Adam and Roma Zandel papers

Adolf Adam Zandel (1906-2002) was born in Kutno, Poland to Markus and Jacheta Zandel. He had two older sisters, Estera and Salomea. In 1923, Adam attended Warsaw University, where he studied mechanical engineering. After trying to find steady employment, Adam finally found a job working as a tool designer in a factory that produced artillery fuses. Later, he convinced the owner to open another facility in France, and in 1939 Adam immigrated to France to help establish the new factory. As war loomed, Adam applied for visas to leave the country. Along with several friends, Adam was able to procure a visa to Brazil, and traveled there in 1941. In March, 1943, he was able to immigrate to the United States and settled in New York. He soon met and married Roma Kleczewska, and had their daughter Susan in 1945.

Roma Kleczewska (1911-2002) was born in in Niechcice, Poland to Maurycy and Karola Kleczewska. She had two brothers: Ludwik and Alfred. Her parents owned a factory complex where yeast for breweries were produced. Roma grew up in an affluent and assimilated Jewish family, and later studied archeology at Warsaw University. In September 1939, at the time of the German invasion of Poland, the Kleczewska’s and their extended family drove in several cars to the Polish-Romanian border. One car broke down, and it was decided that Roma’s parents and grandparents (Teofila and Salomon Kupczyk) would stay behind as the rest went on to Bucharest. Roma’s parents and grandparents settled in Lwow, Poland (L’viv, Ukraine) before being forced to move to Warsaw, where they lived just near the ghetto. The last contact Roma had with them was dated May 18, 1942. Roma lived in Bucharest with her aunt and uncle Eda and Henryk Ruziewicz until she received papers to go to Brazil in August, 1940. Her two brothers, meanwhile, traveled to Palestine. Roma, Eda, and Henryk finally reached the United States, by way of Indonesia and Cuba. She soon met and married Adam Zandel, and gave birth to their daughter Susan in 1945.