Narrow Results By
Autograph album
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn113341
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- book
- Physical Description
- Autograph album : handwritten : purple, red, green, beige, black ; Ht: 8,8 cm x W: 14,5 cm
- Date
- 1927-1930
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- book
- Physical Description
- Autograph album : handwritten : purple, red, green, beige, black ; Ht: 8,8 cm x W: 14,5 cm
- Date
- 1927-1930
- Language
- Polish
- Yiddish
- English
- Notes
- Recktangular booklet, inclouding 35 pages. The colour of the cover is beetroot in all nuances caused by discolouration. A small flower in black is engraved. The border of the pages is coloured in red. The first and last pages are printed with green filigree leaves. Some pages are used respectively labelled. Narrative: Sonia Smolnik-Aronowicz-Tencer was born in 1915, in Vilnius, formerly part of Poland. Her family has lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. The city was under the Soviet occupation when the Nazis invaded on June 22, 1941. In September 1941, Sonia and her family were deported to the Vilnius ghetto, created by the Nazis to dehumanize and exploit the Jews. They remained there until 1943, when the men and women were separated. It was the last time she saw her brother, Ariye, and her husband, Misha. In the ghetto of Vilnius, Sonia befriended Miriam and Minya (Miriam's sister-in-law). Together, they made a pact to help each other survive the war. Their friendship and alliance represent a form of resistance against the abuse they suffered in the ghetto and labor camps. The same year, Sonia's parents went into hiding. Sonia and her two friends were then deported to the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia where they were used as forced labor. In 1945, they were deported to Bromberg-Ost, a women's annex of the Stutthof concentration camp where they were forced to build German railroads and barracks. The camp was liquidated on January 20, 1945, 300 survivors set off on a death march to Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg. Sonia managed to escape. She spent the next few weeks hiding in abandoned German houses before her liberation by the Soviet Army. On the day of her liberation near Pomerania, a Soviet soldier gave Sonia a necklace as a symbol of hope and comfort. He told her she would be able to wear jewelry again one day. After the war, Sonia reunited with her two friends. Miriam then immigrated to Boston where she became an administrative assistant in the Chemistry Department at Harvard. Minya remained in France, where she married and had two sons. Sonia arrived in Canada aboard the ship Samaria in 1950.
- Accession No.
- 2020X.10.04
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Blanket
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn45483
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Blanket : Sewn : Blue, Grey, Green ; Ht: 36 1/2 in. x W: 51 1/2 in.
- Date
- 1939-1945
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Blanket : Sewn : Blue, Grey, Green ; Ht: 36 1/2 in. x W: 51 1/2 in.
- Other Title Information
- Bedding
- Date
- 1939-1945
- Physical Condition
- Good
- Notes
- Blanket consists of small square patches stitched together to form a large square blanket. Concentration camp blanket. Narrative: This blanket was issued to prisoner in a concentration camp, it was used by Sonia Aronowicz during a death march. Sonia Aronowicz was born in 1915 in Vilnius, Poland (today Lithuania). Her family had lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. In 1941, after the Nazis invaded the region, Sonia and her family were sent to the Vilnius ghetto. The ghetto was liquidated in September 1943 and men and women were separated. This was the last time Sonia saw her husband Misha and her younger brother Ariye. Her parents went into hiding. Sonia was deported along with her friend, Miriam and Miriam’s sister-in-law, Minya. The three of them made a pact to always stay together. This gave them strength. Together they worked successively in the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia, and Stutthof and Bromberg-Ost (in Bydgoszcz), Poland. Their work was very demanding, they built rails for trains and hauled wood to build barracks. Sonia was then sent on a death march and was eventually liberated by Soviet soldiers in Pomorze, Poland.
- Accession No.
- 2011X.330.01
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Places
- Poland, Europe
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Dress
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn47807
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Dress : woven, sewn, machine, hand : prink, grey, yellow
- Date
- 1925-1935
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Dress : woven, sewn, machine, hand : prink, grey, yellow
- Other Title Information
- Clothing, Outerwear
- Date
- 1925-1935
- Physical Condition
- Poor
- Notes
- Short sleeved dress that is colour blocked in stripes. The bodice and skirt have been sewn using multiple panels, alternating the colour lines horizontally and vertically, creating a syle line effect. The inside hem has been reinforced in sections with additional strips of fabric. Metal snap clasps are found along the right shoulder seem. Narrative: Dress was worn by Sonia Smolnick before the war. This item was burried in an empty barrel during the war and retrieved after the war by Sonia (donor's mother). Sonia Aronowicz was born in 1915 in Vilnius, Poland (today Lithuania). Her family had lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. In 1941, after the Nazis invaded the region, Sonia and her family were sent to the Vilnius ghetto. The ghetto was liquidated in September 1943 and men and women were separated. This was the last time Sonia saw her husband Misha and her younger brother Ariye. Her parents went into hiding. Sonia was deported along with her friend, Miriam and Miriam’s sister-in-law, Minya. The three of them made a pact to always stay together. This gave them strength. Together they worked successively in the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia, and Stutthof and Bromberg-Ost (in Bydgoszcz), Poland. Their work was very demanding, they built rails for trains and hauled wood to build barracks. Sonia was then sent on a death march and was eventually liberated by Soviet soldiers in Pomorze, Poland.
- Accession No.
- 2003.19.01
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Places
- Pazece, Poland, Europe
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Dress
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn76283
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Dress : sewn : blue, grey ; Ht: 39 1/2 in. x W: 25 in.
- Date
- 1943-1945
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Dress : sewn : blue, grey ; Ht: 39 1/2 in. x W: 25 in.
- Other Title Information
- Clothing, Outerwear
- Date
- 1943-1945
- Physical Condition
- Good
- Notes
- This dress is made of blue and grey stripes material with 2 black buttons at neck (1 missing), collar, 12” slit at front bottom. It was the uniform of a female concentration camp prisoner. Narrative: This dress belonged to Sonia Aronowicz born in 1915 in Vilnius, Poland (today Lithuania). Her family had lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. In 1941, after the Nazis invaded the region, Sonia and her family were sent to the Vilnius ghetto. The ghetto was liquidated in September 1943 and men and women were separated. This was the last time Sonia saw her husband Misha and her younger brother Ariye. Her parents went into hiding. Sonia was deported along with her friend, Miriam and Miriam’s sister-in-law, Minya. The three of them made a pact to always stay together. This gave them strength. Together they worked successively in the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia, and Stutthof and Bromberg-Ost (in Bydgoszcz), Poland. Their work was very demanding, they built rails for trains and hauled wood to build barracks. Sonia was then sent on a death march and was eventually liberated by Soviet soldiers in Pomorze, Poland.
- Accession No.
- 2011X.330.03
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Places
- Europe
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Dress
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn113337
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Dress : sewn ; Ht: 97,5 cm x W: 52,5 cm
- Date
- [ca. 1947]
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Dress : sewn ; Ht: 97,5 cm x W: 52,5 cm
- Date
- [ca. 1947]
- Notes
- Dark blue dress with full length buttons. There are press studs at the sleeves. On the photos 2020.10.02 and 2020.10.03 we can see Sonia wearing the dress. Narrative: Sonia Smolnik-Aronowicz-Tencer was born in 1915, in Vilnius, formerly part of Poland. Her family has lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. The city was under the Soviet occupation when the Nazis invaded on June 22, 1941. In September 1941, Sonia and her family were deported to the Vilnius ghetto, created by the Nazis to dehumanize and exploit the Jews. They remained there until 1943, when the men and women were separated. It was the last time she saw her brother, Ariye, and her husband, Misha. In the ghetto of Vilnius, Sonia befriended Miriam and Minya (Miriam's sister-in-law). Together, they made a pact to help each other survive the war. Their friendship and alliance represent a form of resistance against the abuse they suffered in the ghetto and labor camps. The same year, Sonia's parents went into hiding. Sonia and her two friends were then deported to the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia where they were used as forced labor. In 1945, they were deported to Bromberg-Ost, a women's annex of the Stutthof concentration camp where they were forced to build German railroads and barracks. The camp was liquidated on January 20, 1945, 300 survivors set off on a death march to Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg. Sonia managed to escape. She spent the next few weeks hiding in abandoned German houses before her liberation by the Soviet Army. On the day of her liberation near Pomerania, a Soviet soldier gave Sonia a necklace as a symbol of hope and comfort. He told her she would be able to wear jewelry again one day. After the war, Sonia reunited with her two friends. Miriam then immigrated to Boston where she became an administrative assistant in the Chemistry Department at Harvard. Minya remained in France, where she married and had two sons. Sonia arrived in Canada aboard the ship Samaria in 1950.
- Accession No.
- 2020.10.01
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Places
- Poland, Europe
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Knife
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn113344
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Knife : silver ; Ht: 0,4 cm x W: 1,8 cm x De: 18,5 cm
- Date
- 1943
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Knife : silver ; Ht: 0,4 cm x W: 1,8 cm x De: 18,5 cm
- Date
- 1943
- Language
- German
- Notes
- Silver-colored metal knife with a rounded tip. The handle is thicker but smaller than the blade. The knife is wrapped in an envelope with a lettering written in Yiddish.There is an inscription on the handle, Rostfrei. Sonia Smolnik-Aronowicz-Tencer was born in 1915, in Vilnius, formerly part of Poland. Her family has lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. The city was under the Soviet occupation when the Nazis invaded on June 22, 1941. In September 1941, Sonia and her family were deported to the Vilnius ghetto, created by the Nazis to dehumanize and exploit the Jews. They remained there until 1943, when the men and women were separated. It was the last time she saw her brother, Ariye, and her husband, Misha. In the ghetto of Vilnius, Sonia befriended Miriam and Minya (Miriam's sister-in-law). Together, they made a pact to help each other survive the war. Their friendship and alliance represent a form of resistance against the abuse they suffered in the ghetto and labor camps. The same year, Sonia's parents went into hiding. Sonia and her two friends were then deported to the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia where they were used as forced labor. In 1945, they were deported to Bromberg-Ost, a women's annex of the Stutthof concentration camp where they were forced to build German railroads and barracks. The camp was liquidated on January 20, 1945, 300 survivors set off on a death march to Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg. Sonia managed to escape. She spent the next few weeks hiding in abandoned German houses before her liberation by the Soviet Army. On the day of her liberation near Pomerania, a Soviet soldier gave Sonia a necklace as a symbol of hope and comfort. He told her she would be able to wear jewelry again one day. After the war, Sonia reunited with her two friends. Miriam then immigrated to Boston where she became an administrative assistant in the Chemistry Department at Harvard. Minya remained in France, where she married and had two sons. Sonia arrived in Canada aboard the ship Samaria in 1950.
- Accession No.
- 2020X.10.06
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Lunch box
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn47778
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Lunch box : cut, varnished, hinged, leather worked, metal worked : brown, silver ; Ht: 9,5 cm x W: 12,8 cm x De: 21,5 cm
- Date
- 1920-1930
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Lunch box : cut, varnished, hinged, leather worked, metal worked : brown, silver ; Ht: 9,5 cm x W: 12,8 cm x De: 21,5 cm
- Other Title Information
- Container
- Date
- 1920-1930
- Physical Condition
- Good
- Notes
- Oval lunch box; leather hinged, wood lid, with leather strap and metal buckle. Narrative: Used by Ariye (Leibele) Smolnik in kindergarten or grade 1, was buried to save it, Ariye was killed in Holocaust, sister Sonia recovered it afterwards
- Accession No.
- 2011X.330.06
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Necklace
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn113342
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Necklace : carved ; Ht: 0,5 cm x W: 5 cm x De: 32 cm
- Date
- [ca. 1930]
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Necklace : carved ; Ht: 0,5 cm x W: 5 cm x De: 32 cm
- Date
- [ca. 1930]
- Notes
- The pendant features carved elements of leaves, branches and haptic flowers in a circular piece of bone. It is attached by a black cord, decorated with beads, to an oblong clasp. In March 1945, a Soviet soldier gave this necklace to Sonia when he liberated her near Pomerania. The soldier told Sonia that she would one day wear jewelry again and gave her the necklace. Narrative: Sonia Smolnik-Aronowicz-Tencer was born in 1915, in Vilnius, formerly part of Poland. Her family has lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. The city was under the Soviet occupation when the Nazis invaded on June 22, 1941. In September 1941, Sonia and her family were deported to the Vilnius ghetto, created by the Nazis to dehumanize and exploit the Jews. They remained there until 1943, when the men and women were separated. It was the last time she saw her brother, Ariye, and her husband, Misha. In the ghetto of Vilnius, Sonia befriended Miriam and Minya (Miriam's sister-in-law). Together, they made a pact to help each other survive the war. Their friendship and alliance represent a form of resistance against the abuse they suffered in the ghetto and labor camps. The same year, Sonia's parents went into hiding. Sonia and her two friends were then deported to the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia where they were used as forced labor. In 1945, they were deported to Bromberg-Ost, a women's annex of the Stutthof concentration camp where they were forced to build German railroads and barracks. The camp was liquidated on January 20, 1945, 300 survivors set off on a death march to Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg. Sonia managed to escape. She spent the next few weeks hiding in abandoned German houses before her liberation by the Soviet Army. On the day of her liberation near Pomerania, a Soviet soldier gave Sonia a necklace as a symbol of hope and comfort. He told her she would be able to wear jewelry again one day. After the war, Sonia reunited with her two friends. Miriam then immigrated to Boston where she became an administrative assistant in the Chemistry Department at Harvard. Minya remained in France, where she married and had two sons. Sonia arrived in Canada aboard the ship Samaria in 1950.
- Accession No.
- 2020X.10.07
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Places
- Europe
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Photograph
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn113339
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- graphic material
- Physical Description
- Photograph : silver print ; Ht: 8,5 cm x W: 6 cm
- Date
- 1948
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- graphic material
- Physical Description
- Photograph : silver print ; Ht: 8,5 cm x W: 6 cm
- Date
- 1948
- Language
- German
- English
- Notes
- Black and white photo of the portrait of Sonia Tencer, in Warsaw in 1948. Jagged edge. Sonia is wearing a blue dress (see 2020.10.01) Narrative: Sonia Smolnik-Aronowicz-Tencer was born in 1915, in Vilnius, formerly part of Poland. Her family has lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. The city was under the Soviet occupation when the Nazis invaded on June 22, 1941. In September 1941, Sonia and her family were deported to the Vilnius ghetto, created by the Nazis to dehumanize and exploit the Jews. They remained there until 1943, when the men and women were separated. It was the last time she saw her brother, Ariye, and her husband, Misha. In the ghetto of Vilnius, Sonia befriended Miriam and Minya (Miriam's sister-in-law). Together, they made a pact to help each other survive the war. Their friendship and alliance represent a form of resistance against the abuse they suffered in the ghetto and labor camps. The same year, Sonia's parents went into hiding. Sonia and her two friends were then deported to the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia where they were used as forced labor. In 1945, they were deported to Bromberg-Ost, a women's annex of the Stutthof concentration camp where they were forced to build German railroads and barracks. The camp was liquidated on January 20, 1945, 300 survivors set off on a death march to Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg. Sonia managed to escape. She spent the next few weeks hiding in abandoned German houses before her liberation by the Soviet Army. On the day of her liberation near Pomerania, a Soviet soldier gave Sonia a necklace as a symbol of hope and comfort. He told her she would be able to wear jewelry again one day. After the war, Sonia reunited with her two friends. Miriam then immigrated to Boston where she became an administrative assistant in the Chemistry Department at Harvard. Minya remained in France, where she married and had two sons. Sonia arrived in Canada aboard the ship Samaria in 1950.
- Accession No.
- 2020.10.02
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Photograph
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn113340
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTRE (MHMC-01)
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- graphic material
- Physical Description
- Photograph : silver print ; Ht: 13,5 cm x W: 8,5 cm
- Date
- October 27, 1948
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTRE (MHMC-01)
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- graphic material
- Physical Description
- Photograph : silver print ; Ht: 13,5 cm x W: 8,5 cm
- Date
- October 27, 1948
- Language
- German
- English
- Notes
- Black and white photo of the memorial for the Warsaw Ghetto in 1948. Jagged outline. Narrative: Sonia Smolnik-Aronowicz-Tencer was born in 1915, in Vilnius, formerly part of Poland. Her family has lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. The city was under the Soviet occupation when the Nazis invaded on June 22, 1941. In September 1941, Sonia and her family were deported to the Vilnius ghetto, created by the Nazis to dehumanize and exploit the Jews. They remained there until 1943, when the men and women were separated. It was the last time she saw her brother, Ariye, and her husband, Misha. In the ghetto of Vilnius, Sonia befriended Miriam and Minya (Miriam's sister-in-law). Together, they made a pact to help each other survive the war. Their friendship and alliance represent a form of resistance against the abuse they suffered in the ghetto and labor camps. The same year, Sonia's parents went into hiding. Sonia and her two friends were then deported to the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia where they were used as forced labor. In 1945, they were deported to Bromberg-Ost, a women's annex of the Stutthof concentration camp where they were forced to build German railroads and barracks. The camp was liquidated on January 20, 1945, 300 survivors set off on a death march to Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg. Sonia managed to escape. She spent the next few weeks hiding in abandoned German houses before her liberation by the Soviet Army. On the day of her liberation near Pomerania, a Soviet soldier gave Sonia a necklace as a symbol of hope and comfort. He told her she would be able to wear jewelry again one day. After the war, Sonia reunited with her two friends. Miriam then immigrated to Boston where she became an administrative assistant in the Chemistry Department at Harvard. Minya remained in France, where she married and had two sons. Sonia arrived in Canada aboard the ship Samaria in 1950.
- Accession No.
- 2020.10.03
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Table runner
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn47809
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Table runner : knitted, braided : beige
- Date
- 1920-1940
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Table runner : knitted, braided : beige
- Other Title Information
- Household Accessory
- Date
- 1920-1940
- Physical Condition
- Good
- Notes
- Rectangular shaped with 3 inner borders made of silk-like braide; the middle border has another outline of non-shiney cord surrounding the silk braid. In between each border is a knitted section. Narrative: This table runner was used by Smolnick family in Pazece (Poland) prior to the war. The family owned a distillery and sold beer and lemonade. This item was burried in an empty barrel during the war and retrieved after the war by their daughter Sonia (donor's mother).
- Accession No.
- 2003.19.03
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Places
- Pazece, Poland, Europe
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Titre d'identité et de voyage
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn113343
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- Identification card : printed, handwritten, stamped : beige, green, red, black, blue ; Ht: 12,5 cm x W: 8,8 cm
- Date
- -February 17, 1951
- Collection
- MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- Identification card : printed, handwritten, stamped : beige, green, red, black, blue ; Ht: 12,5 cm x W: 8,8 cm
- Date
- -February 17, 1951
- Language
- French
- Polish
- Notes
- Identification and travel card, including 18 pages (without the cover). The left corner on the top and the right corner on the bottom are red. The cover is beige and the pages are in pastel green. The first and second page contain personal information about Sonia Aronowicz (place of birth and domicile and physical appearence). The third page has a picture of her. The card was issued from February the 17, 1950 till February the 16, 1951. It contains an exit permit from France and an entry permit for Canada. Narrative: Sonia Smolnik-Aronowicz-Tencer was born in 1915, in Vilnius, formerly part of Poland. Her family has lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. The city was under the Soviet occupation when the Nazis invaded on June 22, 1941. In September 1941, Sonia and her family were deported to the Vilnius ghetto, created by the Nazis to dehumanize and exploit the Jews. They remained there until 1943, when the men and women were separated. It was the last time she saw her brother, Ariye, and her husband, Misha. In the ghetto of Vilnius, Sonia befriended Miriam and Minya (Miriam's sister-in-law). Together, they made a pact to help each other survive the war. Their friendship and alliance represent a form of resistance against the abuse they suffered in the ghetto and labor camps. The same year, Sonia's parents went into hiding. Sonia and her two friends were then deported to the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia where they were used as forced labor. In 1945, they were deported to Bromberg-Ost, a women's annex of the Stutthof concentration camp where they were forced to build German railroads and barracks. The camp was liquidated on January 20, 1945, 300 survivors set off on a death march to Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg. Sonia managed to escape. She spent the next few weeks hiding in abandoned German houses before her liberation by the Soviet Army. On the day of her liberation near Pomerania, a Soviet soldier gave Sonia a necklace as a symbol of hope and comfort. He told her she would be able to wear jewelry again one day. After the war, Sonia reunited with her two friends. Miriam then immigrated to Boston where she became an administrative assistant in the Chemistry Department at Harvard. Minya remained in France, where she married and had two sons. Sonia arrived in Canada aboard the ship Samaria in 1950.
- Accession No.
- 2020X.10.09
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Places
- France, Europe
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
Turtle-neck jersey
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn47808
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Sweater : knitted, sewn, machine : beige, grey-blue
- Date
- 1920-1940
- Collection
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- object
- Physical Description
- Sweater : knitted, sewn, machine : beige, grey-blue
- Other Title Information
- Clothing, Outerwear
- Date
- 1920-1940
- Physical Condition
- Good
- Notes
- Short sleeved sweater with a beige bodice and a grey-blue turtleneck, sleeves and bottom hem. Narrative: Sweater was worn by Sonia Smolnick before the war. This item was burried in an empty barrel during the war and retrieved after the war by Sonia (donor's mother). Sonia Aronowicz was born in 1915 in Vilnius, Poland (today Lithuania). Her family had lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. In 1941, after the Nazis invaded the region, Sonia and her family were sent to the Vilnius ghetto. The ghetto was liquidated in September 1943 and men and women were separated. This was the last time Sonia saw her husband Misha and her younger brother Ariye. Her parents went into hiding. Sonia was deported along with her friend, Miriam and Miriam’s sister-in-law, Minya. The three of them made a pact to always stay together. This gave them strength. Together they worked successively in the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia, and Stutthof and Bromberg-Ost (in Bydgoszcz), Poland. Their work was very demanding, they built rails for trains and hauled wood to build barracks. Sonia was then sent on a death march and was eventually liberated by Soviet soldiers in Pomorze, Poland.
- Accession No.
- 2003.19.02
- Name Access
- Tencer, Naomi
- Places
- Pazece, Poland, Europe
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Montreal Holocaust Museum
Images
{{ server.message }}