When I was in DC at the FGS Conference last week, I was able to spend a few hours in the Holocaust Museum. I printed out hundreds of pages (literally) of documents that I discovered, and I'm finally having a chance to actually read some of what I found.
My fourth cousin twice removed, Yitzchak/Izsak Rutner, was killed in Buchenwald. But before that point, the Nazis collected information on him--including the only known photo of him.
Izsak Ruttner's "Inmate Personal Card" has his photo and gives information about his date and place of birth, tells us that he was first in Auschwitz before he was transferred to Buchenwald, and gives a description of his appearance. And it has a photo.
Another version of his card gives the name of his father, Salamon, who is currently in Buchenwald as well. No information is given about his mother.
Izsak's Intake Form to Buchenwald is quite faded, but here is mother's name is listed--Ester Rutner (nee Neilinger). And his signature is on the bottom.
And finally, we get a bit more information about Izsak:
An index card tells us that Izsak had been a student. And a stamp on the corner tells us that after being in Auschwitz and Buchenwald, Izsak was sent to Bergen-Belsen on January 30, 1945.
None of these records are available on Arolsen's page or the newly-available Ancestry database. The intake form is available through Fold3's Holocaust Collection. So far as I'm aware, the only way to get these records is to request an ITS search or to go to an ITS terminal--and the only one in the United States is at the Holocaust Museum in DC.
Izsak's birth record actually has him born in 1929. Did he make himself a year older to make it more likely that he'd be allowed to work, and potentially live? Was there a language barrier? We will likely never know. But now we know what Izsak, who died around the age of 16, looked like.
In memory of Izsak Rutner.
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or follow @larasgenealogy .
My fourth cousin twice removed, Yitzchak/Izsak Rutner, was killed in Buchenwald. But before that point, the Nazis collected information on him--including the only known photo of him.
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| Inmate Personal Card - Izsak Ruttner |
Izsak Ruttner's "Inmate Personal Card" has his photo and gives information about his date and place of birth, tells us that he was first in Auschwitz before he was transferred to Buchenwald, and gives a description of his appearance. And it has a photo.
 |
| Inmate Personal Card - Izsak Rutner |
 |
| Izsak Rutner Intake Form |
And finally, we get a bit more information about Izsak:
 |
| Izsak Ruttner - Index Card |
None of these records are available on Arolsen's page or the newly-available Ancestry database. The intake form is available through Fold3's Holocaust Collection. So far as I'm aware, the only way to get these records is to request an ITS search or to go to an ITS terminal--and the only one in the United States is at the Holocaust Museum in DC.
Izsak's birth record actually has him born in 1929. Did he make himself a year older to make it more likely that he'd be allowed to work, and potentially live? Was there a language barrier? We will likely never know. But now we know what Izsak, who died around the age of 16, looked like.
You can now like my page on Facebook:
or follow @larasgenealogy .
So sad, so tragic, but I'm glad you could find these.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sad and very telling photo.
ReplyDelete