Portrait of Chaim Ber and Bina Berkowicz while on vacation in Druskieniki, Poland.

Photograph | Photograph Number: 42576

Date: Circa 1930
Locale: Druskieniki, [Grodno] Poland
Variant Locale: Druskininkai
Lithuania
Drozgenik
Druckenik
Photo Designation: LIFE BEFORE THE HOLOCAUST -- Poland -- Family/Friends/Portraits -- Vacations/Outings
Photo Credit: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Barbara Berkowicz Soloway

Biography: Barbara Soloway (born Basia Berkowicz) is the daughter of Chaim Ber and Bina (Taca) Berkowicz. Basia was born December 2, 1930 in Sierpc, Poland, but grew up in Warsaw, where her father was joint owner (with his five brothers) of a fish-canning factory. The family belonged to the Jewish socialist Bund, and Basia attended the Kalecka Jewish school for girls. In the spring of 1939, Chaim, fearing a German invasion of Poland, obtained a merchant's visa to attend the New York World's Fair. He also got tourist visas for his wife and daughter. Since he was of military age, Chaim was required by law to purchase return tickets and leave his Warsaw apartment intact. On June 7, 1939 the Berkowicz' sailed for New York from the port of Gdynia on the SS Pilsudski, arriving on June 16. They did not return to Poland. Four of Chaim's brothers succeeded in leaving Poland by way of Lithuania, after securing Sugihara transit visas to Japan. From Japan they sailed to New Zealand, and in 1943, reached the United States. Bina's father and sisters perished in the Warsaw ghetto, and her brother was killed in Slonim.
Keyword: FAMILIES (PREWAR JEWISH)
JEWS (POLISH)
VACATIONS/RESORTS
Photo Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Copyright: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Provenance: Barbara Berkowicz Soloway
: Record last modified: 2001-08-20 00:00:00
This page: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/pa1129435

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