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Miriam Monczyk-Laczkowska Ferber - December 7, 1999

Miriam Monczyk-Laczkowska Ferber was born in 1942, in Sosnowiec, Poland. In 1942, Miriam and her family were moved to the Srodula ghetto on the outskirts of Sosnowiec. The Nazis murdered Miriam's father in the ghetto. Miriam's mother asked the Laczkowska family, prior neighbor and Polish family to take the infant Miriam in until her mother could retrun and reunite with her. The Laczkowska's smuggled Miriam out of the ghetto, however, Miriam's mother and brother were deported to a death camp and likely, were murdered upon arrival. Miriam spent the remainder of the war in the care of the Laczkowska's. She was portrayed by the family as the illegtimate daughter of the oldest Laczkowska child and raised as a Polish Catholic. Near the end of the war, Mr. Laczkowska was deported to Gusen, a sub-camp of Mauthausen, where he died of typhus. Following the end of the war, Miriam continued her life as a Polish Catholic. While still a teenager, Miriam found out about her Jewish background. As part of a program developed by the Lubavitcher Rebbe to bring European Jews to America, Miriam was purposely seperated from her mother and brought to America.

Introduction German Occupation Fate of Jewish Family Family Background Story given to Germans Church Scarlet Fever Polish Mother's Resourcefulness Post-War Life Post-War Anti-Semitism School Suspects Background Dislike of Church Discovers Background

Reaction Friend's Reactions Feelings About Polish Family Learning about Judaism Relations with Non-Jews Feelings Toward Jewish Mother Orphanage Return to Polish Mother Return to Polish Mother, Continued Rabbi Hirsch Kraków Brussels Seperated from Mother Switzerland

The Rebbitsen Rabbi Kreiswirth Antwerp Resentment Immigration to America Relatives in America New York Meets Future Husband Wedding Reflections Hidden Children Group Returns to Poland Polish Family Visits America Reflections on Polish Family