Letter

Held by

Montreal Holocaust Museum via Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (incl. Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives)

Dates

May 06, 1947 (indexed as 1947)

Level

item

Extent

Letter : paper : beige, brown ; Ht: 20,9 cm x W: 13,4 cm

Scope & content

One page of graph paper. Double-sided. Personal letter from Elzbieta (Elizabeth) and sister Celinka (Cécile) to mother Chana (Anna) Zilberbogen (born Wartens). Handwritten in brown ink. Tells mother that she is willing to go to Swiss. Says that it is snowing constantly. Informs mother that Celinka has gained weight, that they are eating well and that school is good. At that time, both girl where at Children's Home "La Chaumière". Narrative: The Zilberbogen were a Jewish family originally from Warsaw (Poland). Mother Chana and daughters Elzbieta (born 1933) and Celinka (born 1937) moved to Belgium in 1939. The father, Szygmundt, an engineer, stayed in Poland. During the Second World War, the mother and daughters were first sent to Brens camp and then to Rivesaltes camp in the South of France before being released. Chana was then hospitalized and spent the war hidden in a Sanatorium in Mazamet from 1940 to 1947. Elzbieta and Celinka were hidden in various locations in the South of France, including a farm and different children's homes run by OSE including one in Saint-Paul-en-Chablais. Szygmundt was killed in Poland. Chana and her daughters went back to live in Belgium after Liberation until immigrating to Canada in 1951.

Location

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Genre / form

textual record

Format

Document

In the picture

ClassroomDocumentGirlHandwrittenLetterSchoolSnowWinterTagged automatically by a vision model; may contain mistakes.

Text in the image

Saint-Paul le 6 maiChère petite mamanJ'ai reçu ta lettre qui m'a fais bien plaisir.je serai bien contents d'aller en Suissemême bécile mais ça dépendchez quelle dame et où ça?ça ne te fais rien? d'ailleursici on est juste à la frontièreet une fois qu'on sera là-bason t'enverra beaucoup de chis.Depuis une semaine il neigesans arrêt, je ne demandebien au mois de mai. Tunous diras quand on iraen Suisse. bécile abonne jour, elle devient grosse.Je vais à l'école et je suisJ'ai reçu ta lettre qui m'a fais bien plaisir. je serai bien contente d'aller en Suisse même bécile mais ça dépend chez quelle dame et où ça?ça ne te fais rien? d'ailleurs ici on est juste à la frontière et une fois qu'on sera là-bas on t'enverra beaucoup de colis.Depuis une semaine il neige sans arrêt, je me demande bien au mois de mai. Tu nous diras quand on ira en Suisse. Bécile a de bonne joue, elle devient grosse. Je vais à l'école et je suisRead automatically; may contain mistakes.

Language

French

Harvested

2026-10-19T03:21:16Z · source datestamp n/a · andornot

Digital objects at the source

• imageOpen original at source ↗2012_15_159.jpg
• imageOpen original at source ↗2012_15_159b.jpg