Lea Blumenkrantz Fried collection

Lila Blumenkranz was born on May 17, 1937 in Krakow, Poland. She is the daughter of Emil Menachem Blumenkranz, b. June 26, 1908 and Ester Rosenblüth Blumenkranz, b. November 15, 1912. The family lived in Tarnow, Poland. In September 1939, after the invasion of Poland, Emil and his brother Samuel (b. May 5, 1910) escaped from German-occupied Tarnow to Lwow, in the Soviet-occupied zone. Emil returned to Tarnow to his family and together with Ester’s mother, Sala Rosenblüth, Samuel’s wife and baby son, they were all forced into the Tarnow ghetto. Anna Chiczner Blumenkranz and her son Jakob Janek were murdered during the first Aktion in June 1942. Soon after, Ester arranged through the parents of her sister-in-law, that the Wałęga family, and in particular Janina, would take care of Lila. Lila stayed with the family for a short period of time when a neighbor spotted her. Janina took Lila to Przemyśl, where she placed her in a convent. Every month Janina traveled to bring payment for Lila’s stay. At the same time, Janina arranged for a hiding place for Lila’s grandmother, Sala. Lila’s parents were probably deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau in September 1943. Lila immigrated to Israel to her paternal grandparents. She is a mother of four and a grandmother. Janina Wałęga Filozof was awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem on August 12, 1972. Lea Fried wrote a book about her experiences: Dance of Joy and Sorrow

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Lea Blumenkrantz Fried

Donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2015 by Lea Blumenkrantz Fried.