Maria Lichtsztejn and Sarah Montard collection

Maria Lichtsztejn was born in 1904 to David and Brucha Korenbaum in Malorita, near Brest-Litovsk, Byelorussia (now Brest, Belarus). In 1927, Maria, a dressmaker, married Moise Lichtsztejn, a poet, journalist, and instructor at the Yiddish school. The couple had a daughter, Sourele (Sarah) in 1928 and lived in Gdańsk, Poland. As anti-Semitic practices grew in Poland, neither Maria nor Moise could find work. Because of this, Moise immigrated to France in 1929, and Sarah and Maria joined him a year later.

In 1941 Moise was arrested along with other alien Jewish men and incarcerated in a camp in Pithiviers, France. He managed to escape after three months of detention and remained in hiding in Paris until the war ended. Shortly after, in July 1942, Maria and Sarah were arrested and brought to the cycling stadium, the Vel d’Hiver to be deported to Auschwitz. They too managed to escape and went into hiding with friends and eventually resumed normal life. In May 1944, Sarah and Maria were again arrested after being turned in by a neighbor. They were detained in Drancy internment camp for five days until they were deported to Auschwitz. There they stayed until January 1945 when they were forced-marched to Gleiwitz, loaded onto open-topped coal trains, and transported to Bergen-Belsen. Sarah and Maria remained at Bergen-Belsen until the camp was liberated in April. In May 1945, a year after their second arrest, Sarah and Maria were reunited with Moise and other family members in Paris. Maria returned to her trade as a dressmaker and Sarah resumed her education.

Sarah Montard was born Sourele Lichtsztejn to Maria and Moise Lichtsztejn in Danzing, Poalnd in 1928. Her mother was a dressmaker and her farhter was a poet, journalist, and instructor at the Yiddish school. As anti-Semitic practices grew in Poland, neither Maria nor Moise could find work. Because of this, Moise immigrated to France in 1929, and Sarah and Maria joined him a year later.

In 1941 Moise was arrested along with other alien Jewish men and incarcerated in a camp in Pithiviers, France. He managed to escape after three months of detention and remained in hiding in Paris until the war ended. Shortly after, in July 1942, Maria and Sarah were arrested and brought to the cycling stadium, the Vel d’Hiver to be deported to Auschwitz. They too managed to escape and went into hiding with friends and eventually resumed normal life. In May 1944, Sarah and Maria were again arrested after being turned in by a neighbor. They were detained in Drancy internment camp for five days until they were deported to Auschwitz. There they stayed until January 1945 when they were forced-marched to Gleiwitz, loaded onto open-topped coal trains, and transported to Bergen-Belsen. Sarah and Maria remained at Bergen-Belsen until the camp was liberated in April. In May 1945, a year after their second arrest, Sarah and Maria were reunited with Moise and other family members in Paris. Maria returned to her trade as a dressmaker and Sarah resumed her education.