Belzec Roll of Remembrance

An attempt is made with this Belzec Roll of Remembrance to remember the victims, inmates and survivors of Belzec - not as an impersonal statistic of the up to 500,000 who went through this hell - but in a small way to personalize the names or their experiences.

This Roll has been compiled with snippets from various publications and sources. Where more details were known a description of about than 200 words is adhered to in order to keep the list concise.

However, we are painfully aware that there are many more names and details known by family members friends, whose loved ones have perished in this death camp and this compilation is intended to include as many as possible in future updates.
Therefore, if you can submit more names or details, please contact us.

We have relied on the information according to sources as credited at the end of this document. We therefore cannot be held responsible for any inaccurate or what may be perceived as blasphemous information about some entries. Any entries will be edited if proven inaccurate in future updates.

Camp Inmates, Victims and Survivors

The list is in alphabetical order. It is not always clear whether the first or last name of a person is quoted in accounts. A name appearing in bright green colour denotes being listed as a survivor by various sources.



A Jewish girl from Piaski, deported to Belzec in March 1942. She was the fiancée of Josef Honig, a survivor from Piaski ghetto. Honig could escape from the transport to Belzec. In the same transport she was deported to the camp, where she perished. Mr. Honig died in June 2003. His widow arranged his archive and found this photo. Although Honig mentioned her name years ago, nobody knows her name today. She stands for all victims who perished in Belzec.


Central Database of Shoah Victims’ Names:
The Central Database of Shoah Victims' Names (Yad Vashem)

ALLERHAND, Maurycy (Moses) A famous lawyer from Lvov, born in 1862. Professor of the Lvov university and author of many books about jurisprudence which until today are used by students and lawyers in Poland. Before the war he was member of the Supreme Court in Poland. Between 1941 and 1942 he was in the Lvov ghetto where he wrote his diary. In August 1942, in course of the "Great Action", he was deported to Belzec, together with his wife Salomea and grandson Jozek. All perished there. His Lvov ghetto diary was found later and his second grandson published it in Polish in 2003: Dr Leszek Allerhand: "Notes from Other World".

ALLERHAND, Salomea Wife of Prof. Maurycy Allerhand. Deported together with him to Belzec from the Lvov ghetto in August 1942.

ALLERHAND, Jozek Grandson of Maurycy and Salomea Allerhand. Deported to Belzec together with his grandparents from Lvov ghetto.

ASTMAN, Mina A Jewess from Zolkiew who at the end of March 1942 was deported to Belzec but managed to escape. See Talenfeld.

AUERBACH, Herman Famous mathematician, born in Tarnopol in 1901. Professor of Lvov university. Before the war he published many works about mathematics and geometry which were translated from Polish into French and German, basics until today... Since 1941 he was in the Lvov ghetto where on the backsides of German documents he wrote his last work about geometry. On 17 August 1942, during the "Great Action" in the Lvov ghetto he was deported to the Belzec death camp. His last work, written in the ghetto, was published in Polish in 1992.

BACHNER, ? A dentist from Krakow. He arrived in the camp with the last transports from Krakow at the beginning of October 1942. When the transport reached the camp, he succeeded in somehow in entering a latrine and found a hiding place in the pit. He stayed there for a few days. One night he was able to leave the pit, escaped and returned to Krakow. His fate is unknown.

BAJLER, Abram Icchoc Born in born 1927. Son of Fela and Shimon Hirsh, deported together with his parents. Source: R. Kuwalek, A. Kopciowski.

BAJLER, Fela Born in 1905, "resettled" to Zamosc from the Warthegau. She was deported to Belzec together with Szlamek Bajler. Sister-in-law of Szlamek during the first "action" on 11 April 1942. Source: R. Kuwalek, A. Kopciowski.

BAJLER, Rivka Born in 1938. Daughter of Fela and Shimon Hirsh, deported together with her parents. Source: R. Kuwalek, A. Kopciowski.

BAJLER, Shimon Hirsh Born in 1901. Brother of Szlamek and housband of Fela. Deported together with his wife and brother. Source: R. Kuwalek, A. Kopciowski.

BALDACHIM, ? Statement (from 1968) by Panteleon Radunkow, who was an Ukrainian teacher in Belzec village during the war: Engineer Baldachim came from Rzeszow. He worked in a group of Jewish prisoners who were allowed to work outside the death camp, of course guarded by Ukrainians. Radunkow met Baldachim several times. From him he learned many details about the death camp, including the informations about the killing method Radunkow sent Baldachim's post cards to the Rzeszow ghetto where Baldachim's family still lived. According to Radunkow, Baldachim was killed in course of the liquidation of the camp. Source: Main Commission of the Investigation of the Nazi Crimes in Poland.

BALSAM, Gitel Born in 1925 in Gorlice. Deported from there in June 1942 to Belzec where she perished. Source: Yad Vashem

BARAN, Jakub Deported from Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942. Source: Memoirs of Kazimiera Poraj

BECK, Salomea Born in May 1924 in Zakopane (Poland). Daughter of Henrik and Rozalia Beck. Deported from Nowy-Targ (Poland) to Belzec, where she perished in September 1942. Source: Memoirs of Kazimiera Poraj

BEER nee Hellman, Sarah / Salomea Born in Belzec. During the war she was together with her daughter Bracha and mother in the Lvov ghetto. Her husband, Bernard, was killed in Lvov in 1941. In the summer of 1942 she was deported to Belzec together with her mother and daughter. At the same time her brother, Moszko Hellman, lived in Belzec under the Polish name Jerzy Ligowski. He worked at Natyna's bakery. Together with her daughter Bracha-Bronia Salomea was sent to the camp laundry. In a basket, among the breads, Moszko smuggled the girl out of the camp. Bracha was rescued in Belzec by Julia Pepiak. Salomea was evacuated from Belzec camp to Trawniki, then to Auschwitz. At last she was liberated in Bergen-Belsen in 1945. Salomea gave only one testimony in 1947. She is the only alive woman from Belzec death camp. Because of Altzheimer, she never could witness at the trials against the SS men from Aktion Reinhard. In 2001 she was still alive in Israel. Source: Testimony of Bracha Beer-Rauffman and E. Czerwinska: Zamykanie kola w Belzcu (Closing of the wheel in Belzec). "Kurier Lubelski", 26 October 2001.

BEKKER, Henryk He was born on 6 June 1886 in Bialystok. An architect who was graduated from the Politechnic High School in Munich. Before the war he was leader of "Folkspartaj" (Jewish People's Party) in Lublin and member of the Lublin City Council. Since 1936 president of the Jewish Community Council, and during the war first president of the Lublin Judenrat. Survivours from the Lublin ghetto remembered him as very kind and helpful. On 31 March 1942 he was deported together with his wife to Belzec, after the selection of the Judenrat members. He knew about the fate of the deportees. Without suitcases he went to the Umschlagplatz in Lublin, wearing the thalit (prayer's shawl). Source: R. Kuwalek.

BERGER, Lemel Born on 12 December 1885 in Sokolow. Until 1938 he lived in Nürnberg. After the "Reichskristallnacht" he was resettled to Poland where he was deported to Belzec (together with his wife Sara) in 1942. Source: JewishGen

BERGER nee Kaufmann, Sara Born on 18 April 1888 in Niewiadowka (Western Galicia). The wife of Lemel Berger. After the "Reichskristallnacht" she was resettled with her husband from Nürnberg to Poland. In 1942 she was deported to Belzec, together with her husband. Source: JewishGen

BIRDER, ? A member of the "Death Brigade" during July - December 1942. He could escape from the camp, survived the war and emigrated to Israel.

BLAJER, Szlamek Blajer lived until December 1941 in the Warthegau. He was deported to the death camp Chelmno (German: Kulmhof). From this camp he escaped in January 1942. For several days he lived in the Warsaw ghetto where he contacted Emanuel Ringelblum. He was the first person who informed the Warsaw Jews about the death camp and the deportations. Because he couldn`t stay in the Warsaw ghetto and his sister lived in Zamosc ghetto, he escaped to Zamosc. When in March 1942 Aktion Reinhard started, the Jews in the Lublin district observed the way of the transports, and very quickly rumours started in the provincional ghettos, about Belzec. Szlamek still had contact with Ringelblum and his group, and he sent a secret letter with the first news about Belzec, writing "the place in Belzec is the same as in Kulmhof" and that until end of March 1942 the Jews from many small towns around Zamosc were sent there. Szlamek didn't survive the first deportation from the Zamosc ghetto. Together with his sister he was deported to Belzec on 11 April 1942. About this fact the son of Szlamek's sister informed Ringelblum. Szlamek's report about Chelmno was published in Poland, after the war. During the war it was part of the secret reports about the death camps sent from Poland to London. Source: R.Kuwalek.

BLEM, Dr. Karol Deported from Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942. Source: Memoirs of Kazimiera Poraj

BRACHT, ? A member of the "Death Brigade" during July - December 1942. He could escape from the camp, survived the war and emigrated to Israel.

DEUTSCH, Dr. ? and his family Deported from Lvov ghetto to Belzec, during the "Small Action" on 28 June 1942, when about 8,000 Lvov Jews were resettled from the ghetto to the Janowska camp and Belzec. Source: Memoirs of Kazimiera Poraj

DREIFACH, Zofia Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942. Source: Memoirs of Kazimiera Poraj

EICHENBAUM, Chawe Chawe Eichenbaum was born in 1902 in Tarnopol, Poland to Schmerl Eichenbaum and Schifre Silberman. Schmerl was a religious scholar. She subsequently married Samuel Naftali Teichholz in Tarnopol and they lived in an apartment on Rynek Street. Since they had a religious ceremony for the wedding it was not officially recognized by the Polish government. They had two children, Chaya born on 16 December 1923 and Malka born approximately in 1933. She was a housewife. On 8 - 9 November 1942 while living in the Tarnopol Ghetto, the Nazis began an "Aktion". Chawe’s husband and daughter, Malka, were shot and she was deported, presumably to Belzec. Her daughter Chaya survived by changing her name to Sonja Tarasowa, subsequently marrying JMA van der Horst. Chaya (Sonja) has four children and eight grandchildren. The Hebrew name of one grandchild, Anna, is "Chawe" after her great grandmother. Please visit www.sonjavanderhorst.org for more information. Source: Charles van der Horst

EISNER nee Weinstock, Ludwika (Luta) Born in 1893. Deported from Przemysl ghetto to Belzec, in the beginning of the first "action", on 27 July 1942. Source: Lukasz Biedka

ELLENBOGEN, ? A Czech Jew who once owned a bicycle warehouse.

FAJERSZTAJN, ? The family of a dentist from Lublin. They were deported to Belzec on Easter 1942. They lived in the same house as the family of Dr Teresa Buk-Szmigielska, at the border of the Lublin ghetto in the Old Town. They had very close and friendly contact with this Polish family. When SS men kicked them out of their flat, Mrs. Fajersztajn said to the mother of Dr Buk-Szmigielska: "Farewell Mrs. Buk. We know that they are taking us to the death." Shortly after the war the mother of Dr Buk-Szmigielska met a survivour who told her that the Fajersztajn family was deported to Belzec. The whole family was: father, mother and two doughters. Dr Buk-Szmigielska only remembers the family name. Source: Information from Dr Teresa Buk-Szmigielska, Lublin

FELBER, Feiga Born 1912. Lived in Strzyzow. Deported to Belzec and perished there in August 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

FELBER, Hersch Born 1882. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in August 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

FELBER, Moses Born 1910. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in August 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

FELDMAN, Zosia The daughter of a famous advocate in Czortkow (Eastern Galicia). She was deported to Belzec from the Czortkow ghetto on 21 August 1942. Source: JewishGen

FRENKEL, Gabriela Jewish painter and painting teacher in Lvov, graduated from the Academy of Art in Paris. She was deported from Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942. Source: Memoirs of Kazimiera Poraj, published in the Bulletin of the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, 1966.

FRIESS, Dawid The well-known butcher from Tarnow, deported together with son and daughter during the first deportation to Belzec on 11 June 1942. During the deportation he was 72 years old. Source: R. Kuwalek.

GOLDBAUM, Zysla, Marysia and Sara Rebeka "My maternal grandparents, Srul Goldbaum and Zysla (nee Frydman) from Lublin (Ulica Kowalska 12) and their younger daughter Sara Rebeka, were deported from the Lublin ghetto to Belzec in April 1942." Photo sent by Sophie Frankenberg. Marysia on the left, Zysla in the center, Sara Rebeka on the right. Source: Sophie Frankenberg, nee Mendelson.

GOLDBAUM, Srul Deported together with his wife Zysla and his younger daughter Sara Rebeka from Lublin ghetto to Belzec in 1942. Photo sent by Sophie Frankenberg.

GOLDSCHMIDT, ? A chef de cuisine who has been well known at the "Bruder Hanicka" restaurant in Karlsbad.

GOTTESMAN, Arie Lajb The last rabbi in Gliniany (Eastern Galicia). He was deported to Belzec on 2 December 1942 from Gliniany ghetto. Source: JewishGen

GRIN, Avrum Perished probably in July 1942. Source: USHMM

GRÜNBLATT, Golda Born in 1874. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in July 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

GRÜNBLATT, Chaskiel Born in 1899. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in July 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

GRÜNSTEIN, Mendel Lejb Rabbi from Tarnow, deported to Belzec on 12 September 1942, during the second "action" in the Tarnow ghetto. Source: R. Kuwalek.

GUMPLOWICZ, Taube Born on 28 August 1868 in Krakow and domiciled there until 1941. 2nd wife of Henryk Hersz Gumplowicz, father of Anna Rozalia Imich and Matylda Schneider. Deported to Belzec from Wieliczka on 26 August 1942. Information supplied by Jan Imich - April 2003.

GUTMAN, Markus

GUTMAN, Sophie Daughter of Markus Gutman.

GUTMAN, Zofia Deported together with her mother from Zolkiew to Belzec on 20 March 1942. She was the first woman who entered the gas chamber, supporting her mother. Source: Gerszon Taffet: Zaglada Zydow zolkiewskich. Lodz 1946.

HABER, Chiel Born on 22 February 1900. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in December 1942. Source: JewishGen.Org

HABER, Izrael Born 18 October 1927. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in December 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

HABER, Jozef Born on 25 July 1930. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in December 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

HABER, Laja Born in 1895. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in December 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

HALBERSTADT, Shlomo Member of the Lublin Judenrat. In contrary to the some Judenrat members he didn`t believe in the real meaning of the deportations. He was deported to Belzec on 30 March 1942 after the selection of the Judenrat. Photo: GFH

HALPERN, Leonia Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942. Source: Memoirs of Kazimiera Poraj

HASEN, Beila Born 1910. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

HASEN, Jakub Born in 1888. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

HASEN, Mechel Born in 1899. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

HASEN, Mendel Born in 1883. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

HASEN, Natan Born in 1900. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

HASEN, Tauba Born in 1897. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

HEIDENHEIMER nee Heimann, Lina Born on 7 October 1881 in Kitzingen (Bavaria / Germany). On 24 March 1942 she was member of the transport from Würzburg and Nürnberg to the transit ghetto in Izbica (Lublin district). From Izbica she was deported to Belzec in 1942. Source: JewishGen

HELLER and PELTZMAN See the family history, written by Ronne Peltzman Randall, UK!

HELLMAN, Moszko Born in Belzec. During the war he lived in Belzec under the name Jerzy Ligowskihe. He worked at Natyna's bakery, and was informed about the camp to which he delivered the breads from the bakery. In summer 1942 he discovered that his mother and sister Salomea Beer, together with her daughter Bracha-Bronia arrived in Belzec, deported from the Lvov ghetto. He smuggled Bracha-Bronia from the camp to the village. Moszko was shot in Belzec in 1942. Source: Testimony of Bracha Beer-Rauffman and informations from M. Tregenza

HERC, ? Father and son (their first names are not known), deported from Krakow to Belzec. Members of the camp's Sonderkommando. Both were priviledged and probably function prisoners. Because they were allowed leaving the camp they had contact with the village people and told them about the extermination process. The father died a natural death in the camp and because his priviledged position, SS men organized a normal funeral. As told by his son, the father was the only prisoner who got a coffin. After the liquidation of the camp, young Herc was deported to Sobibor. He could escape on the transport and returned to Belzec where he met some Poles. He told them that he would try to reach Krakow where his wife and children hide. It is unknown what happend to him and if he survived the Holocaust. Source: Statement of Mieczyslaw Kudyba and Edward Luczynski , at the Belzec investigation commission 1945 / 46. Kept at the Institute of National Remembrance in Warsaw.

HERNHUT, Szaja Born in 1869 in Zamosc. His well-known family was owner of the printing-office in Zamosc. Deported to Belzec in 1942. Source: Testimony by Jekutiel Cwilich, survivor from Zamosc ghetto.

HESS, Wolf Head of the Judenrat in Borszczow (Eastern Galicia). According to testimonies of Borszczow ghetto survivors he was a real leader of the Jewish community. He always tried helping the Jews in the ghetto, and cleaned the Judenrat from corruption. Towards the Germans he was proud and respectable. Because of his brave behaviour, Jewish informers of the Gestapo denuntiated him. He was arrested and finally deported to Belzec on 22 July 1942. Source: JewishGen

HIMMER, Miriam Born in Gliniany. During the war she lived with her family in the Przemyslany ghetto (Eastern Galicia) from where she was deported to Belzec on 12 April 1942. Her husband and sons were shot in Przemyslany. Source: JewishGen

HIRSZMAN, Chaim From Janow Lubelski. He escaped from the last train out of Belzec, after the camp was dismantled. En route to Sobibor, Hirszman and two other prisoners (one called Herc) decided to escape from the train by removing a plank from the car's floor. He jumped first, the other two were to jump after him. He succeeded in escaping and later joined the partisans. He survived the war, but was killed in 1946 by Polish anti-semites.

HOFERT, Suzia She was born in 1922. Perished in July 1942. Source: USHMM

IMBER, S.Y. A known Jewish publicist and writer from Lvov. Since June 1941 he lived in the Zloczow ghetto (Eastern Galicia) where he wrote a lot of texts, e.g. about his experiences in the war. He was deported from Zloczow to Belzec during the "action" on 2 and 3 November 1942. His friends, who stayed in the ghetto, collected his works but all material was lost after the final liquidation of the ghetto. Source: JewishGen

IMICH, Anna Rozalia (nee Gumplowicz) Born on 24 December 1895 in Krakow. Domiciled there until 1941. Deported to Belzec from Wieliczka on 26 August 1942 together with her sister Matylda Schneider, stepmother Taube Gumplowicz and other members of the Gumplowicz family. Information supplied by Jan Imich - April 2003.

JACUBOWICZ, ? A young physician from somewhere near Przemysl.

KATZENELLENBOGEN, Oskar Born in 1876. Literary critic and journalist. Before the war he was president of the Union of Polish Writers in Lvov. He was totally assimilated to the Polish culture and until today he is better known for Poles than for Jews, but also many Poles forgot that he was Jewish. In pre-war Lvov he was a very famous person, especially because of his sense of humour. Since 1941 he lived in the Lvov ghetto. In 1942 he was deported to Belzec where he perished.

KLISKES, Josel An old man from Zamosc. Arrested by the SS together with Czech Jews while he was waiting for soup at the folk's kitchen in the Zamosc ghetto. Deported to Belzec in 1942. Source: Testimony by Jekutiel Cwilich, survivor from Zamosc ghetto.

KORNFELD, Henoch Deported to Belzec in July 1942. Source: USHMM

KULIK, Brandla Born in 1937. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

KULIK, Chana Born in 1936. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

KULIK, Estera Born in 1890. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

KULIK, Salomon Born in 1892. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

KULIK, Utka Born in 1938. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

LIPSZYC, Sala Jewish woman from Radom. She was among other Jewish women who worked in the death camp. Some Poles from Belzec village had contact with her because she was allowed leaving the camp for work at the commander`s office which was outside of the camp. She told the Poles details about the gas chambers and extermination process. It is not known when and from where exactly she was deported to Belzec. She was killed in course of the liquidation of the camp. Source: Statement of Edward Luczynski and Tadeusz Misiewicz, at the Belzec investigation commission 1945 / 46. Kept at the Institute of National Remembrance in Warsaw.

LISCHE, Blimcia The daughter of Malcia Lische (née Saleschütz) perished in July 1942. Source: USHMM

MANDELSBERG-SZYLDKRAUT, Dr. Bela She was doctor of history, graduated from Warsaw University. She published historical works about the Jews in Lublin. Before the war she was teacher in the town. Deported together with her whole family in March 1942. Source: R. Kuwalek Photo: GFH

MARGULES, Dr. Ozjasz Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942. Source: Memoirs of Kazimiera Poraj

?, Mariska A Jewish girl who worked together with two other Jewish girls in the SS bakery which was located in the village of Belzec. She was not allowed to speak and had to sleep in the bakery itself or a hut there. The bakery supplied the camp with 1,000 loaves a day, taken to the camp by horse and cart. The building was guarded by a Ukrainian at the gate. One day she was taken away (together with her two Jewish girl friends) and shot by the SS when the camp was closed down.

?, Mawka / Miriam A Jewish girl who worked together with two other Jewish girls in the SS bakery which was located in the village of Belzec. She was not allowed to speak and had to sleep in the bakery itself or a hut there. The bakery supplied the camp with 1,000 loaves a day, taken to the camp by horse and cart. The building was guarded by a Ukrainian at the gate. One day she was taken away (together with her two Jewish girl friends) and shot by the SS when the camp was closed down.

MEZEL, Golda Deported from the Tarnow ghetto during the second "action" on 12 September. Source: R. Kuwalek.

?, Moniek Rudolf Reder mentioned a Jewish prisoner from the Sonderkommando. His first name was Moniek, a couch driver from Krakow. In the death camp he supervised the motor room in which the gas was produced. On 29 December 1945 Reder witnessed: "After loading the gas chambers, all doors were closed hermetically. The outer doors were wedged hermetically, and then the motor started. The motor ran exactly 20 minutes. Then Moniek gave the signal and one of the operators stopped the motor. Afterwards the prisoners, on command by Moniek, opened all doors and teams of two persons each, pulled out the corpses from the gas chambers. Two belts were wound around the wrists of the corpses, then the prisoners dragged them to the mass graves." Source: Main Commission of the Investigation of the Nazi Crimes in Poland.

MUNK, Max Born in Vienna in 1892 and deported from there to Terezin (Theresienstadt) on 17 December 1941 on "Transport N". From there he was transported on "Transport Ag" to the transit ghetto Piaski, near Lublin on 1 April 1942. Max Munk would have been one of the early victims of Belzec.

MUSSLER, Chaskiel Born on 30 May 1905. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in December 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

MUSSLER, Mariem Born on 16 March 1870. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in December 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

OLENDER, ? Part of a family from Krasnik near Lublin. The wife of Abraham Olender and his two children were deported to Belzec on 12 April 1942, during the first "action" in the Krasnik ghetto. Abraham Olender survived the war, together with one son. They have been imprisoned in the Budzyn work camp (now Krasnik). Source: Testimony of Abraham Olender. The Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw

OSTAP, Ortwin See KATZENELLENBOGEN, Oskar

PELTZMAN and HELLER See the family history, written by Ronne Peltzman Randall, UK!

PFEFFER, Markus (Maks) Lawyer, born in 1891. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec, in the beginning of the first "action", on 27 July 1942. Source: Lukasz Biedka

PFEFFER, Sara Chaja Student, born in 1920. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec, in the beginning of the first "action", on 27 July 1942. Source: Lukasz Biedka

REDER, Rudolf A chemist in the soap industry. He was born in Lwow on 4 April 1881. Deported to Belzec on 16 August 1942. He lived with 500 Jewish workers in one of the two barracks reserved for the Sonderkommando. He worked at digging mass graves, and cleaning out the gas chambers. At the end of November 1942, he was ordered to Lwow in order to collect sheet metal. His sole guard fell asleep and he was able to escape into Legionow Street, as it grew dark. His book "BELZEC" is the only survivor testimony.

REIF, Mendel An artist from Krosna. He perished in 1942. Photo: GFH

ROSENFELD, Maksymiliana Well known pianist from Lvov. Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942. Source: Memoirs of Kazimiera Poraj

ROZENEL, ? Part of a family from Krasnik. The wife of Nuchim Rozenel and his three children were deported to Belzec during the first "action" in the Krasnik ghetto, on 12 April 1942. He survived the war, imprisoned in Budzyn work camp (now Krasnik). He escaped from Budzyn during the evacuation of the camp in July 1944. Source: Testimony of Nuchim Rozenel. The Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw

RUBINFELD, Berl Leib Born in 1938. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

RUBINFELD, Szyja Born in 1939. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

RUBINFELD, Hencia Born on 19 March 1897. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

RUBINFELD, Macht Born in 1894. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

?, Sala / Salomea A Jewish girl who worked together with two other Jewish girls in the SS bakery which was located in the village of Belzec. She was not allowed to speak and had to sleep in the bakery itself or a hut there. The bakery supplied the camp with 1,000 loaves a day, taken to the camp by horse and cart. The building was guarded by a Ukrainian at the gate. One day she was taken away (together with her two Jewish girl friends) and shot by the SS when the camp was closed down.

SALESCHÜTZ, Rachel She perished in July 1942. Source: USHMM

SALESCHÜTZ, Shloime She perished in July 1942. Source: USHMM

SAND, Jozef Born in 1924. He was a student of the Jewish Gimnazjum in 1939 and finished the school in 1938/39 with reward. "On a sunny morning in the ghetto, I suddenly encounter someone, Josef Sand, whom I have not seen for years. He adds some information that is so incredible I do not mention it to anyone in the ghetto, so as not to be considered certifiably crazy. Sand tells me that he ran away from Belzec. I have no clear idea how he escaped. He had been taken there as a member of a small group separared from the one thousand taken to the Janowska camp. In Belzec, he claimed, he had helped to build showers through which poisonous gas could be piped in for the trapped Jews; the showers kill thousands each day. He swears to me that he is telling the truth, but it is impossible to believe what I hear. He looks normal to me, and yet his story is incredible. I ask him what he intends to do now. To leave the ghetto as soon as possible, he says; he just came to find out about his family. I never see him or hear about him again." Joseph Rebhun. "Leap to Life", New York 2000, pp. 100-101 Source: Lukasz Biedka

SCHAPIERA, Lieba Born in 1902. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

SCHEPS, Feiga Born in 1897. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

SCHLÜSSEL, ? A merchant from Krakow.

SCHNEIDER, Matylda (nee Gumplowicz) Born on 2 August 1900 in Krakow. Domiciled there until 1941. Deported to Belzec from Wieliczka on 26 August 1942 together with her sister Anna Rozalia Imich, stepmother Taube Gumplowicz and other members of the Gumplowicz family. Information supplied by Jan Imich - April 2003.

SCHRAGER, Leon A Jewish carpenter from the Lvov ghetto. Deported to Belzec in March 1942. From the station in Belzec he sent a letter to his son Henryk that he is in Belzec now.

SCHREIBER, ? A Jew from the Sudetenland, a former lawyer. He worked in the camp office. His fate is unknown, but unlikely he has survived.

SCHREIBER, Rabbi Anshel Hassidic rabbi from Lvov, famous religious scholar; member of Religious Affair Department in the Lvov ghetto. He was deported to Belzec in March 1942 although he had a special ID card that he worked for the Judenrat administration. Official reason for his deportation: Schreiber was too religious and he looked like a typical orthodox Jew (during the March "action" in Lvov most of the victims were traditionally looking Jews).

SEGEL, Jakub Deported from Zolkiev near Lvov during the first "action" on 20 March 1942. When a SS man in the camp informed him that they will be sent to death, he said good bye to his wife, in public. The whole transport started to cry before the gas chambers. This story was told in Zolkiev after Mina Astman's and Malka Thalenfeld's escape from Belzec. Source: Gerszon Taffet: Zaglada Zydow zolkiewskich (Annihilation of the Zolkiev Jews). Lodz 1946

SIEGEL, Dwojra Born in 1890. Lived in Strzyzow. Perished in June 1942. Source: JewisGen.Org

Schwinger-SIEGFRIED, Erna Daughter-in-law of Regina and Natan Siegfried. Born in 1910. Married to David Siegfried, their son. He survived the war in Siberia, USSR. He later emigrated to the United States, living in Brooklyn, New York. In 1970, he emigrated to Israel where he died in 1974. Source: Lillian Siegfried, Staten Island, New York

SIEGFRIED, Esther Daughter of Regina and Natan Siegfried. Born in 1920, unmarried. Source: Lillian Siegfried, Staten Island, New York

SIEGFRIED-Schwinger, Eva Daughter of Regina and Natan Siegfried. Born in 1907, married to Efram Schwinger, their son-in-law. Child: Mundziu (age 5 years). Efram Schwinger survived the war in Siberia, USSR. He later emigrated to the United States. Source: Lillian Siegfried, Staten Island, New York

SIEGFRIED, Dr. Josef Born in Radomysl Wielki. An economist who graduated at the universities in Wien and Köln. Before the war he was representative of the Lublin Trade Company. During the war he was member of the Judenrat, responsible for health affairs. He also cooperated with the Jüdische Soziale Selbsthilfe. Deported to Belzec in April 1942. Source: R. Kuwalek

SIEGFRIED, Josef Son of Regina and Natan Siegfried. Born in 1903. Married. Source: Lillian Siegfried, Staten Island, New York

Spirer-SIEGFRIED, Mina Daughter-in-law of Regina and Natan Siegfried. Born in 1911. Married to Benjamin Siegfried. Child: Gretusia (age 5 years). Benjamin Siegfried (tattoo # 161716), assumed his mother's maiden name during the war and was thereafter known as Benjamin Ressler. He survived by jumping off of the train that was transporting members of the family to their death at Belzec. He was liberated from KZ Ebensee, a sub-work camp of KZ Mauthausen in Austria, following his internment in nine different concentration camps. He emigrated to the United States where he remarried and fathered three children. He lived in Brooklyn, New York until his death in 1978. Source: Lillian Siegfried, Staten Island, New York

SIEGFRIED, Natan Natan (age 65) and Regina Ressler-Siegfried (age 63) were the parents of nine children. They lived at 10 Kazimierza Wielkiego, Jaslo (Poland). At Belzec they were annihilated along with other members of their family that included: two sons, two daughters, three daughters-in-law and three grandchildren. Fishel ("Phil") Siegfried, their eldest son, had emigrated to the United States around 1930. Emanuel Siegfried survived the war and is now living in Staten Island, New York He is married and has 2 sons. Bertha Siegfried-Presser also survived the war and is living with her son in Los Angeles. Source: Lillian Siegfried, Staten Island, New York

Ressler-SIEGFRIED, Regina Regina Siegfried née Ressler (age 63) and her husband Natan Siegfried (age 65) were the parents of nine children. They lived at 10 Kazimierza Wielkiego, Jaslo (Poland). At Belzec they were annihilated along with other members of their family that included: two sons, two daughters, three daughters-in-law and three grandchildren. Fishel ("Phil") Siegfried, their eldest son, had emigrated to the United States around 1930. Source: Lillian Siegfried, Staten Island, New York

SIEGFRIED, Szymon Son of Regina and Natan Siegfried. Born in 1910, married to Rachela Kaplan. Child: Chial (age 5 years). Source: Lillian Siegfried, Staten Island, New York

SILBERPFENIG, Rivka Deported from the Tarnow ghetto during the second "action" on 12 September 1942. Source: R. Kuwalek.

SOKALER, Dr. Michal Lawyer and violinist from Lvov. Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec during the "Big Action" in August 1942, together with other 50,000 Lvov Jews. Source: the memoirs by Kazimiera Poraj.

SPODEK, Maria Young Jewish woman from Zamosc. She was deported to Belzec and selected on the ramp for work in the camp laundry. She was killed during the liquidation of the camp. Source: Statement of Krystyna Natyna from Belzec during an investigation, organized in 1966 by communistic Polish secret police. Institute for the National Rememberance in Lublin

STADLER, Martha and Otto Martha (née Drucker), born in Korycany on 14 May 1904. Otto, born in Strazow Na Sumave on 22 March 1897. They met in Zlin (Moravia) in 1924. After WW1 they moved to Wien where Otto went into business with a cousin, selling down for duvets. In Vienna two children were born: Harry in 1925 and Robert in 1929. In 1934 the family moved from Vienna to Klatovy (Czechoslovakia), then to Pilsen and Prague in April / May 1939. Both children came to England as part of the Kinder Transport from Prague in 1939, organized by Sir Nicholas Winton. From Prague Martha and Otto were taken to Terezin during February 1942, and were deported east in the middle of March 1942 on "Transport AB" to the Izbica Transit Camp. They were in all probability transported to Belzec, where they perished. Information and photo supplied by Harry Stadler.

STYK, Ozjasz Famous co-painter of "Raclawice's Panorama" (the painting depicts the battle of Raclawice, fought in April 1794 between Russian troops and a Polish peasant army defending Polish independence. The Poles won the battle, but lost the war. Before WW2 it was exhibited in Lvov, today in Wroclaw. He was deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942. Source: Memoirs of Kazimiera Poraj.

?, Stysia We know only her first name, told by Mr. Jacek Ossowski from Lublin. 12-13 years old girl from the Lublin ghetto, the girlfriend of Mr. Ossowski. He observed that she and her parents were added to the column of people who were deported to Belzec in March-April 1942. Mr. Ossowski witnessed the selection of the Jews on Grodzka street in the Lublin ghetto.

SÜSSKIND, Rozia She was born in 1922. Perished in July 1942. Source: USHMM

SZEPS, Azriel Born in 1886 in Zamosc. He was a well known taylor in Zamosc, member and activist of the Zionist Organisation and vice-president of the Zamosc Judenrat. Before the war he was member of the City Council and Jewish Community Council. In October 1942 he was deported with Zamosc Jews to Izbica, and early November 1942 from Izbica to Belzec. Rudolf Reder witnessed his death and described it in his memoirs from Belzec: The transport came about 15 November 1942. When the whole transport was sent to the gas chambers, Szeps was stopped by an SS man and beaten by several SS men. During this crime the camp orchestra had to play "Es geht alles vorüber...". After seven hours of the beating he was thrown on the edge of the mass grave and shot by Schmidt. During this beating he didin`t tell any word. Source: R. Kuwalek and A. Kopciowski.

SZEPS, Pesa Tauba She was born in 1890. Wife of Azriel. Source: R. Kuwalek and A. Kopciowski.

SZEPS, Lea She was the daughter of Azriel and Pesa Tauba Szeps, deported together with the parents. Source: R. Kuwalek and A. Kopciowski.

SZEPS, David He was the son of Azriel and Pesa Tauba Szeps, deported together with the parents. Source: R. Kuwalek and A. Kopciowski.

SZLAM, Frajda Born in 1890 in Zamosc. Deported from Zamosc to Belzec together with her husband Icek Dawid in 1942. Source: Testimony by Jekutiel Cwilich, survivor from Zamosc ghetto.

SZLAM, Icek Dawid Merchant in Zamosc, born there. Deported from Zamosc to Belzec together with his wife Frajda in 1942. Source: Testimony by Jekutiel Cwilich, survivor from Zamosc ghetto.

SZMIRER, ? Podgorski, a survivor from the Lublin ghetto, witnessed that during the liquidation of the ghetto in March / April 1942 he met Mr. Szmirer, a 21 years old man somewhere in a ghetto street. Szmirer was the son of a famous furniture merchant from Lublin. He was deported to Belzec during the "action" in March 1942. Hidden under the clothes of the gassed victims, Szmirer escaped from Belzec in the Belzec - Lublin freight train. Back in Lublin, he informed the members of Lublin's Judenrat about his observations. Not many Jews in the ghetto believed him. Probably he didn't survive the war and was killed during the final liquidation of the Lublin ghetto on 9 November 1942. His fate is unknown. Source: Institute for National Remembrance in Warsaw. Trial (Wiesbaden 1972) against Hermann Worthoff, SD-officer in Lublin who was responsible for the liquidation of the Lublin ghetto.

TALENFELD, Malka A Jewess from Zolkiew who escaped at the end of March 1942 together with Mina Astman. Back in Zolkiew they told their story of how they escaped, which was recorded: "In closed wagons they were brought into Belzec camp. They were ordered to undress. The people became scared. One of them asked an SS man who was close to them: "What's the reason that we should undress?" Afterwards the women were ordered to enter a barrack. Exploiting the disorder, noise and lack of experience of the SS man, Astman and Talenfeld jumped into a nearby ditch and sat there undiscovered until dark. Under cover of darkness, they escaped from the camp, and after a few days returned home.

VELSER, ? A member of the "Death Brigade" during July - December 1942. He could escape from the camp, survived the war and emigrated to Israel.

WACHMAN, Dr. ? Lawyer from Lvov. Deported from the Lvov ghetto to Belzec in March 1942. Source: Memoirs of Kazimiera Poraj

WAJSBROT, ? Hassidic rabbi from Turobin. During the war he was in the Krasnik ghetto together with his son and son's family. In October 1942, during the second "action" in Krasnik ghetto they were deported to Zaklikow which was the main assembling ghetto for the Jews from Krasnik county during the final liquidation of the ghettos. From there he was deported to Belzec, together with his family. Testimony of Nuchim Rozenel. The Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw

WAJSELFISZ, Josef Born on 1 August 1898. Activist of the Zionist Organisation in Lublin, member of the Jewish Community Council and in cooperation with Hebrew schools there. During the war he was member of the Judenrat. Together with his whole family he was selected and deported to Belzec on 31 March 1942. His sister survived the Holocaust because she emigrated to Israel already in 1937. Source: R. Kuwalek.

WEIN, Suzia She was born in 1922. Perished in July 1942. Source: USHMM

WEINSTEIN nee Saleschütz, Bluma She was killed together with her daughter Shaindel (left) in July 1942. Source: USHMM

WEINSTEIN, Reuven He was the husband of Bluma Saleschütz. Perished in July 1942. Source: USHMM

WEINSTOCK, Berthold (Olek) Electrical engineer, born in 1897. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec, in the beginning of the first "action", on 27 July 1942. Source: Lukasz Biedka

WEINSTOCK nee Reisner, Irena Stella School teacher, born in 1903. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec, in the beginning of the first "action", on 27 July 1942. Source: Lukasz Biedka

WEINSTOCK, Izydor (Chaskel) Jeweller, born in 1865. Deported from the Przemysl ghetto to Belzec, in the beginning of the first "action", on 27 July 1942. Source: Lukasz Biedka

WEINSTOCK, Ludwiczek Born 1934. Deported from Przemysl to Belzec on 27 July 1942. "I remember how poor Ludwik cried when the ghetto was sealed that he didn’t want to be a Jew and that he wants to leave the ghetto!..." A letter from Klara Pfeffer to Wiktor Reisner. Source: Lukasz Biedka

WEITZ, Pepka She was born in 1922. Perished in July 1942. Source: USHMM

WILNER, Fajwel He lived in the Debica ghetto (Krakow district). Deported from Debica to Belzec during the last deportation from this town, on 15 November 1942. He knew about the destination of the transport and organized a common prayer in the cattle car. Source: JewishGen

WOLMAN, Szmul Born on 4 November 1889 in Lublin. Owner of big hardware stores in Lublin. Deported to Belzec in March 1942.

WOLSZTAJN, Lejb Born 1927 in Wloclawek. Son of Szmul and Zera, brother of Rojza. "Resettled" to Zamosc in 1940. In the course of the first deportation he was sent to Belzec on 11 April 1942, together with his mother and sister. Lejb could escape and returned to the Zamosc ghetto. There he told the Judenrat in Zamosc about the death camp and what happened to the Jews from Zamosc. In August 1942 he was deported again to Belzec, together with his father Szmul. Both finally perished in Belzec. Source: R. Kuwalek.

WOLSZTAJN, Rojza Born 1921. Daughter of Szmul and Zera, sister of Lejb. Source: R. Kuwalek.

WOLSZTAJN, Szmul / Shmul / Samuel Born in 1890. Father of Lejb and Rojza. "Resettled" to Zamosc in 1940 together with his family. Member of the Jüdische Soziale Selbsthilfe in the Zamosc ghetto. Sent to Belzec in August 1942 in the cause of the second deportation, where he perished together with his son Lejb. Source: R. Kuwalek.

WOLSZTAJN, Zera Born in 1892. Mother of Lejb and Rojza. She perished in August 1942. Source: R. Kuwalek.

ZLOCZOWER, Chana Born in 1920 in Lviv (Lwow). Daughter of Rachel and Shlomo Zloczower. She perished in Belzec, together with her parents and sister Rena. Source: Rhoda Pelliccia

ZLOCZOWER, Israel Born in 1900 in Lviv (Lwow). Son of Selig and Perl Zloczower. A tailor. Brother of Shlomo and Pepi Zloczower. He perished in Belzec in 1942. Source: Rhoda Pelliccia

ZLOCZOWER, Rena Born in 1924 in Lviv (Lwow). Daughter of Rachel and Shlomo Zloczower. She perished in Belzec, together with her parents and sister Chana in 1942. Source: Rhoda Pelliccia

ZLOCZOWER, Shlomo Born in 1890 in Lviv (Lwow). A tailor. He married Rachel. Shlomo perished in Belzec together with his family in 1942. Source: Rhoda Pelliccia

Credits

Arad, Yitzhak. "Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka: Operation Reinhard Death Camps", Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987.
ARC. Interview with Gisela Gdula (formerly Natyna) in the house of the former SS bakery (July 2002)
Kola, Andrzej. Belzec Excavations 1997 - 1999
Reder, Rudolf. "Belzec"
Tregenza, Michael. Un-published articles on Belzec
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) website http://www.ushmm.org/
JewishGen www.jewishgen.org

© ARC (http://www.deathcamps.org) 2005