United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Chaim Litke (1919-2008, later Harry Litke) was born in Ozorków, Poland to bakery owner Icek and Golda (née Moskowitz) Litke. He had one sister, Beila, and three brothers, Mojse (b. 1909), Schlomo, and Zachary. Chaim was first arrested in Ozorków in 1941. He was sent to Auschwitz in August, 1943. While he was there he had eight teeth forcibly extracted. He was later sent to Flossenbürg concentration camp, Flossenbürg, Germany. From there, he was sent on a death-march around December 1944. The death-march sent him through concentration camps in Augsburg, Kaufering, and Leonberg before being sent to Ganacker concentration camp, Ganacker, Germany. He was liberated in May, 1945 by the United States Army. After liberation, he went to the Eggenfelden displaced persons camp, Eggenfelden, Germany. While there he met Frida Hoffmann, and they married in 1949. They immigrated to the United States in 1949, and settled in Chicago, Illinois. Frida Hoffmann Litke (1925-2010, born Frieda Hoffmann) was born in Volové, Czechoslovakia (now Volovo, Ukraine) to Isidor (d. circa 1928) and Lenka (d. 1944, née Jakubowicz) Hoffmann. She had one brother, Moses (b. 1920), one sister, Rae, and one stepbrother, Josef Davidovic (1910-1945). Her family owned a profitable whole grain store which was closed in 1939 after Czechoslovakia was occupied by Hungary. Frida worked for her brother Josef at his dental practice until he was sent to a forced labor camp around 1941. In April, 1944, she and her mother were sent to the ghetto at Sekernica, Czechoslovakia, and then to Auschwitz. Frida’s mother was separated from her and killed. Frida was later sent to Stutthof concentration camp near Danzig. She was then sent to the Praust subcamp of Stutthof. The camp was evacuated in January, 1945, and she was liberated by the Russian Army in Putzig, Germany in March, 1945. After the war, Frida went to the Eggenfelden displaced persons camp, Eggenfelden, Germany. While there she met Chaim Litke, and they married in 1949. They immigrated to the United States in 1949, and settled in Chicago, Illinois.Frida’s brother Joseph died at Dachau concentration camp in 1945, days away from liberation. Her brother Moses died in a forced labor camp. Her sister, Rae, survived the war and immigrated to the United States.
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The Litke family papers are arranged as three series. Series 1: Biographical material, 1938-1964; Series 2: Restitution papers and testimonies, 1945-1981; Series 3: Photographs, 1922-1962. All series are arranged alphabetically.
The Litke family papers document the experiences of Chaim Litke and Frida Hoffmann Litke in concentration camps during the Holocaust, and their post-war lives in the Eggenfelden displaced persons camp, Eggenfelden, Germany from 1945-1949. The collection includes papers from Eggenfelden, immigration and naturalization documents, restitution papers, Frida’s testimonies about her time in Auschwitz concentration camp, and photographs. The biographical materials primarily consist of papers documenting Frida and Chaim Litke’s experiences at the Eggenfelden displaced persons camp, 1945-1949. These are chiefly documents regarding identification and work. Other papers include immigration and naturalization papers, a letter written to Frida; poems about the Holocaust written by Frida, and Frida and Chaim’s marriage certificate and ketubah. The restitution papers include correspondence and testimonies regarding Frida and Chaim’s experiences at Auschwitz and other concentration camps. There are several testimonies of Frida’s that also include typed transcriptions. The photographs series primarily contains photographs of Eggenfelden displaced persons camp from 1945-1949. Included are photographs of Frida and Chaim’s wedding, children, and friends and family. There are three photograph albums. The black photograph album contains some photographs from Eggenfelden, but the bulk is of friends and family in the United States. The brown and “Grinnerungen” photograph albums are primarily comprised of photographs from Eggenfelden.
Litke family papers