Small handkerchief, glass bear, and two seashells in a box used by Edwin (Edik) Goldberg while confined to a bed with spinal tuberculosis in a labor camp in Siberia, from summer 1940 to August 1944 when he died at age 6. In 1939, Edik’s father, Emil, was called up by the Polish Army, leaving Edik and his mother, Elze, in Bielitz-Biala, Poland. Emil and Elze agreed to meet in Lvov (Lviv, Ukraine), if anything happened while he was gone. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. On September 17, the Soviet Union annexed eastern Poland, including Lvov. At the end of 1939, Elze and Edik made their way to Lvov and were reunited with Emil. In June 1940, the family was transported to western Siberia. Two year old Edik and his parents, Emil and Elze, arrived at the Siberian camp in June 1940. Not long after their arrival, Edik contracted tuberculosis. No adequate treatments were available in the primitive conditions of the camp, where his father worked as a dentist and his mother as a nurse. On August 1, 1944, Edik died.The war ended in May 1945. In May 1946, Emil and Elze returned to Poland.
Small handkerchief, glass bear, and two seashells in a box used by Edwin (Edik) Goldberg while confined to a bed with spinal tuberculosis in a labor camp in Siberia, from summer 1940 to August 1944 when he died at age 6. In 1939, Edik’s father, Emil, was called up by the Polish Army, leaving Edik and his mother, Elze, in Bielitz-Biala, Poland. Emil and Elze agreed to meet in Lvov (Lviv, Ukraine), if anything happened while he was gone. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. On September 17, the Soviet Union annexed eastern Poland, including Lvov. At the end of 1939, Elze and Edik made their way to Lvov and were reunited with Emil. In June 1940, the family was transported to western Siberia. Two year old Edik and his parents, Emil and Elze, arrived at the Siberian camp in June 1940. Not long after their arrival, Edik contracted tuberculosis. No adequate treatments were available in the primitive conditions of the camp, where his father worked as a dentist and his mother as a nurse. On August 1, 1944, Edik died.The war ended in May 1945. In May 1946, Emil and Elze returned to Poland.