Ella Hornung
"She would probably have said what our father said, that we have to be on guard that this Holocaust never happens to the Jewish people or to any people ever again. Mom wanted to live a quieter life than dad did. She seemed to be more affected by what occurred to her during the war. She was happy to stay home and take care of the house and children. "
Name at birth
Ella Zaks
Date of birth
04/10/1916
Where did you grow up?
Radomska, Piotrkow, Poland
Name of father, occupation
Jozef Zaks,
Tinsmith
Maiden name of mother, occupation
Bejla Moszkowicz ,
Homemaker
Immediate family (names, birth order)
Parents, Ella, brother, Tuvia
How many in entire extended family?
Not known
Who survived the Holocaust?
Just Ella
My mother was taken to Ravensbruck concentration camp for women in Germany. She was rescued by the Swedish Red Cross and taken to Malmo, Sweden. She was involved in the “White Buses” organized by Count Bernadotte of the Swedish Red Cross.
Our mother had seven years of Polish elementary school education. After finishing school, she studied to become a dressmaker and worked in her profession until she was deprived of her freedom. She was sent to the Czestochowa ghetto in early 1941.
In that same year, she was forced to work in a munitions factory there and after some time, she was transferred to Ravensbruck Concentration Camp where she was made to do heavy, physical work.
Our mother Ella was rescued from this camp, as part of Swedish Red Cross efforts to save innocent lives on the eve of the end of the war.
Ella arrived in Sweden on April 28, 1945.
On April 18, 1946, Ella was advised by the American legation in Stockholm to send her documents to her American sponsor, "to assist them on preparing satisfactory evidence in your behalf" and that because the Polish quota was oversubscribed, "it may take some time before your turn on the waiting list of intending immigrants is reached."
And they were right, it did take time, a long time, just over four years. I have copies of letters up to the time when my mother finally left Sweden on June 21, 1949 on the "Gripsholm" of the Swedish American Ship line. She arrived in the United States on July 1, 1949, a few months before my dad who arrived later that year.
Name of Ghetto(s)
Name of Concentration / Labor Camp(s)
Where did you go after being liberated?
Malmo, Sweden
When did you come to the United States?
In 1949, aboard the “Gripsholm,” from Sweden to New York.
Where did you settle?
Detroit, Michigan
How is it that you came to Michigan?
Relatives in Detroit
Occupation after the war
Seamstress, homemaker
When and where were you married?
In 1950, in Detroit
Spouse
Samuel Hornung,
Barber
Children
Four
Grandchildren
Seven and Ten Great Grandchildren
What do you think helped you to survive?
She wanted to start a family and in her way, have a victory against the Nazis.
What message would you like to leave for future generations?
She would probably have said what our father said, that we have to be on guard that this Holocaust never happens to the Jewish people or to any people ever again.
Mom wanted to live a quieter life than dad did. She seemed to be more affected by what occurred to her during the war. She was happy to stay home and take care of the house and children.
Interviewer:
As told by Joe Hornung, son of Ella Hornung
Interview date:
05/01/2015
Experiences
Survivor's map
