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  3. Affidavit
Affidavit
Montreal Holocaust Museum · small copy hosted here (www.cjhn.ca blocks its images elsewhere)
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Affidavit

2 images

Held by
Montreal Holocaust Museum via Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (incl. Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives)
Dates
April 04, 1946 (indexed as 1946)
Level
item
Scope & content
Double-sided page, two holes punched on left edge, staple punctures on top, portrait of cardholder with embossed seal of the Supreme Court on bottom left, creased horizontally and vertically, entitled Affidavit In Lieu of A Passport. Lists seven sworn statements of identity by the card holder, along with a basic physical description. Used as a temporary passport for stateless refugees, valid for one approved journey. Stamps on back contain information about trip. Herbert Isselbacher had to acquire this affidavit to visit his brother in New York City while not yet a citizen of Canada. Narrative: Isaac Herbert Isselbacher was born 1919-11-20 in Isselbach, Germany. His brother was Helmut Isselbacher, born 1921-12-20. Their father was Jacob Isselbacher, born 1883-08-05. They had an uncle and aunt, David and Betty Loewenstein, who lived in New York City with their two children. Isaac left Germany on 1939-07-29, hoping to join his relatives in NYC. He only had the time to get to London, England before the war broke out and started working in a factory. He was arrested at his workplace as an ‘enemy alien’ and sent to Canada for internment in 1940. Isaac was interned in Camp N in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He was drafted into the Works Program Division for woodworking and net-making. In 1940, he received a last letter from his parents which suggested their imminent deportation. After his release, circa November 1942, Isaac worked as a locksmith. He married Fanny Azeff on 1943-12-26 at the Bnai Jacob synagogue in Montreal. Fanny was born on 1921-12-23 in Canada, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Azeff. Isaac was naturalized as a Canadian citizen on 1946-06-08. Fanny was naturalized on 1946-08-30 (she had lost her citizenship by marrying Isaac). Isaac’s brother, Helmut Isselbacher, was deported with Transport XXII A from Dossin casern in Mechelen (Malines), Belgium to Auschwitz Birkenau, Poland on 1943-09-20. Of the 2,450 people on the transport, 100 men were selected to work –including Helmut- and the remainder prisoners were gassed. Helmut was made to work as a welder, and was soon fitting new pipes for the gas chamber. He suffered a nervous breakdown as a result. As he was a valued welder, he was transferred to a labour camp in Upper Silesia (Poland) where he remained for two years. As the Russian army advanced, the 6,000 prisoners of this camp were evacuated by train. Helmut remembered being forced to march as the other prisoners died from exhaustion. When liberation was announced, the survivors travelled by ship from Luebeck, Germany, to Sweden with the aid of the Red Cross. After recovery, Helmut decided to remain in Sweden as a welder. Upon learning of his brother’s survival, Helmut travelled to New York in April 1946 to meet with him and their Loewenstein relatives. Afterwards, Helmut travelled to Canada bringing with him a washing machine and bras as late wedding presents for his brother and Fanny. By 1946-08-12, their parents were presumed dead and the two sons inquired into their estate. They received a deed for the land and travelled to the estate to discover that the current owner of their house was their old maid and her son had become the town mayor. Various disputes arose with the current ‘owners’ who believed the Isselbacher family dead. Isaac wished to discuss a settlement, but the mayor’s mother –not realizing Fanny understood German- called the neighbours at work to warn them not to come home as the Isselbacher sons had resurfaced. Payment for the land had reportedly been sent to Israel, though no documentation could be provided.
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AffidavitCourtDocumentIdentity CardImmigrationPortraitSealSignatureTypewrittenTagged automatically by a vision model; may contain mistakes.
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Extent
Affidavit : Paper : Typewritten : Ink : Grey, black, white, purple ; Ht: 28 cm x W: 21,5 cm
Genre / form
textual record
Format
Document
Text in the image
AFFIDAVIT IN LIEU OF A PASSPORTIsac Herbert IsselbacherIsaac Herbert IsselbacherBefore me, Samuel Caplan, Commissioner of the Superior Court in and for the District of Montreal, duly commissioned and qualified, personally appeared this 4th day of April, A.D. 1946, Mr. Isac Herbert Isselbacher, foreman, of 4657 Clarke St., in the City of Montreal, Province of Quebec, who being duly sworn deposed and said:1. I was born in Isselbach, Germany, on November 20th, 1919.2. My name as given above is the one under which I have been known all my life.3. I was a citizen of Germany originally but am now stateless.4. I have been granted permanent landing in Canada as evidenced by the attached letter from the Department of Mines and Resources bearing file No. 109808-384.5. I intend to go to the City of New York to visit my brother, Mr. Helmut Isselbacher, who is arriving from Europe in a few days and who will reside with my uncle, Mr. David Lowenstein, who lives at 1247 Grant Avenue, Bronx, N.Y.6. I submit this Affidavit to induce the authorities concerned to accept same in lieu of a passport so that I may make my journey to the United States.7. The photograph appended below is a true likeness of myself and my personal description alongside the photograph is also true and correct.DESCRIPTIONHeight - 5'6"Weight - 150 lbs.Eyes - brownHair - Dk. BrownComplexion - MediumMarks - noneSworn and signed before meCommissioner of the Superior CourtRead automatically; may contain mistakes.
Language
English
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2026-10-19T03:21:16Z · source datestamp n/a · andornot

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