Oral history interview with Sonia Minuskin

Light brown leather billfold used by a Polish Jewish refugee

Object

Light brown leather wallet owned by Lew Minuskin. Lew lived in Zhetel (Zdieciol) Poland (Dziatlava, Belarus), which was occupied by the Soviet Union in September 1939. In June 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union and occupied Zhetel. Frmo 1941-1942, Lalb was assigned to a forced labor battalion that assisted the Soviet Army. From 1942-1945, he had sent to From 1942-1945, he was sent to live in Kokand Fergana in eastern Uzbekistan, a border region of the Soviet Union, where he worked as a mechanic. When the war ended on May 9, 1945, Lajb traveled to Munich, Germany, where he lived in a displaced persons camp. By 1949, he was living in a DP camp near Frankfurt. He applied to the International Relief Organization for assistance to emigrate to the United States where his brother Shlmake had gone with his family in September 1946. By 1956, Lajb had joined them in New York. Lew's brother Shlamke, had survived with his wife, Shanke, and two young sons, Henikel and Kalmanke, by living with the Lenin Partisan Brigade in the Lipiczanski (Lipichanski) forest. With the help of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), Shlamke and his family left Zeilsheim displaced persons camp in Germany for the United States, and arrived in New York on September 6, 1946.

Harold Minuskin: Soviet sound recordings

Recorded Sound

Minuskin family papers

Document

Consists of photographs, postcards, and documents related to the Orlinksy and Minuskin families of Zhetel, Poland. Includes a DVD entitled "Our Town of Zhetel," a documentary produced in 1990; pre-war family photographs; identity documentation; and post-war displaced persons photographs. Members of the Minuskin family belonged to the Zhetel partisan group in Belorussia during the war.

Weimar Germany Reichsbanknote, 1000 marks, kept by a Polish Jewish refugee

Object

German bank note for 1000 marks acquired by 8 year old Henikel (Harold) Minuskin before he and his family left Germany for the US in 1946. It was issued during the Weimar Republic in 1923. Henikel lived in Zhetel (Zdieciol) Poland (Dziatlava, Belarus), with his parents Shlamke and Shanke, and his younger brother Kalmanke. In June 1941, Zhekel was occupied by Nazi Germany. The Jews of the town were violently persecuted and over 120 prominent community members, including Henikel's uncle Leib, were shot. On February 22, 1942, all Jews were relocated to a ghetto. That August, the Germans began preparations to liquidate the ghetto. His father escaped to the nearby forest and joined the Jewish partisan resistance. His mother took 3 year old Henikel and 1 year old Kalmanke to an underground hiding place. After three days, they escaped to the forest. His father found them hiding in a root cellar and brought them to live with the Lenin Partisan Brigade in the Lipichanski forest in Poland (Bialowieza Forest, Poland and Belarus) from 1942-1944. Shlamke participated in the guerrilla action against the Germans, while Shanke repaired and sewed clothing. The area was liberated by the Soviet Army in September 1944. When the war ended in May 1945, the family went to Zeilsheim displaced persons camp in Germany. With the assistance of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), the family emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York on September 6, 1946.

Imperial Germany Reichsbanknote, 100 marks, kept by a Polish Jewish refugee

Object

Imperial German bank note for 100 marks acquired by 8 year old Henikel (Harold) Minuskin before he and his family left Germany for the US in 1946. The note was issued in Imperial Germany in 1908. This note has a green seal which indicates it was printed post World War I (1914-1918.) Henikel lived in Zhetel (Zdieciol) Poland (Dziatlava, Belarus), with his parents Shlamke and Shanke, and his younger brother Kalmanke. In June 1941, when he was three years old, Zhekel was occupied by Nazi Germany. The Jews of the town were violently persecuted and over 120 prominent community members, including Henikel's uncle Leib, were shot. On February 22, 1942, all Jews were forcibly relocated to a ghetto. That August, the Germans began preparations to liquidate the ghetto. His father escaped to the nearby forest and joined the Jewish partisan resistance. His mother took the two brothers to an underground hiding place. After three days, they escaped to the forest. His father found them hiding in a root cellar and brought them to live with the Lenin Partisan Brigade in the Lipichanski forest in Poland (Bialowieza Forest (Poland and Belarus) from 1942-1944. The area was liberated by the Soviet Army in September 1944. When the war ended in May 1945, the family went to Zeilsheim displaced persons camp in Germany. With the assistance of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), the family emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York on September 6, 1946.

Oberhausen, Germany, emergency currency, 5 million marks, kept by a Polish Jewish refugee

Object

City of Oberhausen emergency currency note [notgeld] for 5 million marks acquired by 8 year old Henikel (Harold) Minuskin before he and his family left Germany for the US in 1946. The currency was issued in 1923 due to the period of hyperinflation during the Weimar Republic. Henikel lived in Zhetel (Zdieciol) Poland (Dziatlava, Belarus), with his parents Shlamke and Shanke, and his younger brother Kalmanke. In June 1941, when he was three years old, Zhekel was occupied by Nazi Germany. The Jews of the town were violently persecuted and over 120 prominent community members, including Henikel's uncle Leib, were shot. On February 22, 1942, all Jews were forcibly relocated to a ghetto. That August, the Germans began preparations to liquidate the ghetto. His father escaped to the nearby forest and joined the Jewish partisan resistance. His mother took the two brothers to an underground hiding place. After three days, they escaped to the forest. His father found them hiding in a root cellar and brought them to live with the Lenin Partisan Brigade in the Lipichanski forest in Poland (Bialowieza Forest (Poland and Belarus) from 1942-1944. The area was liberated by the Soviet Army in September 1944. When the war ended in May 1945, the family went to Zeilsheim displaced persons camp in Germany. With the assistance of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), the family emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York on September 6, 1946.

Soviet Union, 1 chervonets note, kept by a Polish Jewish refugee

Object

Soviet bank note for 1 chervonet acquired by 8 year old Henikel (Harold) Minuskin before he and his family left Germany for the US in 1946. Henikel lived in Zhetel (Zdieciol) Poland (Dziatlava, Belarus), with his parents Shlamke and Shanke, and his younger brother Kalmanke. In June 1941, when he was three years old, Zhekel was occupied by Nazi Germany. The Jews of the town were violently persecuted and over 120 prominent community members, including Henikel's uncle Leib, were shot. On February 22, 1942, all Jews were forcibly relocated to a ghetto. That August, the Germans began preparations to liquidate the ghetto. His father escaped to the nearby forest and joined the Jewish partisan resistance. His mother took the two brothers to an underground hiding place. After three days, they escaped to the forest. His father found them hiding in a root cellar and brought them to live with the Lenin Partisan Brigade in the Lipichanski forest in Poland (Bialowieza Forest (Poland and Belarus) from 1942-1944. The area was liberated by the Soviet Army in September 1944. When the war ended in May 1945, the family went to Zeilsheim displaced persons camp in Germany. With the assistance of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), the family emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York on September 6, 1946.

Soviet Union, 10 chervonets note, kept by a Polish Jewish refugee to the US

Object

Soviet bank note for 10 chervonets acquired by 8 year old Henikel (Harold) Minuskin before he and his family left Germany for the US in 1946. Henikel lived in Zhetel (Zdieciol) Poland (Dziatlava, Belarus), with his parents Shlamke and Shanke, and his younger brother Kalmanke. In June 1941, when he was three years old, Zhekel was occupied by Nazi Germany. The Jews of the town were violently persecuted and over 120 prominent community members, including Henikel's uncle Leib, were shot. On February 22, 1942, all Jews were forcibly relocated to a ghetto. That August, the Germans began preparations to liquidate the ghetto. His father escaped to the nearby forest and joined the Jewish partisan resistance. His mother took the two brothers to an underground hiding place. After three days, they escaped to the forest. His father found them hiding in a root cellar and brought them to live with the Lenin Partisan Brigade in the Lipichanski forest in Poland (Bialowieza Forest (Poland and Belarus) from 1942-1944. The area was liberated by the Soviet Army in September 1944. When the war ended in May 1945, the family went to Zeilsheim displaced persons camp in Germany. With the assistance of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), the family emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York on September 6, 1946.

Holocaust survivors documentary "Our Town Zhetel"

Oral History