Melania Weissenberg papers

Melania Weissenberg (later Molly Applebaum, b. 1930) was born on October 27, 1930 in Kraków, Poland to Fajwel (Faivel) Weisenberg (d. 1938) and Salomea Weisenberg (Sara, née Kinstler). Fajwel passed away in 1938 and Salomea remarried in 1939 to Ignacy Keller.

After Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Melania, Salomea, Ignacy, and Melania’s younger brother, Zygmut, were forced from their home and settled in Dąbrowa Tarnowska. Between 1939 and 1942, German authorities implemented anti-Jewish policies, and in early 1942, deportations began and an enclosed ghetto was established. After more deportations took place in the fall of 1942, Melania, Salomea, Ignacy, Zygmut, and her cousin, Helena Aschheim (later Littman), fled to live in Wiktor Wójcik’s (1990-1999) barn on his farm outside of the ghetto. Melania and her family met Wiktor and his sister, Emilia, when he sold dairy products and eggs in the ghetto. Ignacy and Zygmut left the barn and went to live in the Tarnow ghetto. Salomea later joined Ignacy and Zygmut. By the end of 1942, the ghetto was liquidated, but German troops remained in the area, and Melania and Helena stayed in hiding.

In January 1943, Melania and Helena moved to a new hiding place on Wiktor’s farm. They spent the next two years in a small space under the barn, with Wojcik being their only source for food. After the war, Melania and Helena lived in Kraków. In June 1948, Melania immigrated to Canada. Salomea died in the Tarnow ghetto. It is unknown what happened to Ignacy and Zygmut.