Ida Moskovitz

"There should be peace in the world; it should never ever happen again. The younger generation must work very hard so something like this never, never ever happens again."

Name at birth

Ida Mehler

Date of birth

12/11/1926

Where were you born?

Chrzanow, Poland

Where did you grow up?

Chrzanow, Poland

Name of father, occupation

Moishe Mehler, Shoemaker

Maiden name of mother, occupation

Rozalie Szmulewicz, Homemaker

Immediate family (names, birth order)

Parents, Ida, Sara, Yisroul, Yosele, and a baby 'Chasela''

How many in entire extended family?

We had a very large extended family

Who survived the Holocaust?

Only myself and my aunt, Hudja Szmulewicz

The Germans took my mother away first, I was left all alone to take care of my baby brother and the other children. My father would go away to the countryside looking for food. The hunger was there already.

Then they took me, they used to grab people off of the streets, an Obvava in Polish. They took me to Gabersdorf concentration camp. I worked there for five years in the Spinnerei (weaving) factory. My aunt Hudja was with me.

When we were liberated, my aunt and I went back home. There was no one there, no one survived. My aunt knew German and we went to a town Tratenauer, near Gabersdorf, where we worked in a kitchen. This way we would be able to have food.

My aunt was pregnant and couldn’t leave on the transport going to Israel or to USA. She didn’t want to get messed up.

Name of Concentration / Labor Camp(s)

Gabersdorf (Subcamp Of Gross Rosen)

What DP Camp were you after the war?

Yes, in Germany.

When did you come to the United States?

1949

Where did you settle?

My husband and I came to New York and then later to Detroit

When and where were you married?

1946 in DP camp in Germany

Spouse

Ben Moskovitz, Shoemaker then Baker; owner of Star Bakery

Children

Morry, physician Esther, bakery business Brenda, infertility physician

Grandchildren

Seven: Brittany, Courtney, Lindsay, Aaron, Joshua, Addy, and David

What do you think helped you to survive?

I just wanted to have children like I had my sisters and brothers.

What message would you like to leave for future generations?

There should be peace in the world; it should never ever happen again. The younger generation must work very hard so something like this never, never ever happens again.