Ink and pencil drawing of a church in Theresienstadt ghetto/labor camp by an inmate

Frantizek Zelenka was born on June 8, 1904, to a Jewish family in Kutna Horta, in the Bohemia province of Czechoslovakia. Frantizek was one of the most influential Czech theater set designers of his time. He trained as an architect and designed scenery and posters for the Prague National Theater. Following the German occupation of Prague in March 1939, Frantizek was confined to the newly established Jewish ghetto. He was deported to Theresienstadt concentration camp on Transpor Di, July 1, 1943. The camp’s Cultural Department of the Freizeitgestaltung [Administration for Free Time Activities] employed Frantizek to oversee the theater scenery. He created sets and costumes for 27 productions. The most famous of these was the children’s opera “Brundibar” which had a run of 55 performances. In secret, Frantizek and his fellow artists would create their own personal drawings and paintings. Frantizek was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau on Transpor Es, October 19, 1944, and put to death. He was 40 years old.

Fritz Silten was the younger of two sons born to a Jewish family on February 16, 1904, in Berlin, Germany. His mother, Marta Friedberg Silten, was born on October 12, 1877, in Berlin and his father, Dr. Ernst Silten, was born April 22, 1866, in Koenigsberg, Prussia. His older brother, Heinz, was born on June 11, 1901, in Berlin. An assimilated family, they did not observe Jewish holidays or laws nor attend synagogue. Ernst was a pharmacist and owned his own pharmacy, the Kaiser Friedrich Apotheke; Fritz earned a Ph.D in chemistry and pharmacology in 1930. He worked in Ernst’s pharmacy beginning in 1922 as an apprentice, and later as a partner. The family was well off, living in a large apartment in the Apotheke building and employed domestic help. Fritz married Ilse Teppich on August 6, 1931, and the couple had their only child, a daughter named Gabriele, on May 30, 1933.

Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 led to increasingly severe restrictions on Jews. By January 1, 1938, German Jews were prohibited from operating businesses and trades and Jewish business owners were forced to sell their enterprises for well below market value. Fritz’s father had to sell his pharmacy and Fritz, concerned about his family’s safety, left for Amsterdam in September 1938. He established a pharmaceutical processing and distribution business and sent for Gabriele and Ilse. In 1939, Ernst sent Marta to live with them while he remained in Berlin. German troops occupied Amsterdam in May 1940 and Fritz was appointed by the Germans to the Jewish Council. The Amsterdam ghetto was established in 1941 and most of the city’s Jews were forced to live there, but due to Fritz’s council position, the Siltens’ remained in their home. On November 18, 1942, Ilse’s mother received notice of deportation to Auschwitz and committed suicide; on March 5, 1943, the Nazis arrested Fritz’s father, Ernst, and rather than face deportation, he also committed suicide.

Fritz tried to use his position to protect his family from deportation by getting their names on protective lists. But eventually, in June 1943, the Siltens, including Fritz’s mother, Marta, were sent to the Westerbork transit camp in Holland. The family was housed in barracks #65, which was reserved for Dutch inmates and those deported from Holland but not of Dutch nationality. The family was separated because the barracks were divided by gender. Everyone worked at Westerbork and Fritz worked in the metal shop. While at Westerbork, Marta’s name appeared on a list of prisoners destined for Auschwitz. She committed suicide in July 1943 rather than face deportation. Ernst had provided poison to Marta and the rest of the family when they left Berlin and she used it to kill herself. Fritz told Gabriele that her grandmother became ill and died.

In January 1944, the family was deported to Theresienstadt concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. They were assigned to the Hamburger Kaserne [Hamburg Barracks] and separated according to gender. Fritz was employed as an inventor. A long time friend of Ernst convinced the Germans that Fritz was working on a spray to help wounded field soldiers. This friend sent supplies, such as Bunsen burners, to Fritz for his research. Ernst believed that this charade probably kept the family from being deported to Auschwitz. Soviet troops entered the camp in May 1945, about a week after the Germans had turned administration over to the Red Cross.

The family returned to Amsterdam that June and Fritz reestablished his pharmacy. His brother, Heinz, had immigrated to England in the mid-1930’s and become a British citizen; he died in London in 1953 at age 52. Gabriele (now called Ruth) left for the United States in 1959. Fritz and Ilse moved to London, England, before settling in Zurich, Switzerland, where they died: Ilse on February 23, 1977, at age 66 , and Fritz, on November 16, 1980, at age 76.

Ruth Gabriele Silten was born to a Jewish family on May 30, 1933 in Berlin, Germany. She was the only child of Dr. Fritz and Ilse Teppich Silten. Both parents were born in Berlin; Fritz on February 16, 1904, and Ilse on February 23, 1909. They were married on August 6, 1931. As assimilated Jews they did not adhere to Jewish dietary laws, observe holidays or attend synagogue. Her father had a doctorate in pharmacology and was a partner an apothecary business with his father.

After Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor in 1933, increasingly severe restrictions were placed on Jews. Gabriele’s grandfather was forced to sell his pharmacy and her father, concerned about his family’s safety, left for Amsterdam in September 1938. He established a business to produce and distribute pharmaceuticals to foreign companies. He then sent for Gabriele and Ilse. In 1939, her grandfather sent her grandmother, Marta, to join them, but he remained in Berlin, as did her maternal grandmother Gertrud. Gabriele went to Kindergarten, then elementary school, learned Dutch, and made friends.

In May 1940, German troops occupied Amsterdam. The Germans appointed Fritz to the Jewish council. The Amsterdam ghetto was established in 1941 and most of the city’s Jews were forced to live there, but the Siltens, due to her father’s council position, remained in their home. Subject to Germany’s anti-Semitic rules and regulations, Jews became more isolated and Gabriele’s life changed dramatically. She could no longer go to the library, theater, or the movies. Shopping was restricted to certain stores and the hours between 3:00 and 5:00pm. A curfew required Jews to stay home from 8:00pm to 6:00am. They had to wear the Star of David on their outer garments; the Siltens bought theirs at a local temple and Ilse and Marta sewed them on their clothes. Gabriele’s elementary school became a Jewish school and she could no longer play with her Christian friends. Many times the Germans came to arrest the family, but for reasons unknown to Gabriele, they never did.

Fritz tried to use his position to protect his family from deportation by getting their names on protective lists. But in June 1943, the family, including her grandmother, Marta, was sent to the Westerbork transit camp in Holland. They were housed in barracks #65, which housed only Dutch inmates and those deported from Holland but not of Dutch nationality. The family was separated with men on one side and women and children on the other. Ilse, Gabriele, and Marta shared two beds. Everyone worked at Westerbork. Ilse taught Kindergarten and Fritz worked in the metal shop. Gabriele, too young to work, stole things and bartered for food. Marta’s name appeared on a list of prisoners destined for to Auschwitz and she committed suicide in July 1943 rather than face deportation. Ernst had given poison to Marta and the rest of the family when they left Berlin and she used it to kill herself. Fritz told Gabriele her grandmother became ill and died. It was not until after the war that she found out the truth about Marta’s death.

In January 1944, the family was deported to Theresienstadt concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. They were assigned to the Hamburger Kaserne [Hamburg Barracks] and separated according to gender. While interned at Theresienstadt, Ilse was forced to work in a glimmer [mica] factory. Fritz worked as an inventor. All children over ten years old were forced to work and Gabriele worked as an ordananz. Occasionally she was assigned to special jobs, such as chestnut gathering.

Soviet troops took control of Theresienstadt in May 1945. The family returned to Amsterdam that June. Fritz reestablished his pharmacy, Ilse kept house, and Gabriele returned to school. Gabriele immigrated to the U.S. in 1959 and became a citizen in 1965. She settled in California and, became a teacher, and has published five books. Her parents moved to London, England, before settling in Zurich, Switzerland, where they died: Ilse on February 23, 1977, at age 66 , and Fritz, on November 16, 1980, at age 76.