- Biography
- William Luksenburg (born Welek Luksenburg) is the son of Simcha Dawid and Rozalia Luksenburg. His father worked in the wholesale meat business, while his mother served as president of the local Wizo organization in Dabrowa. Like the Chilewicz', the Luksenburgs remained in their hometown from the beginning of the occupation until the onset of the deportations. Welek's parents were put on a transport to Auschwitz in August 1942. His older brother, Szlomo, was likewise taken during one of the deportation actions. Szlomo had initially been sent for forced labor to Klein Mangersdorf but had returned to Dabrowa after being injured. Both Szlomo and his parents were killed in Auschwitz. Welek was deported first to Blechhammer, in March 1943, and then to Gleiwitz. Together Welek and Hinda were evacuated from the camp in January 1945. They were taken in an open wagon to Theresienstadt and from there to Oranienburg. From Oranienburg Hinda was transferred to Ravensbrueck, where she was liberated by Americans. Welek was sent first to Flossenburg, then Regensburg, and finally on a death march ending at Libenau-bei-Laufen on the Austrian border, where he was liberated on May 5. Hinda and Welek were reunited in August 1946 at the DP camp in Weiden Oberfalz. There they were married on March 2, 1947. Two years later they immigrated to the United States.