Lena Broder Weisman
"According to Adela Weisman, Lena’s daughter-in-law, Lena was a very fine and lovely woman, she taught her son Jack to have good values, to be a Mensch, to be a good person. This is probably the message she would have wanted to be said, treat others with kindness and respect."
Name at birth
Lena Lebelson
Where did you grow up?
Warsaw, Poland
Immediate family (names, birth order)
Lena had one brother who survived and lived in Israel
Who survived the Holocaust?
Only Lena and her brother
All of the siblings of Lena’s husband David left Europe for America before the war. Lena and David stayed behind to take care of David’s parents. Later, Lena, David and their son Jack fled from the Nazis from Poland into deep Russia, near Siberia.
Where were you in the Former Soviet Union?
Near Siberia
What DP Camp were you after the war?
Heidenheim, Germany for three years
When did you come to the United States?
1948
Where did you settle?
Detroit, Michigan
How is it that you came to Michigan?
Lena’s husband David had relatives who sponsored them to come to Detroit
Occupation after the war
Tailor and homemaker
When and where were you married?
Lena’s second husband name was Israel Broder, was originally from France; Lena and Israel met in Israel. Israel lost his entire family in the Holocaust. Because of how he looked, he passed for being a Christian. During the war, Israel sent messages back and forth to the Allies. He was honored after the war, receiving medals from French President, Charles de Gaulle.
Spouse
David ,
Tailor
Children
Jack, owned a chain of dry-cleaning stores
Grandchildren
David Weisman
What message would you like to leave for future generations?
According to Adela Weisman, Lena’s daughter-in-law, Lena was a very fine and lovely woman, she taught her son Jack to have good values, to be a Mensch, to be a good person. This is probably the message she would have wanted to be said, treat others with kindness and respect.
Interviewer:
Biography given by by Adela Weisman, Lena’s daughter-in-law
