Paris, France, where Tonia realized she was pregnant. After completing training in France, Sioma continued to Spain and joined the Austrian division of the Communist International Brigade. Tonia remained in Paris, where she gave birth to her first child, Vera, on June 26, 1938. Near the end of the war, Sioma’s brigade and the defeated Republican fighters they supported fled from Spain to France, a country that agreed to take the fighters. On February 8, 1939, Sioma was sent to Saint-Cyprien, a reception center for Spanish refugees, and later, an internment camp for foreigners. Tonia and Vera moved to Oloron St. Marie to be closer to Sioma. Later that spring, he was among almost 19,000 refugees transferred to a new camp at Gurs in southwestern France. Tonia was able to visit him in June 1939, and introduced him to Vera. Although Tonia never saw Sioma again, she gave birth to Vera’s brother, Marcel, nine months later, on March 31, 1940. In September 1939, in accordance with the Molotov Ribbentrop Pact, Germany and Russia invaded Poland. In response, Britain and France declared war on Germany. Subsequently, Gurs was transformed from a refugee camp to an internment camp for “enemy aliens.” German forces invaded France on May 10, 1940, and on June 5, Sioma was sent from Gurs to Le Vernet D’Ariege, which was turned into a penal camp by the Vichy government. Tonia managed to get visas for the family to immigrate to Mexico, but Sioma declined, believing he would be needed to fight in the French Resistance. Tonia refused to leave without Sioma, and in 1940, she sent the children to the Pouponniere children's home in Limoges, run by Hanna Gruenwald, a Jewish German psychologist from Paris. The home was established by the Organisation de secours aux enfants (OSE, Children’s Aid Society), who cared for refugee children and Jewish children whose families were at risk for deportation. Tonia was eventually hired there, and met Margaret Locher, who visited the home for several weeks. Sioma was held in Vernet until August 8, 1942, when he was part of the convoys transported to Drancy, a transit camp to the east. Four days later, Sioma was deported on convoy 18 to Auschwitz killing center in German-occupied Poland, where he was given prisoner number 58935. His initial work assignment digging coal caused him to get sick, and he was placed on a list for the gas chamber. Hermann Langbein, a prisoner working in the hospital, convinced the S.S. doctor to transfer him to the treatment ward instead. Sioma had multiple hospital stays, x-rays, and a surgery. Despite his illnesses, he was also employed while in the camp. Sioma likely perished during a death march in 1945. In 1942, the Vichy government forced all Jews to relocate, and Tonia moved the family to St. Leonard de Mari. In September, a French police officer forcibly relocated them to the Nexon internment camp, from which they were to be deported to Poland. Tonia, Vera, and Marcel were already loaded in the cattle truck when the camp commander felt pity for her two small children and let them get off the truck. They returned to Limoges to hide in the children’s home. With the help of a priest, they eventually made their way to the Swiss border, and crossed near Geneva on October 11, 1942. Although Switzerland had a tradition of wartime neutrality and helping refugees, the threat of a German invasion led them to limit the number of foreigners it allowed into the country, put refugees in camps, and prohibited those coming from France. At first, Tonia and the children lived at a refugee camp named “Les Hirondelles” near Geneva, Switzerland. On November 20, Vera and Marcel were taken to the Ascona children’s camp, and Tonia was transferred to the Les Avants camp. On April 20, 1943, Vera and Marcel were placed in the care of Margaret Locher, who ran a home near Zurich named “Rebhaus” for Jewish children whose parents were in internment or refugee camps. While in Zurich, Tonia took a course in social work under the direction of Noel Field, an American working for the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). After the war ended in 1945, she led a UUSC team of Polish doctors to displaced persons (DP) and refugee camps in France and Germany. Vera and Marcel remained in the children’s home in Zurich. In 1946, she began working on a UUSC hospital project in Poland; Vera and Marcel joined her there in late 1947. Due to her connection with Noel Field (a former Soviet spy) in July 1949, Tonia was accused by her neighbors of being a spy and imprisoned by Polish authorities. As a result, Marcel and Vera were placed in a state-run orphanage. After five years, Tonia was released. Vera attended Warsaw Polytechnic University, after completing high school. She became a pediatrician, married a Christian Pole, and had two children. The family remained in Poland until 1968, when antisemitic violence led Marcel to leave the country for Sweden. Although Vera’s husband was forced to remain in Poland, Tonia, Vera, and her two children immigrated to Israel in 1971, where they still had family.

Sioma Lechtmann (1916-1945?) was born in Dunajewce, Russia (now Dunaivtsi, Ukraine) to Israel and Feiga (nee Blatt) Lechtmann. Sioma had three sisters: Hava and twins, Luba and Buza. Following the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, the Russian civil war led to persecution of the Jewish population. While he was young, Sioma’s parents moved the family to Vienna, Austria, where he attended elementary school. Following a period of increasing violence and the outbreak of an Austrian civil war in 1934, the family immigrated again, this time to British-controlled Palestine. Sioma began working in construction, and met and married Tonia Bialer (1918-1996). Tonia, her parents, and her three siblings had emigrated from Łódź, Poland, that same year, following Tonia’s brief imprisonment for communist activities. Both Sioma and Tonia joined the M.K.P. (Palestinian Communist Party). In 1936, after their marriage, both were arrested by the British authorities for their communist political activity, and later forced to leave Palestine. Considered stateless, they could not be deported to a specific country and were free to go where they wanted. They left in 1937 to join the fight against fascism in the Spanish Civil War. They traveled first to Paris, France, where Tonia realized she was pregnant. After completing training in France, Sioma continued to Spain and joined the Austrian division of the Communist International Brigade. Tonia remained in Paris, where she gave birth to Vera, on June 26, 1938. Near the end of the war, Sioma’s brigade and the defeated Republican fighters they supported fled from Spain to France, a country that agreed to take the fighters. On February 8, 1939, Sioma was sent to Saint-Cyprien, a reception center for Spanish refugees, and later, an internment camp for foreigners. Tonia moved to Oloron St. Marie to be closer to Sioma. Later that spring, he was among a group of almost 19,000 refugees transferred to a new camp at Gurs in southwestern France. Tonia was able to visit him in June 1939, and introduced him to their first-born. Although Tonia never saw Sioma again, she gave birth to Vera’s brother, Marcel, nine months later, on March 31, 1940. In September 1939, in accordance with the Molotov Ribbentrop Pact, Germany and Russia invaded Poland. In response, Britain and France declared war on Germany. Subsequently, Gurs was transformed from a refugee to internment camp for “enemy aliens.” German forces invaded France on May 10, 1940, and on June 5, Sioma was sent from Gurs to Le Vernet D’Ariege. On June 23, France surrendered to Germany and signed an armistice. Germany occupied the northwestern regions of France, while the southeastern regions were governed by the newly formed French government at Vichy, which collaborated with Germany. Le Vernet D’Ariege was later turned into a penal camp by the Vichy government. Tonia managed to get visas for the family to immigrate to Mexico, but Sioma declined, believing he would be needed to fight in the French Resistance. Tonia refused to leave for Mexico without him, and continued moving around France with the children. In 1942, they managed to escape deportation to a concentration camp, and made their way across the Swiss border. Although Switzerland had a tradition of wartime neutrality and helping refugees, the threat of a German invasion led them to limit the number of foreigners it allowed into the country, put refugees in camps, and prohibited those coming from France. Vera and Marcel were placed in a children’s home, while Tonia took a course in social work. Sioma was held in Vernet until August 8, 1942, when he was transported to Drancy, a transit camp to the east. Four days later, he was deported on convoy 18 to Auschwitz killing center in German-occupied Poland, where he was given prisoner number 58935. His initial work assignment digging coal caused him to get sick, and he was placed on a list for the gas chamber. Hermann Langbein, a childhood friend and prisoner working in the hospital, convinced the S.S. doctor to transfer him to the treatment ward instead. Sioma had multiple hospital stays, x-rays, and a surgery. Despite his illnesses, be was also employed while in the camp. He likely perished during a death march in 1945. After the war ended in 1945, Tonia led a UUSC team of Polish doctors to displaced persons (DP) and refugee camps in France and Germany. In late 1947, the children joined Tonia on a project in Poland, where they remained until 1968, when antisemitic violence led Marcel to leave the country for Sweden. In 1971, Tonia, Vera, and her two children immigrated to Israel where they still had family.

Tonia Tauba Bialer (later Lechtman, 1918-1996) was born to Aharon (1890-1961) and Rachel (nee Wojdyslauza [Wermeister?], 1892-1967) Bialer, in Łódź, Poland. She had three siblings: Avraham (Romek, 1912-1945), Joel (Julek, 1919-1999), and Noemi (Ema). As a girl, Tonia attended the Hochsztajnowa Gymnasium of Łódź. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, following the Polish-Soviet War, the Polish population was in the midst of an economic crisis and social unrest. Antisemitism grew significantly, and many young Jews supported the Communist Party of Poland (KPP), seeking a militant and revolutionary solution to class and ethnic conflicts. Using the Communist revolution in the Soviet Union as an example, the radicalized Jewish youth rebelled strongly against the ideologies of their parents. Because it was an illegal movement, the Communists were under close surveillance by the police, and members arrested by the authorities were often harshly interrogated. Tonia joined a Communist youth organization in 1934, and was briefly imprisoned for communist activities. Afraid that her participation would lead to more severe consequences, her parents moved the family to British-controlled Palestine, and settled in Tel Aviv. Her father established a textile factory, employing many other Jews who had emigrated with them from Łódź. In Palestine, Noemi joined Hashomer Hatzair, a Zionist youth movement. Tonia continued in her political activities and joined the M.K.P. (Palestinian Communist Party). She was imprisoned for six months in a women’s prison in Bethlehem for painting Communist slogans on public walls. Shortly thereafter, she met and later married Sioma Lechtmann (1916-1945?). Sioma was born in Dunajewce, Russia (now Dunaivtsi, Ukraine), but grew up in Vienna, Austria. Sioma, his parents, and his three sisters immigrated to Palestine in 1934, and he began working in construction. In 1936, Tonia and Sioma were both were arrested by the British authorities for their communist political activity. Tonia’s brother, Romek, was also involved in communist activities, and returned to Poland where he was imprisoned in the Bereza Kartuska prison. Their mother, Rachel, traveled from Palestine in 1937 to get him released. Romek was later shot by Germans on the streets of Łódź in 1940. Due to their communist activities, the British expelled Tonia and Sioma. Considered stateless, they could not be deported to a specific country and were free to go where they wanted. They left in 1937 to join the fight against fascism in the Spanish Civil War. They traveled first to Paris, France, where Tonia realized she was pregnant. After completing training in France, Sioma continued to Spain and joined the Austrian division of the Communist International Brigade. Tonia remained in Paris, where she gave birth to their daughter, Vera, on June 26, 1938. Near the end of the war, Sioma’s brigade and the defeated Republican fighters they supported fled from Spain to France, a country that agreed to take the fighters. On February 8, 1939, he was sent to Saint-Cyprien, a reception center for Spanish refugees and, later, internment camp for foreigners. Tonia moved to Oloron St. Marie to be closer to Sioma. Later that spring, he was among a group of almost 19,000 refugees transferred to a new camp at Gurs in southwestern France. Tonia was able to visit him in June 1939, and introduced him to their daughter. Although Tonia never saw Sioma again, she gave birth to Vera’s brother, Marcel, nine months later, on March 31, 1940. In September 1939, in accordance with the Molotov Ribbentrop Pact, Germany and Russia invaded Poland. In response, Britain and France declared war on Germany. Subsequently, Gurs was transformed from a refugee to internment camp for “enemy aliens.” German forces invaded France on May 10, 1940, and on June 5, Sioma was sent from Gurs to Le Vernet D’Ariege. On June 23, France surrendered to Germany and signed an armistice. Germany occupied the northwestern regions of France, while the southeastern regions were governed by the newly formed French government at Vichy, which collaborated with Germany. Le Vernet D’Ariege was later turned into a penal camp by the Vichy government. Tonia managed to get visas for the family to immigrate to Mexico, but Sioma declined, believing he would be needed to fight in the French Resistance. Tonia refused to leave without him, and in 1940, sent their children to a children's home in Limoges, run by Hanna Gruenwald, a Jewish German psychologist from Paris. The home was established by the Organisation de secours aux enfants (OSE, Children’s Aid Society), who cared for refugee children and Jewish children whose families were at risk for deportation. Tonia was eventually hired to work at the home. There, she met Margaret Locher, who visited the home for several weeks. Sioma was held in Vernet until August 8, 1942, when he was transported to Drancy, a transit camp to the east. Four days later, he was deported on convoy 18 to Auschwitz killing center in German-occupied Poland, where he was given prisoner number 58935. His initial work assignment digging coal caused him to get sick, and he was placed on a list for the gas chamber. Hermann Langbein, a childhood friend and a prisoner working in the hospital, convinced the S.S. doctor to transfer him to the treatment ward instead. Sioma had multiple hospital stays, x-rays, and a surgery. Despite his illnesses, he was also employed while in the camp. He likely perished during a death march in 1945. In 1942, the Vichy government forced all Jews to relocate, and Tonia moved the family to St. Leonard de Mari. In September, a French police officer forcibly relocated them to the Nexon internment camp. From there, they were to be deported to Poland. Tonia, Vera, and Marcel were already loaded in the cattle truck when the camp commander felt pity for her two small children, and let them get off the truck. They returned to Limoges to hide in the children’s home. With the help of a priest, they eventually made their way to the Swiss border, and crossed near Geneva on October 11, 1942. Although Switzerland had a tradition of wartime neutrality and helping refugees, the threat of a German invasion led them to limit the number of foreigners it allowed into the country, put refugees in camps, and prohibited those coming from France. At first, Tonia and her children lived at a refugee camp named “Les Hirondelles” near Geneva, Switzerland. On November 20, 1942, Vera and Marcel were taken to the Ascona children’s camp, and Tonia was transferred to the Les Avants camp. On April 20, 1943, Vera and Marcel were placed in the care of Margaret Locher who ran a home near Zurich, named “Rebhaus,” for Jewish children. That summer, Margaret was able to hire Tonia to work in the children’s home. In November 1944, Tonia completed an Auxiliary Training Course for post-war social work in Zurich under the direction of Noel Field, an American working for the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). After the war ended in 1945, she led a UUSC team of Polish doctors to displaced persons (DP) and refugee camps in France and Germany. Vera and Marcel remained in the children’s home in Zurich. In 1946, she began working on a UUSC hospital project in Poland. Vera and Marcel joined her there in late 1947. In 1949, as a result of her connection with Noel Field (a former Soviet spy), Tonia was accused by her neighbors of being an American spy and imprisoned by Polish authorities. Marcel and Vera were placed in a state-run orphanage. After five years, Tonia was found innocent and released. The family remained in Poland until 1968, when antisemitic violence led Marcel to leave the country for Sweden. In 1971, Tonia, Vera, and her two children immigrated to Israel where they still had family.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Vera Lechtman

The papers were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2005 by Dr. Vera Lechtman.