Dapei Ed - Pages of Testimony in Yad Vashem

Subject: Zolkiewka - Inf.?
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 00 00:30:53 +0200
From: Kirsten and Morris Gradel
To: Ada Holtzman

Dear Ada

Yes, I remember your letter about the ROSENBLATTs and Zolkiewka. I also sent you info. that Morris's grandfather's second wife was Sura Rozenblatt, but our relatives in Argentina (descendants of Moshe Gradel and Sura Rosenblatt) didn't recognize any of the names you mentioned from Zolkiewka.

We are interested in Zolkiewka because we now know that Morris's father Aron was not born in Lublin as we had been led to believe. Therefore we are looking to other places in the Lublin area where we know the name GRADEL is found, and one of these places is Zolkiewka. As the ROSENBLATT name also occurs there we think it is an obvious place to start looking.

Nobody seems to know much about the town. It still exists and is on my Polish map, on road 842 going west from Krasnystaw, abt. 28 km. W of Krasnystaw, 40 km SSE of Lublin.

I posted a question in JewishGen mail group, but didn't get much: 1308 Jews lived there in 1921, after the war none. The town was founded and owned by a noble family Zolkiewski.- I also wrote the 7 genners searching Zolkiewka in JGFF, only 3 answered and they know less than we do.

I got no information about the fate of the Jews of Zolkiewka during the war. Your info on the Sobibor hero and the mass grave is new. I would appreciate it if you have material from Yad Vashem.

Shabat Shalom from Morris and Kirsten

Subject: Zolkiewka - Information
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2000 21:40:09 +0200
From: Ada Holtzman
To: : Kirsten and Morris Gradel

Dear Kirsten,

I helped in the past Mario Rosenblatt who has roots from Zolkiewka. He was already born in Peru but grandfather and father came from there.
This was my message and the only information I have, except that I know it was near Lublin, and the hero of the revolt in Sobibor, was from Zolkiewka: Arie Leib Felhandler. He was the leader of the forgotten revolt in Sobibor. After he managed to escape and survive. He got married in 1946 in Lublin, to be KILLED BY ANTI-SEMITE POLES, in Lublin!

What is your connection to Zolkiewka? I believe I have some material form Yad Vashem about this town but have to check my growing archive... If not found, I shall order the Holocaust testimonies again.

Many thanks to Morris for the translation. He is a treasure!

Can I load him with another project - not Holocaust - but rather a beautiful monograph about ZAKROCZYM?

I intend to erect a new web site dedicated to this community.

Le me know, shalom,

Ada

Subject: Zolkiewka - Information
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 07:03:04 +0200
From: Ada Holtzman
To: : Kirsten and Morris Gradel

Dear Kirsten,
I shall give your email personally to Mario, my friend. He will contact you if he believes you are connected (through Sura Rosenblatt). He also has very little information. His father died a long time ago and left him with nothing except what I wrote to JewishGen. I know Zolkiewka does exist on the map. It was misspelled at the time, as Mario gave me the phonetically spelt: "JILKEWKA".

I am sending Yad Vashem an inquiry about Zolkiewka. I shall advise you when and if I get a reply. I am sure I xeroxed once a testimony about it but unable to find. I shall check again during the Shabat.

Shalom dear friends,

Ada

Subject: Zolkiewka - Information
Date: Sun, 12 Mar 00 18:14:33 +0200
From: Kirsten and Morris Gradel
To: Ada Holtzman

Dear Ada

Did you ever get any information about Zolkiewka. I remember you posed a question about that town to the JewishGen discussion group?

I would very much like to hear whatever you have. Nothing on the net; Alexander Sharon told that 1308 Jews lived there in 1921, no one after the war. He proposed I write to the Genners that had listed an interest in Zolkiewka - which I did - but so far 4 answers from 7 people have been very kind, but they don't know anything either.
Kirsten Gradel

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