Two pieces of mica from a forced laborer in a glimmer factory [mica]

Ilse Teppich was the eldest of three daughters born to a Jewish family in Berlin, Germany, on February 23, 1909. Her mother, Gertrude Herz Teppich, was born on February 12, 1880, in Berlin and her father, Richard, was born on June 27, 1869, in Koenigsberg, Prussia. Her oldest sister, Anita, died at the age of eight and her younger sister, Ursula [Ulle], was born on December 6, 1914, in Berlin. An assimilated family, they did not observe Jewish holidays or laws nor attend synagogue. Her father owned a dry cleaning business in the city and they lived in a large apartment and employed domestic help. When Ilse finished secondary school, she was sent to a finishing school in Switzerland and she studied to be a photographer. Her father died on July 18, 1931. She married Fritz Silten on August 6, 1931. Fritz, a pharmacist, worked in his father Ernst’s pharmacy, the Kaiser Friedrich Apotheke. Ilse gave up her commercial photography career and became a homemaker giving birth to the couple's 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 trade. Her father-in-law was forced to sell his pharmacy and her husband, concerned about his family’s safety, left for Amsterdam in September 1938. He established a pharmaceutical processing and distribution business and sent for Ilse and Gabriele. In 1939, her father-in-law sent his wife, Marta, to live with them while he remained in Berlin. In May 1940, German troops occupied Amsterdam and in 1941 the Amsterdam ghetto was established. Most of the city’s Jews were forced to live there. Because Fritz had been appointed by the Germans to the Jewish council, the Silten’s were allowed to remain in their home. On November 18, 1942, Ilse’s mother received a notice of deportation from Berlin to Auschwitz concentration camp and committed suicide. Her father-in-law, Ernst, was arrested by the Nazis on March 5, 1943, and rather than face deportation, he committed suicide.

Fritz tried to use his position to protect his family from deportation by getting their names on protective lists. But in June 1943, the Siltens, including Ilse’s mother-in-law, were sent to the Westerbork transit camp in Holland. They were housed in barracks #65, which was reserved for Dutch inmates and those deported from Holland but not of Dutch nationality. The barracks were divided by gender, with men on one side, women and children the other. Ilse, Gabriele, and Marta shared two beds. Everyone worked at Westerbork and Ilse taught Kindergarten. While there, Marta’s name appeared on a list of prisoners for deportation to Auschwitz and she committed suicide in July 1943 rather than face deportation.

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 sex. Ilse was forced to work in a glimmer [mica] factory. Her job, splitting the mica, created a dust that when inhaled caused lung diseases among the workers. Soviet troops took control of Theresienstadt in May 1945.

The family returned to Amsterdam that June; her husband reestablished his pharmacy and Gabriele returned to school. In 1959, Gabriele left for the United States. Fritz and Ilse moved to London, England, before settling in Zurich, Switzerland, where they died: Ilse on February 23, 1977, at age 66, from lung disease as a result of her work in the glimmer factory, and Fritz, on November 16, 1980, at age 76. Her sister, Ulle, died at age 76 on May 5, 1990.

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.