The Return to Life in the Displaced Persons Camps
In conjunction with our 2021 Yom HaShoah ceremony, this gallery features photographs shared by local families as a tribute to Calgary Holocaust Survivors, their families, and descendants. We honour and remember the victims of the Holocaust and pay tribute to the Survivors, and their remarkable journey to freedom and a return to life.
1. Zalman, Soshana, and Malka Deutsch, Israel 1953
2. Henry, Fania, Jack, and Peter Balaban, Israel 1960
3. Jack Balaban at age 17, New York 1964
4. Malka Balaban at age 16, Israel 1967
1. Michael Ber (back row far right) in his prison uniform after liberation in a DP camp (DP camp name unknown).
2. Sala Ber holding her baby, Abraham, born in the DP camp, Zeilsheim, Germany.
3. Michael and Sala Ber's wedding in the DP camp, Zeilsheim, Germany.
4. Michael and Sala Ber in the DP camp, Zeilsheim, Germany.
5. Michael and Sala Ber with their grandson in Calgary.
6. Sala Ber hugging her great-granddaughter in Calgary, just months before she passed away.
1. Anne and Leo Blitt (couple in back row, far left), Frieda and Chaim Blitt (back row, 6th and 7th from the left), and Peter Blitt (child standing in the back row, far right), Rosenheim DP camp.
2. Anne and Leo Blitt, 2nd and 3rd from the left, Rosenheim DP camp.
3. After the war, Meyer Blitt was the police chief at the Bari DP camp.
4. Peter Blitt (3rd row from the bottom, 2nd boy from the right), Rosenheim DP camp.
5. Chaim and Frieda Blitt, Rosenheim DP camp.
6. Peter Blitt (first boy standing on far left), Rosenheim DP camp.
7. Chaya Ruchel Blitt (far left, standing in second row from the bottom), Mina Blitt Plotsky (child beside Chaya), and Peter Blitt (child, right of Mina)
1. Clara, Isaac, and Richard Bronstein (on the right side, Richard is on the motorcycle), Traunstein Germany, 1945.
2. Clara Bronstein (far left) with granddaughter Talia, daughter Natalie, son Ron and his spouse Nancy, Judy Shapiro and spouse Richard Bronstein with Clara’s other granddaughter Noa, Calgary 1992.
3. Clara Bronstein, centre, at family gathering, Calgary, 1999. Back row left to right: Ron Bronstein and spouse Nancy, Judy Shapiro and spouse Richard Bronstein. In front row with Clara are her granddaughters Talia (left) and Noa (seated).
1. Engaged couple, Sid and Bronia Cyngiser.
2. Bronia after the war.
3. Bronia after the war.
4. Bronia in hospital after the war.
5. Bronia on UN jeep after the war, 1945.
6. Bronia
7. Sid and Bronia with family.
1. Wedding photo.
2. Morris Dancyger with father, Shmuel, Stuttgart, Germany, 1946.
3. Ann Dancyger (left).
4. Ann Dancyger and Molly Baber, Bamberg, Germany.
5. DP camp.
6. Ann Dancyger.
7. Morris Dancyger.
8. Morris Dancyger.
9. Morris and Ann Dancyger with son and grandchildren.
10. Dancyger family.
1. Faye Flam Eckhaus and Abe Eckhaus, married in Poland, 1946.
2. Faye Flam Eckhaus and Abe Eckhaus, Stuttgart, Germany, 1946.
3. Ruth Eckhaus Respler, born in Stuttgart, Germany, August 1947.
4. Eckhaus family, Stuttgart, Germany, 1947.
5. Ruth with an uncle from Abe's side of the family, Stuttgart, Germany, 1948.
6. Ruth Eckhaus Respler, Germany, 1949.
7. Fay Flam Eckhaus (left) with Ruth, Stuttgart, Germany, 1949.
8. Fay Flam Eckhaus (left), Stuttgart, Germany, 1949.
9. Eckhaus family, Stuttgart, Germany, 1949.
10. Faye Flam Eckhaus (right), Stuttgart, Germany, 1949.
11. Faye Flam Eckhaus (left) with Ruth, Stuttgart, Germany, 1949.
12. Ruth Eckhaus Respler (left) with Shoshana Britstone Madoff (their moms met at DP camp and are still friends), Stuttgart, Germany, 1949.
13. Ruth Eckhaus Respler (right) with Shoshana Britstone Madoff (their moms met at DP camp and are still friends), Stuttgart, Germany, 1949.
14. Eckhaus family, Stuttgart, Germany, 1949.
15. Faye Flam Eckhaus and Ruth, Stuttgart, Germany, 1949.
1. Aron and Sam Eichler (second and third from the left), Poking Camp, Germany, 1947.
2. Aron (standing in front, sixth from the right) and Meyer (kneeling behind seated row) Eichler, Bad Reichenhall Camp, Germany, 1947.
3. Aron (in black cap, standing to the left of a boy in white cap) and Sam (seated, front row in a white shirt, fifth from the right) Eichler, in Poland, pre-DP camp.
4. Aron (first from the left) and Sam (sixth from the left) Eicher, Poking Camp, Germany, 1947.
5. Aron Eichler (in front) performing in a Jewish holiday play, believed to be in the Bad Reichenhall Camp, 1947.
6. Aron Eichler (person on left, behind wreath) at a memorial service, Poking Camp, Germany, 1947.
7. Sam Eichler (second from left), Poking Camp, Germany, 1947.
8. Aron Eichler (fourth from right), at a memorial service, Poking Camp, Germany, 1947.
9. Aron Eichler aboard the Samaria ship to Canada, May 1949.
10. The Eichler family on board the Samaria ship to Canada, May 1949. Meyer (far left), Bessie (beside Meyer), Markus (hat), Lea (right of Markus), Sam (standing behind Markus), Harry (child on far right), and Aron (right of Lea).
11. Eichler family, 1991.
1. Saul Glin and brother Morris in Germany after liberation, 1946 or 1947.
2. Glin family, 2003.
1. The Groners, 2019.
1. Sima and Benek Herman's wedding, June 30, 1946, in Barletta, Italy.
2. Benek Herman with his son Ben Herman, Bari, Italy, 1948.
3. Seated from left: Irene Ksienski and Sima Herman; standing: Faye Kifer.
4. Benek and Sima Herman with Izak Leiser standing behind them.
5. Front from left: Reuben and Irene Ksienski, Sima and Benek Herman; in back row (left): Izak Leiser.
6. Double wedding of Ksienski and Herman. In front of table left to right: Faye Kifer, Reuben and Irene Ksienski, Sima and Benek Herman. Middle row, third from the right: Kalman Jablonka. Back row: second from the right is Magda Jablonka.
7. Ben Herman, Bari, Italy, 1948.
8. Ben Herman, Bari, Italy, 1948.
1. Esther and Ben Dorchik, Bad Reichenhall, Germany, 1946.
2. Eva Hoffman with her parents, Esther and Ben Dorchik in Bad Reichenhall, Germany, 1947. Eva was born in the DP camp there.
3. Esther Dorchik in the DP camp, Bad Reichenhall, Germany, 1947.
4. Eva Hoffman and her father, Ben Dorchik, Bad Reichenhall, Germany, 1947.
5. Esther and Ben Dorchik, Bad Reichenhall, Germany, 1947.
6. Eva Hoffman, Bad Reichenhall, Germany, 1947.
7. Eva Hoffman, Bad Reichenhall, Germany, 1947.
8. Eva Hoffman, Bad Reichenhall, Germany, 1948.
9. Esther and Ben Dorchik at the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Michael, 1964.
10. Ben and Esther Dorchik at Eva's wedding, 1968.
11. Ben and Esther Dorchik at the wedding of their daughter, Eva, to Gordon Hoffman, 1968.
12. Ben and Esther Dorchik at their son, Michael's wedding to Stephanie Dorchik, 1979.
13. Esther and Ben Dorchik with their grandchildren, JJ and Tiffany Hoffman, 1980.
14. Esther Dorchik and family at grandson, JJ's Bar Mitzvah, 1990.
15. Esther Dorchik at her grandson, JJ’s Bar Mitzvah, 1990.
16. Esther Dorchik at granddaughter, Arielle’s Bat Mitzvah.
1. Group photo, Kielce, Poland, 1946.
2. Leopold Jazwicki, Kielce, Poland, 1947.
3. Wedding of Leopold Jazwicki and Estelle Libby Jazwicki, Kingston, Ontario, 1955.
1. Eisig Kogut in DP camp, Pocking, Germany, 1948.
2. Eisig Kogut in DP camp, Pocking, Germany, 1948.
3. Eisig Kogut in DP camp, Pocking, Germany, 1948.
4. Tobi Berkowitz Kogut and sister, Rosie Berkowitz Appel in DP camp, Hallein, Austria 1948-49.
5. Tobi Berkowitz Kogut and sister, Rosie Berkowitz Appel in DP camp, Hallein, Austria 1948-49.
6. Tobi Berkowitz Kogut and sister, Rosie Berkowitz Appel in DP camp, Hallein, Austria 1948-49.
7. Bar mitzvah, 1964.
8. Tobi and Eisig Kogut at their son's wedding, 1977.
1. Sonia and Socher Kravitz in a DP camp after the war in Rizzoli, Italy.
2. Sonia and Socher Kravitz in the DP camp in Rizzoli, Italy.
3. Sonia Kravitz with her two daughters, Hindy Paul and Riva Ber. Taken in Canada after they immigrated.
4. Sonia with her granddaughters.
5. Socher with his grandchildren.
1. Israel, Rachel, and Nettie Krebs, DP Camp Foehrenwald, 1947.
2. Oscar Kirshner, Israel, Rachel, and Nettie Krebs, DP Camp Foehrenwald, 1947 or 1948.
1. Meyer and Fayge Kifer at their wedding in Bari, Italy, 1946. Pictured in third row from far left: Magda Jablonka, Benek Herman, Sima Herman. Back row, far right: Rubin Ksienski. Seated, far right of bride: Elizabeth Ksienski.
2. From left: Elizabeth (Katz) Ksienski, Faye (Katz) Kifer, Meyer Kifer, Sima (Katz) Herman, Bari Italy, 1946.
1. Morris and Pearl Lang, DP camp in Amberg, Germany, 1945-46.
2. Sarah Leah Lang, first baby born to survivors in Amberg Germany, Displaced Persons Zone.
3. Morris and Pearl Lang, DP camp in Amberg, Germany, 1945-46.
4. Morris and Pearl Lang, DP camp in Amberg, Germany, 1945-46.
5. Morris and Pearl Lang.
6. Morris Lang, DP camp in Amberg, Germany, 1945-46.
7. Morris Lang, DP camp in Amberg, Germany, 1945-46.
8. Pearl Lang, DP camp in Amberg, Germany, 1945-46.
9. Morris and Pearl Lang with baby Sarah.
10. Pearl Lang with baby Sarah.
11. Pearl Lang with Sarah.
12. Morris Lang with Sarah, DP camp in Amberg, Germany, 1945-46.
13. Sarah Leah Lang, DP camp in Amberg, Germany, 1945-46.
14. Morris and Pearl Lang with Sarah.
15. Morris with Sarah, DP camp in Amberg, Germany, 1945-46.
16. Pearl Lang with Sarah, DP camp in Amberg, Germany, 1945-46.
17. Sarah Lang, Brighton Beach, New York, 1949.
18. Morris and Pearl Lang with Sarah, ready to sail to America, May 1949.
19. Sarah Lang, Brooklyn, NY, 1950.
20. The Langs, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 1957.
21. The Langs with their grandchildren, 1995.
22. The Langs, Maryland, 1996.
23. The Langs, Florida, 1997.
24. The Lang family celebrating Morris and Pearl's 50th wedding anniversary.
25. Norman (Sarah) with grandsons.
26. Jacob Philip Lifshen, Denver (great grandson of Pearl and Morris).
27. Jordan Perry and Alex William Dekelbaum, Dallas (great grandsons of Pearl and Morris)
28. Naomi (Avi Malkah) Schiff, Baltimore (great granddaughter of Pearl and Morris).
1. Hella Wald Lipsman and son Zygmund Wald Lipsman.
2. Zygmunt Lipsman, DP camp Foehrenwald, late 1940s.
1. Mom, Ruchal Mydlarski with (left to right) Henri Jacques, Micheline, and Dora.
2. Henri and Jacques Mydlarski, late 1942/1943.
3. Jacques Mydlarski, 1951.
4. Lila and Jacques Mydlarski, 1962.
5. Lila Mydlar.
6. Mydlarski siblings (left to right): Henri, Micheline, Jacques, Dora, and Robert.
7. Karen Mydlarski wedding to Brent Parker, 1990.
8. Jacques Mydlarski (seated) and family.
1. Peltz and Lichtman families, DP camp Wasseralfingen, Germany, 1947 or 1948.
2. DP camp Wasseralfingen, Germany, 1947 or 1948.
1. Freda and Chaim Plucer with son, Sam, DP Camp Santa Maria Di Leuca, Italy, 1947.
2. Freda and Chaim Plucer with son, Sam, DP Camp Santa Maria Di Leuca, Italy, 1947.
3. Freda and Chaim Plucer with son, Sam, DP Camp Santa Maria Di Leuca, Italy, 1947.
4. Freda with son, Sam, DP Camp Santa Maria Di Leuca, Italy, 1947.
5. Esther Peltz Plucer, DP Camp Wasseralfingen, Germany, 1949.
6. Freda Plucer.
7. Freda Plucer with great-grandchild.
8. Freda Plucer with granddaughter and great-grandchildren.
9. Freda Plucer with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
1. Marcel Segal in Nancy France, 1941.
2. Marcel Segal, training for French army, 1949.
3. Marcel Segal in France, early 1950.
4. Marcel Segal in France, early 1950.
5. Marcel Segal, paratrooper in France, 1951.
6. Marcel Segal with brother, Henri in Deauville, France, 1952.
7. Marcel walking in Paris in 1952.
8. Minnie and Marcel, Calgary, 1954.
9. Segal Family.
10. Henri Segal, learning his trade as a tailor.
11. Marcel, Henri, and their mother, 1943.
12. Anna and Zali Hepner (Sylvie Hepner's parents) on their wedding day, 1946.
1. Judith Segalowitz Montag with her parents, Yehiel and Sheindel Segalowitz, Zeilsheim DP Camp, Frankfurt, Germany, 1946.
2. Yehiel Segalowitz commemorating a memorial that was erected for those that perished in the Holocaust (when the DP camp was demolished, locals took down the memorial), Zeilsheim DP Camp, Frankfurt, Germany, 1946.
3. Sheindel Segalowitz and family members at the Zeilsheim Children's Center, Zeilsheim DP Camp, Frankfurt, Germany, 1946.
4. Judith Segalowitz Montag and her younger brother, Itzhak, and their mom Sheindel Segalowitz in front of the house they lived in at Zeilsheim DP Camp, Frankfurt, Germany, 1947.
5. Judith Segalowitz Montag at age two in Zeilsheim DP Camp, Frankfurt, Germany, 1948.
6. Family picture of Judith Segalowitz Montag with her three children and six of her eight grandchildren, 2013
1. Max Shulder, DP Camp Wasseralfingen, Germany
1. Alta (left) with Leonard Rutman, DP camp near Hess Lichtenau, 1948.
2. Baby Alta, DP camp near Hess Lichtenau, 1948.
3. Fischel and Luba Rutman with baby Alta and Leonard, DP camp near Hess Lichtenau, 1948.
4. Alta and Ken's 50th Wedding Anniversary, Toronto, ON, 2018.
Starting on Left: daughter, Jana and Bryant Frydberg with children Lev, Cobi, Micah; Ken and Alta Sigesmund; son, Shawn Sigesmund and wife Debbie Sigesmund with children Leah and Ava; son, Richard Sigesmund and wife Robin Sharp.
1. Fanny Wedro.
2. Fanny Wedro's certification document, 1947.
3. Fanny Wedro, with her students, DP camp Bad Gastein, Austria, 1947.
4. Fanny Wedro with her class in DP camp Bad Gastein, Austria, 1947.
5. Fanny and Leo Wedro, 1948.
6. Fanny and Leo Wedro, Hawaii, 1980.
7. Fanny and Leo Wedro with their children, Elanor and Ben, Calgary, 1981.