Henry Konstam
"All human beings are as valuable as any other human being. Also, one should focus on life’s blessings and not on one’s difficulties. "
Name at birth
Hersch Konsztam
Date of birth
04/15/1914
Where did you grow up?
Ozorkow, Poland
Name of father, occupation
Henoch Konsztam,
Textile manufacturing
Maiden name of mother, occupation
Golda Toroncik,
Homemaker
Immediate family (names, birth order)
Ita, Tzipora, Tzirel, Feiga, Leibel (Chaim Yehuda Aryeh), Hersch (Aaron Tzvi)
Who survived the Holocaust?
Ita (and husband Moshe Kaufman in Palestine), Leibel (wife Minja) and Hersch
I was born into a Gerrer Chasidish family in Poland whose business was textile manufacturing. I had my own textile factory at a very young age and had a good life before the war.
Name of Ghetto(s)
Name of Concentration / Labor Camp(s)
Where were you in hiding?
Fled into the woods from a death march near Wurzach
What DP Camp were you after the war?
Yes, Stuttgart, Germany
Where did you go after being liberated?
Wurzach, Germany
When did you come to the United States?
June 15, 1946
Where did you settle?
For a short time in New York City, then Detroit, MI
How is it that you came to Michigan?
HIAS, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
Occupation after the war
Cabinet maker/carpenter
When and where were you married?
May 26 (Lag B’Omer eve) 1948 in Detroit
Spouse
Stacia Shapiro
Children
Herbert Paul (Pesach Henoch), Janelle Mary (Golda Miriam)
Grandchildren
Yisroel, Yehudah Zev, Shaindel Motel, Yosef Chaim, Fruma Bracha, Chaya Faiga, Sara Blima, Shmuel Dov Konstam and Shira Beth (Shira Baila), Ari Michael (Ari Meir), Daniel Mark (Daniel Mordechai), and Emma Leora (Leora Elka) Teger.
What do you think helped you to survive?
The will to live, perseverance, luck, youth, strength, and faith in G-d.
What message would you like to leave for future generations?
All human beings are as valuable as any other human being. Also, one should focus on life’s blessings and not on one’s difficulties.
Interviewer:
Biography given by Janelle Konstam, daughter
To learn more about this survivor, please visit:
The Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive, University of Michigan
https://holocaust.umd.umich.edu/konstam/
https://holocaust.umd.umich.edu/konstam/
