Group photograph of members of the Francesca (Fransevic) and Negrin families, probably in Skopje.
Overview
- Caption
- Group photograph of members of the Francesca (Fransevic) and Negrin families, probably in Skopje.
Among those pictured are Asher Francesca (front row, second from right) and his wife Esther (back row, middle), the grandparents of the donor. - Date
-
1938 August 15
- Locale
- Skopje, [Macedonia] Yugoslavia?
- Variant Locale
- Skoplje
Uskub - Photo Credit
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Ella Gross
Rights & Restrictions
- Photo Source
-
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Copyright: United States Holocaust Memorial MuseumProvenance: Ella Gross
Keywords & Subjects
Administrative Notes
- Biography
- Ella Fransevic (later Gross) was born in Skopje, Macedonia on August 8, 1945 to Jewish parents Elio Fransevic (b. 5/25/1925 in Bitola, Macedonia) and Anna (nee Albala) Fransevic (b. 12/24/1915 in Bitola). Ella had one older sister, Rina (b. 12/30/1940). Elio was the son of Ester (nee Negrin) Francesca and Asher Francesca, who had a pharmacy in Skopje. Like his father, Elio became a pharmacist after studying in Gratz, Austria. He earned two doctorate degrees, including one in microbiology. Anna’s parents were Beneviste and Racquel (nee Alevy) Albala, and she had four siblings: Sarah "Sarina," Izak (b. 1918), Claire (b. 1921), and Jacque. The family had roots in Spain. During the inquisition, the family was expelled to Portugal, then moved to Livorno, Italy. From there, the family moved to Salonika, Bitola, and then finally to Skopje. Anna studied at the Alliance Francaise and spoke several languages. Elio and Anna married on September 3, 1939, two days after the start of WWII.
In April 1941 Germany invaded Yugoslavia, which at that time included the region of Macedonia. Yugoslavia surrendered soon after and was occupied and partitioned by the Axis powers. Bulgaria, which had joined the Axis powers in March 1941, entered Macedonia in April 1941. Bulgarian authorities had already adopted antisemitic laws within their own borders called the Law for Protection of the Nation in January 1941, and these were now applied to areas under their control. The Jewish population was excluded from public service, prohibited from economic activity, subjected to a curfew, and required to wear the yellow star. Macedonian Jews were also required to pay a one-time tax of twenty percent of their net worth.
The Fransevic family in Skopje did not initially feel the sanctions at full force, and Elio was able to continue working in his pharmacy. This changed abruptly on March 11, 1943, when the Jews were ordered to present themselves at the train station. Ella’s paternal aunt, Anna, and her husband Pepo Colonomos were warned what would happen if they reported. They escaped to Albania disguised as peasants, accompanied by Anna’s siblings Sarah and Jacques. Elio, Anna, Rina, and the rest of Anna’s family were forced to present themselves, and were taken to the Monopol Tobacco warehouse in Skopje to wait for transport to Treblinka.
While they were there, it was announced that all those who worked in the medical profession would be released, as there was an enormous need for them due to a typhus outbreak, but the men refused to leave without their families. Eventually permission was extended to family members as well, so Elio was able to get Anna, Rina, and his mother released. He tried to save the rest of Anna’s family as well, but her parents, Isak, and Claire had already been sent on the first transport to Treblinka. When their names were called, the Negrin family (who were related to Anna’s mother), responded in their stead, and were released.
Those who were released were sent to various villages to work where medical help was needed. Elio was first sent northeast to Kumanovo and Presevo (Serbia), but could not bring his family due to the poor living conditions. They were not able to join him until he was sent to Sveti Nikole, about 75 miles southeast of Skopje. When the Germans troops entered the area, they escaped to the mountains. They moved from place to place to avoid arrest until the end of 1944, when the German troops were expelled from the area, and Skopje was liberated. They were able to return to their apartment, but found that all of their possessions had been stolen. In August 1945, their second daughter, Ella was born. Anna’s siblings Sarina and Jacques survived. Her parents and siblings Izak and Claire perished.
After Macedonia came under Communist control, Elio was no longer permitted to work. In March 1950, the family left for Israel on board the ship “Moledet.” They were sent to live in tents in an immigrant’s village in Beer Yaakov, and then moved to Givat Aliya (near Jaffa) where they lived for six years, sharing an apartment with six other families.
In 1968, Elio testified in the Frankfurt trial of Adolf Heinz Beckerle, the wartime German ambassador in Sofia who was instrumental in carrying out the transport of Jews from Macedonia to Treblinka. On August 18, 1968 Beckerle was declared guilty and sentenced to eight years imprisonment.
- Record last modified:
- 2018-08-20 00:00:00
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/pa1184934
