Laura Sternberger and Adolf Preizler papers
Extent and Medium
box
oversize folders
1
3
Creator(s)
- Albert Preizler
- Laura Preizler
Biographical History
Laura Preizler (b. 1930) was born Laura Sternberger in Kostrina, Czechoslovakia (now Ukraine) on January 14, 1930 to Julie (nee Steinberg, 1899-1944) and Adolf Sternberger. Julie Steinberg’s father was Mordecai (Marcus) Steinberg (b. 1898), and she had at least four siblings: Louis (b. 1903), Rudolf, Izak (Irving, 1912-1999), and Bertha (1901-1981). Louis immigrated to the United States in 1923, Rudolf by 1928, Izak in 1937, and Bertha probably during the 1930s. Bertha married Joseph Weitzen, and had three children: Lorraine, Sheldon (Shelley), and Jerry. Laura Sternberger had three siblings: Morris (b. 1928), Ludwig (b. 1924), and Alex (b. 1926). The Sternberger family was forced into the Ungwar ghetto (Ungvár/Uzhhorod) on April 14, 1944 and then deported to Auschwitz in May. Laura survived Auschwitz, Neuengamme and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. Her brother Morris survived Auschwitz and forced labor in Silesia and Ebensee. Their parents and their brothers Ludwig and Alex perished. Laura was liberated at Bergen-Belsen in April 1945 and traveled to Sweden in June. Through a newspaper advertisement she discovered her mother’s brother Izak (Irving) Steinberg in America and began corresponding with him, his sister Bertha, and her own brother Morris. She immigrated to the United States from Gothenburg, Sweden in April 1947 aboard the SS Drottningholm. She married fellow Holocaust survivor Albert Preizler (1929-2007), and they had three children: Julie, Sanford, and Theodore.
Albert Preizler (1929-2007) was born Adolf Preizler in Sighetu Marmației, Romania (Siget/Máramarossziget) on April 14, 1926 or 1929 to Tovya and Rivka Preizler. He had two sisters, Pintzi and Szimi, and two brothers, Shimon and Usher. His mother had at least two brothers, Samuel and Shulem Einhorn. The family was forced into the local ghetto in April 1944 and deported to Auschwitz in May. Rivka, Pintzi, and Szimi were sent to their death. Usher, his wife, and their two children also perished. Albert and Shimon were selected for labor and survived Auschwitz and Mauthausen. They were then transferred to Melk, where Shimon perished in January 1945. In April 1945 Albert was sent back to Mauthausen and liberated there in May. After the war he spent time in German displaced persons camps at Feldafing and Prien. His uncle Shulem Einhorn, who was living in England, found Albert in Germany, and put him in touch with his uncle Sam Einhorn, who was living in New York. The Einhorn family wanted to sponsor Albert’s immigration, but Albert chose to immigrate as an orphan, believing the wait time would be shorter. He immigrated to the United States in 1947 aboard the SS Marine Perch and changed his name to Albert. He married fellow Holocaust survivor Laura Sternberger, and they had three children: Julie, Sanford, and Theodore.
Archival History
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Julie Preizler
Julie Preizler donated the Laura Sternberger and Albert Preizler papers to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2015.
Scope and Content
The Laura Sternberger and Albert Preizler papers include biographical materials, correspondence, and photographs documenting the Sternberger family from Kostrina, Czechoslovakia, their Steinberg relatives who had immigrated to the United States, the Preizler family from Sighetu Marmației, Romania, and their Einhorn relatives who had moved to England and the United States. Biographical materials include Izak Steinberg’s Czechoslovak military booklet, transatlantic ticket, and United States immigrant identification card, and Laura Sternberger’s Brit Chalutzim Datiim membership card, notebook containing addresses and notes, menu from her Atlantic crossing, and poetry notebook. This series also includes photocopies of Markus and Lena Steinberg’s marriage registration, a photograph of Laura Sternberger with her aunt Golda, a postcard from Laura’s and Albert’s honeymoon, and a Lefkowitz family tree. Most of the correspondence series consists of postwar letters from Bertha Steinberg in New York to Laura in Sweden; from Izak Steinberg to Laura; from Laura to Bertha, Izak, and Lorraine; and from Morris Sternberger at Bad Gastein to Laura, Bertha, Izak, and a niece. There are additional postwar letters from Rudolph Steinberg, Lorraine and Sheldon Weitzen, and Aunt Millie. Many of the Hungarian letters are accompanied by English translations. This series also includes two prewar letters from Izak Steinberg and a translation of a prewar letter from Louis Steinberg. Photographs depict members of the Preizler and Steinberg families primarily in postwar Europe and America, including Laura in Sweden and Albert in Feldafing and Prien. This series also includes a map depicting the progress of the 4th Infantry Division from Luxembourg to Bavaria.
System of Arrangement
The papers are arranged as three series: Series 1: Biographical materials, 1935-1947 Series 2: Correspondence, 1923-1947 Series 3: Photographs, circa 1900-2014
People
- Preizler, Albert, 1929-2007.
- Laura Preizler
- Steinberg, Bertha, 1901-1981.
- Preizler, Laura, 1930-
- Sternberger, Morris, 1928-
- Albert Preizler
- Steinberg, Izak, 1912-1999.
Corporate Bodies
- Bad Gastein (Displaced persons camp)
- Feldafing (Displaced persons camp)
Subjects
- Kostrina (Czechoslovakia)
- United States--Emigration and immigration.
- Jews--Kostrina--Czechoslovakia.
- Prien am Chiemsee (Germany)
- Jews--Romania--Sighetu Marmației.
- Holocaust survivors--Sweden.
- Sweden.
- Holocaust survivors--Germany.
- Sighetu Marmației (Romania)
Genre
- Correspondence.
- Document
- Maps.
- Photographs.
- Poems.