Stuffed brown bear owned by a Polish Jewish girl and recovered postwar

Zofia Chorowicz was born on March 5, 1923, in Krakow, Poland, to Isydor and Rachela Horowitz Chorowicz. Isydor’s father was Mendel Chorowicz. Isydor had three brothers: Lajb, Saul, and Wilek. Zofia’s mother Rachela was born on December 29, 1892, in Jaroslaw, to Izaak and Anna (Chana) Bauminger Horowitz. She had a twin sister, Rebeka, and a brother, Chaim Saul, born on September 26, 1894. Her mother Anna was born on January 10, 1867, in Noworadomsk (Radomsko, Poland). Zofia’s family was Jewish, but not observant. Her maternal grandmother Anna, a widow, lived with them. Zofia’s maternal uncle Chaim Saul, his wife Lola, and their children Alfred and Jerzy also lived in Krakow. Zofia’s father Isydor died circa 1938/39.

On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. Krakow was occupied by German forces a week later. In December, Jews were required to wear Star of David armbands. Zofia worked for the Jewish community in the medical help department. Her family had to register as Jews with the German authorities and obtain identity cards. In March 1941, a ghetto was established in Krakow. In 1941 or 1942, Zofia’s family was moved to Wolbrom, a town near Krakow. In April 1942, at the end of Passover, a ghetto was established in Wolbrom. Zofia was able to keep some precious items, including a doll and teddy bear, with her in the Krakow and Wolbrom ghettos. She decided to give them to some non-Jewish friends to keep safe for her. On September 5, there was a selection in the ghetto. Zofia was deemed fit for work and sent to a labor camp, a Julag, in Krakow later that day. Zofia tried to get Rachela out of the ghetto and into the camp. When she finally arranged for someone to get Rachela, it was too late. Rachela, along with her brother Chaim Saul, had been killed by the authorities on September 5, the same day Zofia was sent to the labor camp. In October or November 1943, Zofia was transferred to Skarzysko-Kamienna labor camp, a factory for Hugo Schneider Aktiengesellschaft Metallwarenfabrik (HASAG), which produced munitions for the German war effort. In July-August 1944, Zofia was transferred to the HASAG factory in Leipzig-Schoenefeld, Germany, a subcamp of Buchenwald. She arrived on August 4, was assigned prisoner number 877, and was a slave laborer in the ammunition factory. In April 1945, the camp was evacuated and Zofia was sent on a death march. On April 29, Zofia was liberated by British forces near Cavertitz, Germany.

After liberation, Zofia returned to Krakow, Poland. She retrieved the possessions she had left with her non-Jewish friends. She married Josef Burowska. She got her PhD and worked as a researcher, author, and professor in music education. Zofia, 81, passsed away in 2004.