Mayer and Sonia Pasternack papers

Mayer Pasternack (1910-1999) was born Majer Pasternak on November 18, 1910 in Radom, Poland to Izek David Pasternak (d. 1943) and Ester Lea Pasternak (née Ledermann, d. 1943). Mayer had 8 siblings: Shayva Pasternak (later Sylvia Birenbaum, b. 1920), Chaya Pasternak (later Helen Broad), Moshe Pasternak (later Moshe Gutman), Ruben Pasternak, and 4 others whose names are currently unknown. After the September 1939 invasion of Poland by Germany and the Soviet Union, Radom was occupied by the German army. The Radom ghetto was established in April 1941 in two separate areas. Mayer was a forced-laborer in a munitions factory, as was his future wife Sonia Zlotnik. They also lived in the same building in the ghetto. The Germans began liquidating the ghetto in August 1942, and those remaining were sent to two forced-labor camps established in the city. Mayer and his parents survived the camp liquidations. He, along with his brother Reuben and sister Sylvia, were deported to the Natszweiler subcamp of Vaihingen an der Enz. His parents were murdered in a massacre of around 150 people that took place on the Jewish holiday of Purim, March 21, 1943. After liberation Mayer was in Heidelberg, Paris, and Stuttgart. He was reunited with Sonia Zlotnik, and they married in 1946. The couple immigrated to the United States in July 1946 aboard the SS Marine Perch. They settled in New York where they had two daughters: Arlene Pasternack (later Arlene Diesenhouse, b. 1947) and Elaine Pasternack (1949-1985). Both of Mayer’s parents and four of his siblings perished during the Holocaust.

Sonia Pasternack (1917-2000, some postwar records incorrectly list her birth year as 1920) was born Sara Zlotnik on July 17, 1917 in Radom, Poland to Rabbi Yeshʻayah Zlotnik (also referenced as Szaja or Shaye Zlotnik, 1893-1943) and Alta Frajda Zlotnik (née Weinryb, 1895-1943). Sonia had six siblings: Kallman Zlotnik (Karl), Bronka Zlotnik (later Bronka Tinter), Shoshana Zlotnik (later Shoshana Treff), Paula Zlotnik (later Paula Gould), Esther Zlotnik, and Avrom Zlotnik. Her father was the author of numerous articles and books, and wrote extensively about Jewish wit and humor. After the September 1939 invasion of Poland by Germany and the Soviet Union, Radom was occupied by the German army. The Radom ghetto was established in April 1941 in two separate areas. Sonia and her family lived in the same building as her future husband Mayer Pasternack. Sonia, Mayer, and Sonia’s sisters Paula and Shoshana were forced-laborers at a munitions factory. The Germans began liquidating the ghetto in August 1942, and those remaining were sent to two forced-labor camps established in the city. Sonia’s family survived the liquidation, but her parents were murdered in a massacre of around 150 people that took place on the Jewish holiday of Purim, March 21, 1943. In 1943 Sonia was deported to the Szkolna factory subcamp of Majdanek. She and her friend escaped from the camp, and Sonia survived the duration of the war in Warsaw under the false-identity of Stanislava Sakowska. After the war, Sonia worked for HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in Stuttgart. She was reunited with Mayer Pasternack and they married in 1946. The couple immigrated to the United States in July 1946 aboard the SS Marine Perch. They settled in New York where they had two daughters: Arlene Pasternack (later Arlene Diesenhouse, b. 1947) and Elaine Pasternack (1949-1985). Both of Sonia’s parents and her siblings Esther and Avrom all perished during the Holocaust.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Arlene Diesenhouse

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Arlene Diesenhouse

Arlene Diesenhouse donated the Mayer and Sonia Pasternack papers to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2019. The accessions numbered 2019.606.1 and 2019.607.1 have been incorporated into this collection. Arlene is the daughter of Mayer and Sonia Pasternack.