'Back from Hell' 22 collected sketches by Berl Friedler
Object numberM2025/065:001
Title'Back from Hell' 22 collected sketches by Berl Friedler
Creator Berl Friedler (author)
DescriptionBound copy of “Tsurik fun Gehenem: 22 tseykhenungen fun Berl Friedler” [Back from Hell : 22 collected sketches by Berl Friedler,] published in 1947. The bound book contains a series of 21 color-printed, chronological sketches drawn and published by Holocaust survivor Berl Fridler. The sketches are preceded by a Yiddish-language forward written by Paul Trepman.
This copy was owned by survivor, Joseph Lenzner.
Jerzy Josef (Joe) Lenczner (Lenzner) was born in Bedzin, Poland on 15 June 1928. He was the only child to Mordchaj and Regina (nee Eisenberg) who were shop owners. Joe was 11 when the war began and recalls the rise of anti-semitic punishments to observant Jews in public.
In 1941, the family were forced to relocate to the Bedzin ghetto. Shortly after this, Mordchaj was taken away and never returned. In 1943, Joe was rounded up into a truck and separated from his mother. He was taken to a labour camp where he worked with other prisoners from various nationalities.
By 1944, he was transferred to Auschwitz where he was tattooed. He was selected to work at Blechhammer under the command of the Auschwitz III- Monowitz camp. Joe states, ‘When the Germans asked, I said, I’m 16, I lied left and right because when you could work… if you could [work], it’s okay.’ He stated he was a mechanic so that he could continue to work.
The camp had a large international prisoner population, all forced to work building a synthetic gasoline factory owned by Oberschlesische Hydrierwerke AG. The prisoners were supervised by civilian workers and prisoner-foremen to extract petrol from coal. Joe recalls an English prisoner of war assisted him by giving him extra bread, biscuits and even a pair of shoes which allowed him to barter for more food with other camp prisoners to survive.
With the advancing Russian army, Joe was forced to march to Gross-Rosen in January 1945 with no food. ‘Had it not been winter, I would have died. But because it was winter, there was so much snow.’ Along the way, he developed multiple infected boils which made it extremely difficult to walk however fellow prisoners assisted him to blanche them whilst a fellow prisoner Erich carried him as they walked. Whilst staying in a barn, he escaped with Erich by burying themselves in haystacks but were unfortunately recaptured and taken to Buchenwald.
Whilst in Buchenwald, Joe’s infections worsened, and he was near death. He was liberated in April 1945 at the age of 16. After liberation, Joe was still sick and was sent to the Swiss Red Cross for treatment. He stayed in Switzerland for 4 years and studied to become a radio mechanic. Erich died of dysentery at Buchenwald.
In 1950, Joe was accepted to immigrate to Australia and worked at Philips Electronic for many years. He married and had two children; Mark and Sharon.
This copy was owned by survivor, Joseph Lenzner.
Jerzy Josef (Joe) Lenczner (Lenzner) was born in Bedzin, Poland on 15 June 1928. He was the only child to Mordchaj and Regina (nee Eisenberg) who were shop owners. Joe was 11 when the war began and recalls the rise of anti-semitic punishments to observant Jews in public.
In 1941, the family were forced to relocate to the Bedzin ghetto. Shortly after this, Mordchaj was taken away and never returned. In 1943, Joe was rounded up into a truck and separated from his mother. He was taken to a labour camp where he worked with other prisoners from various nationalities.
By 1944, he was transferred to Auschwitz where he was tattooed. He was selected to work at Blechhammer under the command of the Auschwitz III- Monowitz camp. Joe states, ‘When the Germans asked, I said, I’m 16, I lied left and right because when you could work… if you could [work], it’s okay.’ He stated he was a mechanic so that he could continue to work.
The camp had a large international prisoner population, all forced to work building a synthetic gasoline factory owned by Oberschlesische Hydrierwerke AG. The prisoners were supervised by civilian workers and prisoner-foremen to extract petrol from coal. Joe recalls an English prisoner of war assisted him by giving him extra bread, biscuits and even a pair of shoes which allowed him to barter for more food with other camp prisoners to survive.
With the advancing Russian army, Joe was forced to march to Gross-Rosen in January 1945 with no food. ‘Had it not been winter, I would have died. But because it was winter, there was so much snow.’ Along the way, he developed multiple infected boils which made it extremely difficult to walk however fellow prisoners assisted him to blanche them whilst a fellow prisoner Erich carried him as they walked. Whilst staying in a barn, he escaped with Erich by burying themselves in haystacks but were unfortunately recaptured and taken to Buchenwald.
Whilst in Buchenwald, Joe’s infections worsened, and he was near death. He was liberated in April 1945 at the age of 16. After liberation, Joe was still sick and was sent to the Swiss Red Cross for treatment. He stayed in Switzerland for 4 years and studied to become a radio mechanic. Erich died of dysentery at Buchenwald.
In 1950, Joe was accepted to immigrate to Australia and worked at Philips Electronic for many years. He married and had two children; Mark and Sharon.
Production date 1947 - 1947
Production periodpost World War II
Subjectholocaust art, Displaced Persons camps, Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, , holocaust narratives
Object namebooks
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 230.00 mm
height: 300.00 mm
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum collection, donated by Naomi Bando. This object is donated in memory of Mareck and Regina Lenschner.
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.