Francie Alpert papers

Francie Alpert (1931-2014) was born Fernande Waligora on 13 May 1931 in Paris, France to Szmul and Rose Waligora. Szmul Loeb Waligora (also referred to as Samuel, 1899-1942) was born in Sokołów Podlaski, Poland on 9 March 1899 and worked as a tailor. Rose Waligora (née Kunigis, also referred to as Rishkeh, 1903-1947) was born Rysha Kuniges in 1903 in Wilno, Poland (Vilnius, Lithuania) to Abraham and Isza Kuniges. Francie had one sister, Janette (later Janet Herman, b. 1926).

Szmul was deported to the Drancy transit camp in June 1941. He was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp in September 1942 where he was murdered. Rose and her daughters were deported to the Rivesaltes transit camp in August 1942. In fall 1943 Francie was smuggled into Switzerland, and she survived as a refugee on a farm in Neuchâtel.

Francie’s mother and sister survived the Holocaust, and the three were reunited in Paris after the war. Rose died of breast cancer in 1947. Francie and Janette immigrated to the United States in June 1947. Francie settled in Denver, Colorado and later married Eugene V. Alpert. They had three children: Ronald, Sherri, and Michele.