"On the Threshold of Oblivion" by Samuel Shats. Part II
"In an attempt to understand the inexplicable and to capture, through my photography, the faces of those who lived through such a brutal experience and managed to overcome it".
By Archivo Judío de Chile
Samuel Shats
Iosef Pal (José Peteri) 1942, Budapest, Hungary (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Iosef Pal (Joseph Peteri). 1942, Budapest, Hungary
His father is taken to the front, never to be heard from again. In 1944 his home is destroyed by bombing and his mother is taken prisoner, but she manages to escape and they are reunited. With the arrival of Russian communism in Hungary, the Jews are accused of being "opponents".
Jeannette (Jenny) Rippel 1921, Viena, Austria. (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Jeannette (Jenny) Rippel. 1921, Vienna, Austria
Only child, family with a good fortune until 1939. To protect her, she is sent to England on the "Kindertransport". Her parents are unable to escape persecution. She settles in London where she marries a Viennese soldier. In 1956 they emigrate to Chile, where their son is born.
Kurt Herdan 1922, Viena, Austria. (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Kurt Herdan. 1922, Vienna, Austria.
After the Soviet occupation he is sent to labour camps. In 1944 he moves to Bucharest. Escaping from communism to Israel, then Italy. He is contacted by his parents, who manage to escape to Chile and reunite in 1953. He settles in Chile, marries and devotes himself to painting.
Margot Lewy 1923, Berlin, Germany. (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Margot Levy. 1923, Berlin, Germany.
After being expelled from school for being Jewish and her parents' business being closed down, they decide to emigrate to Chile after the "Night of the Broken Glass". Her parents set up a boarding house for immigrants where she met her husband, with whom she had four children.
Manfred (Fredy) Stein 1932, Strojinetz, Romania. (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Manfred (Fredy) Stein. 1932, Strojinetz, Romania.
Thanks to their father's work (alcohol factory) they are saved from deportation twice. When they were released, they moved to Chernovitz. Their father is murdered by a pro-Nazi Ukrainian gang.
In 1948 they escape from communism to Bolivia, then Chile, where they start a family.
Minna Mendel 1918, Mackenheim, Germany. (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Minna Mendel. 1918, Mackenheim, Germany.
From an observant family in a village of 2,500 inhabitants. During the "Night of Broken Glass" his father and other Jews are sent to the Dachau concentration camp. Previously processed visas to Chile are updated, allowing his father to leave Dachau. They arrive in Chile in 1939.
Oreta Pesso 1921, Flórina, Greece 2014, Santiago, Chile. (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Oreta Pesso. 1921, Flórina, Greece-2014, Santiago, Chile.
They flee Flórina in '43. They were arrested. They buy freedom and join the partisans. They marry in the mountains. When they return they find that all their relatives and were deported to Birkenau and Auschwitz. They emigrate to Chile in 1951 where her husband's relatives died.
Rodolfo (Rudi) Haymann 1922, Berlín, Germany. (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Rudolf (Rudi) Haymann. 1922, Berlin, Germany
At the age of 16 declared a "danger to the Reich" and is placed under surveillance. He flees to British Palestine to a kibbutz. At the age of 21 volunteers for British army. He takes part in the fighting in Africa and the liberation of Italy. He goes to Chile 10 years later.
Tamara Barón 1935, Leipzig, Germany. (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Tamara Baron. 1935, Leipzig, Germany
She was born with the discriminatory measures in place. They escaped to Poland and from there to England, where they got visas for Chile.Arrived in August '38. She studies pedagogy and teaches mainly about the Holocaust. Marries and has two daughters.
Salomone Koen 1922, Monastir, Yugoslavia 2014, Santiago, Chile. (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Salomone Koen.1922, Monastir,Yugoslavia-2014,Santiago,Chile
His father dies en route to Auschwitz. He joins the partisans. He is sent to Opicina as a commandant where he arranges for all those returning from the camps to be sent to Israel. He is arrested, manages to escape by exchanging his clothes. In '57 he leaves for Chile.
Rosa Weschler 1938, Chernovitz, Romania. (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Rosa Weschler. 1938, Chernovitz, Romania.
At the age of 3 she was taken to the Moguilev ghetto, then to Transnistria, and a 1 later her father was sent to the front.Most of her family was killed and disappeared. They were taken in by an uncle in Bucharest.One day their father appeared after yrs without seeing him. In 1948 they arrived to Chile and got married.
Verónica Schwarz 1929, Budapest, Hungary. (2015-10-01/2015-10-01) by Samuel ShatsArchivo Judío de Chile
Veronica Schwarz. 1929, Budapest, Hungary
His father fought in the First World War, and as part of the reserves he saw the Nazi action in Prague, so he decided to leave Europe.
She arrives in Chile in 1939 at the age of 10. Attends school, studies piano and ballet. She marries and has three children.
Samuel Shats
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