Riga Ghetto 1943
N° d'objetM2009/004:006
TitreRiga Ghetto 1943
DescriptionBlack and white photograph of a group of young people in Mīlgrāvis (Milgravis), near the Riga Ghetto, Latvia. The group is posing in front of a brick building "We worked in that hall, which is behind us, before they took us to concentration camp." Nelly Illing (born Kornelia Stahler) is standing, centre, wearing a spotted dress and glasses. Born in Klobouky, Czechoslovakia in 1926, she was 17 years old at the time and forced to live in the ghetto. This photo was taken by a German soldier in 1943, before the liquidation of the ghetto in December of that year. The soldier told them to smile. "So we did". Nelly explains, "We had long hair because we had no scissors at the time. A few weeks later they shaved our hair." "Only three people of the whole group survived."
Kornelia ‘Nelly’ Illing nee Stahler was born on 26 June 1926 in Kloboukey, Czechoslovakia. In March 1939 Germany invaded Czechoslovakia. Kornelia was 15 and a half years old. Kornelia and her family were deported to Riga ghetto on 28 November 1941. They were deported first to Theresienstadt, where they stayed for five weeks. Then, in January 1942, they were transported to Riga by train. There, her father died of a heart attack, aged 49. In 1943, the ghetto was dissolved, and they were transferred for a day in Kaiserwald before being transported on boat to Libau. They were transferred to Fuhlsbuettel, where they were detained from February 25 to April 14. It was from there they continued on a death march of 100km to Kiel. They were then transferred to Kiel-Hassee, which mainly consisted of political prisoners. As part of the Bernadotte exchange, Kornelia and her sister and mother were transported to Sweden. In August 1945, her sister married another survivor in the refugee camp. Afterwards they left the refugee camp, to the next city [name not mentioned] where Kornelia found a job in a stocking factory. In February 1946 she met her husband Horst Illing; they got engaged in 1947, and married in 1948. They migrated to Australia in 1950, where Kornelia worked in a blouse factory and her husband as a plumber.
Kornelia ‘Nelly’ Illing nee Stahler was born on 26 June 1926 in Kloboukey, Czechoslovakia. In March 1939 Germany invaded Czechoslovakia. Kornelia was 15 and a half years old. Kornelia and her family were deported to Riga ghetto on 28 November 1941. They were deported first to Theresienstadt, where they stayed for five weeks. Then, in January 1942, they were transported to Riga by train. There, her father died of a heart attack, aged 49. In 1943, the ghetto was dissolved, and they were transferred for a day in Kaiserwald before being transported on boat to Libau. They were transferred to Fuhlsbuettel, where they were detained from February 25 to April 14. It was from there they continued on a death march of 100km to Kiel. They were then transferred to Kiel-Hassee, which mainly consisted of political prisoners. As part of the Bernadotte exchange, Kornelia and her sister and mother were transported to Sweden. In August 1945, her sister married another survivor in the refugee camp. Afterwards they left the refugee camp, to the next city [name not mentioned] where Kornelia found a job in a stocking factory. In February 1946 she met her husband Horst Illing; they got engaged in 1947, and married in 1948. They migrated to Australia in 1950, where Kornelia worked in a blouse factory and her husband as a plumber.
Lieu de créationRiga, Latvia
Date 1943
Période de créationWorld War II (1939-1945)
Nom d'objetphotographs
Matérielphotographic emulsion, paper, paper
Dimensions
- width: 58.00 mm
height: 80.00 mm
Ligne de créditSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Nelly Illing