Max Hirschhorn, 103, Veteran of WW II Forced Labor Camps, Dies
Matthew Kruk
Max Hirschhorn, 103, Veteran of WW II Forced Labor Camps, Dies
by Brooklyn Eagle (ed...@brooklyneagle.net), published online 03-01-2010
BROOKLYN -- Max Hirschhorn, a resident of Brooklyn for more than 50
years and a victim of forced-labor camps during World War II, died at
the age of 103 last month at Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan.
Hirscchorn was born July 18, 1907 in Dukla, Poland (then
Austria-Hungary) to Abraham and Minda Hirschhorn. He became
self-sufficient early in his life. His mother died and his father served
as a soldier during World War I, so he and his brother and sister were
cared for by other relatives who were also experiencing hard times.
His father's war injuries soon claimed his life, so to help his family,
Max moved on to find employment in various fields and locations
throughout central and western Europe. He worked as a coal miner in
Belgium, waited tables in Paris, and served as a soldier in the Polish
army. He fought the Nazis during the invasion of Poland in 1939, was
captured by the Nazis, escaped from a moving train, and was recaptured.
He was tried as a spy and instead of execution was sent to labor in
concentration camps at Dachau, Gross Rosen, Buchenwald, Neuengamme, and
Auschwitz and in the Auschwitz II-B-Birkenau death camp. He survived the
death-march evacuations in the winter of 1944-1945. His experience
during this time were recorded and preserved at the Shoah Foundation
Institute at the University of Southern California.
After the war, he lived as a displaced person in Antwerp, Belgium, where
he married Rose Prochovnic, whom he had met in Auschwitz, and he became
an expert furrier. Their son Sam was born in Antwerp and was almost six
years old when the family emigrated to New York.
Soon afterward, another son, Barry, was born and Max and Rose both
continued to work in garment and other manufacturing industries.
Until the time of his death on Feb. 8, Max enjoyed playing cards,
traveling, keeping up with the Yankees, and reading the New York Times
and the Forward. He was pre-deceased by his wife but leaves behind his
sons Barry of New York and Sam of Huntington as well as two
grandchildren.
Gifts in memory of Max may be sent to DOROT at 171 West 85th St. New
York, N.Y. 10024; the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty at 80
Maiden Lane, 21st Floor New York, N.Y. 10038, who recently provided
appreciated services; or the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 3300 East
Sunrise Drive Tucson, Ariz. 85718.
stra...@gmail.com
Bardzo zainteresowałem się artykułem na temat zmarłego Max Hirschhorna.
Posiadam dwie fotografie wykonane podczas życia w Krakowie.
Znam historię życia do 1941 r.Jeżeli zainteresował się Pan tym listem,to proszę o kontakt.
Piotr Adamczyk
Kraków Polska