Ruth Kent
"We must be vigilant. Evil starts with a few people and then grows like a cancer. Don't be complacent; speak up when you see injustice. Each time I leave my house I think back on how wonderful my life is now. After the war I could never have believed that I would come to America and have my beautiful children and grandchildren. It was an impossible to even dream such a thing."
Name at birth
Rochel Wejntrob (or Rutka Wajntraub)
Date of birth
05/01/1929
Name of father, occupation
Melek Wejntrob (or Arja Mejlek Wajntraub),
Baker
Maiden name of mother, occupation
Bluma Kraushorn (or Blima Kraushorn),
Homemaker
How many in entire extended family?
50
Who survived the Holocaust?
Two brothers: Larry Wayne and Jack Wayne, eight first cousins, and I. My mother and younger brother were killed.
When the war ended, I was 15 years old and I went back to my home in Lodz to see if anyone in my family survived. The Poles who took over my parent’s home and bakery would not let me in. I was sent to an orphanage. I left the orphanage to search for my family by going to the displaced persons camps in Germany. I found out that two of my brothers survived and I was reunited with them.
I was able to come to the United States under the War Orphans Act. My brothers and I were among the first survivors to come to the United States. My brother had met a US Army chaplain from Detroit who influenced us to resettle there.
Name of Ghetto(s)
Name of Concentration / Labor Camp(s)
Occupation after the war
Executive Assistant.
Spouse
Kurt Kent,
furniture refinishing
Children
Bernie, CPA, Mark, high school teacher.
Grandchildren
Three.
What do you think helped you to survive?
Thinking that maybe my brothers would survive and that we would be reunited.
What message would you like to leave for future generations?
We must be vigilant. Evil starts with a few people and then grows like a cancer. Don't be complacent; speak up when you see injustice.
Each time I leave my house I think back on how wonderful my life is now. After the war I could never have believed that I would come to America and have my beautiful children and grandchildren. It was an impossible to even dream such a thing.
Experiences
Survivor's map
