us-005578-irn512843-irn671690
type: RecordSet
archival history: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
biographical history: Regina Rotenberg was born on October 13, 1925 in Gera, Germany to Max (Moshek) Rotenberg (born in Łódź, Poland, October 30, 1896-1942) and Tema (Toni) Frankel (born in Busk, Poland, February 3, 1900-1942). They had four children Regina (born in Gera, Germany, October 13, 1925), Wolfgang (born in Berlin, Germany, June 4, 1929), Siegmund (born in Berlin, August 4, 1934), and Sonja (born in Brussels, Belgium, September 11, 1940). In October 1938, Max Rotenberg, a Jewish Polish citizen, was deported to Poland. He was eventually released, likely from Zbąszyń, and lived with one of his sisters in Łódź. While Max was deported, Tema and her three oldest children remained in Berlin, Germany. In February 1939, the children were sent on a Red Cross Kindertransport to Brussels, Belgium. The family was reunited in Brussels sometime in the summer of 1939. The youngest of the Rotenberg siblings, Sonja, was born on September 11, 1940. While in Brussels, Max worked illegally selling leather in order to support the family. Regina briefly attended school but she was eventually sent to work alongside a dressmaker, so that she could learn a trade. After the Nazis began deporting young girls, Regina stayed with the dressmaker for a month. Soon the dressmaker became concerned that they would be caught. She sent Regina to live with a cousin in Halmael, Belgium. After paying the woman that would sheltered them, the rest of the Rotenberg family joined Regina in Halmael. While in Halmael, the family became friendly with the parish priest, Father Hubert Celis. In October 1942, Tema asked Father Celis to help hide the children. Regina (age 17) and Sonja (age 2) were sent to stay with Celis’ father, Joseph Celis. Wolfgang (age 13) and Siegmund (age 8) were sent to live with Hubert’s brother, Father Louis Celis, also a priest, and his housekeeper, Marie-Louise Tabruyn. The last time Regina saw her mother was on her birthday, October 13, 1942. Her mother had brought her a birthday cake to celebrat…
date: circa 1920-1942
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had identifier: 1
has or had identifier: 3
has or had identifier: 2
has or had some members with language: heb
has or had some members with language: fra
has or had some members with language: pol
has or had some members with language: deu
has or had subject: 2
has or had subject: 824
has or had subject: 904
has or had subject: 1138
has or had subject: 112
has or had subject: 701
has or had subject: 843
has record set type: Item
identifier: irn671690
is or was included in: us-005578-irn512843
record resource extent: folders book enclosures 15 2
record resource structure: The Regina Wolbrom papers is arranged in three series: Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1921-1944 Series 2: Photographs, circa 1920-1942 Series 3: Poesie books, 1935-1955
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: The Regina Wolbrom papers contains Rotenberg family documents, a photocopy of one of the four letters written by Regina Rotenberg (age 19) while in prison awaiting transport to Auschwitz concentration camp, dated May 19, 1944, two Poesie books kept by Regina, 1935-1955, as well as personal photographs and studio portraits of the Rotenberg, Frankel, and Wolbrom families prior to World War II. The photographs also include images of the Rotenberg siblings (Regina, Wolfgang, Siegmund, and Sonja) before the war and while in hiding, and group photographs of Bnei Akiva events, 1940-1942. The photographs in this collection contain images of both survivors and victims of the Holocaust taken in Germany, Belgium, and Poland. The biographical materials include family documents reissued to the Rotenberg family, 1922-1939. These materials include a civil registry for Moszek Lejzor Rotenberg issued in Łódź, Poland, November 30, 1922; a marriage certificate for Tema Frankel and Moszek Rotenberg, reissued on February 6, 1929 in Łódź, Poland; a birth certificate for Tema Frankel reissued on August 22, 1921 in Busko, Poland; and a birth certificate for “Rikel Regine” (Regina) Rotenberg reissued in Gera, Germany, January 18, 1939. Also included is an “Israelitische Vereinigung…Einlaßkarte” seating card for issued to Toni Rotenberg in 1936. Also included among the Regina Wolbrom papers is a photocopy of one of the four letters written by Regina Rotenberg (age 19) while in prison awaiting transport to the Birkenau concentration camp, dated May 19, 1944. Regina slipped the letters from the transport train and a farmer named Van Hoof later found two of the letters on the tracks and mailed them to the Celis family. The photographs in the collection include images of both survivors and victims of the Holocaust. These include a studio portrait of Erna Frankel in Gera, Germany, 1920; David and Chana (née Rotenberg) Lokcinski, undated; Bella Rotenberg, 1928, and a portrait of Father Hubert Celi…
title: Regina Wolbrom papers