A chronological reconstruction of Herman Freiman’s life, compiled from Arolsen Archives, Yad Vashem, and family records. Gaps remain in the wartime period (see Research Notes for known unknowns and next steps).
Pre-War Period (1910–1941)#
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|
| March 2, 1910 | Born in Boryslaw, Galicia (then Austria-Hungary/Poland) | DP-2 Cards, Polish Registry |
| Pre-1938 | Last permanent residence: Boryslaw, Poland | ITS Certificate 413381 |
| Pre-1941 | Married first wife; children born (names unknown) | Family oral history |
| Unknown | Worked as tailor (Schneider) | All documents |
War Period (1941–1944)#
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|
| July 1, 1941 | German occupation of Boryslaw begins | Yad Vashem Pinkas HaKehillot |
| July 1941 | Confined to Ghetto Boryslaw | 1959 ITS Form, TD File |
| 1941–1944 | Forced labor in ZAL (Zwangsarbeitslager) Boryslaw | TD File 790 495 |
| Unknown | First wife and children perished | Family history |
| March 1944 | Liberation / end of Boryslaw ZAL period | 1959 ITS Form |
The Boryslaw ZAL was a forced labor camp serving the local oil industry. Herman’s profession as a tailor (Schneider) — a skill valued by the Germans — is believed to have been a factor in his survival. Only approximately 400–600 Jews from Boryslaw survived the Holocaust.
Post-War Period (1945–1948)#
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|
| 1945 | Married Ester (née unknown) in Poland | 1959 ITS Form |
| 1945–1946 | Resided at Bielawa, Wolności 131, Poland | Polish Jewish Registry |
| Sept 4, 1946 | Arrived at DP Camp 678, Ulm Boelcke Kaserne | DP-2 Card, DP-3 Card |
| Nov 20, 1946 | Registered again at Ulm DP Camp | DP-2 Card |
| July 1, 1947 | Still at Ulm Boelcke Kaserne DP Camp | DP Camp List |
| Sept 30, 1948 | Left Ulm DP Camp for Israel | Emigration List Nr. 19 |
Israel Period (1948 onwards)#
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|
| Nov 4, 1948 | Emigrated to Israel on ship Negba with wife Ester | ITS Certificate, 1959 Form |
| Post-1948 | Settled at Hugo Moller Street 28, Kfar Ata-Giwat Ata | All ITS documents |
| Oct 20, 1959 | Signed Power of Attorney for Dr. H. Mannheim (restitution) | Vollmacht document |
| Feb 26, 1960 | ITS Certificate of Residence issued | Certificate No. 413381 |
The Negba was one of several ships used by the nascent State of Israel to transport displaced persons from European DP camps. The family settled in Kfar Ata (today Kiryat Ata), a town near Haifa.