Majerowicz family papers

The Majerowicz family papers contain documents primarily relating to Arthur and Marie Majerowicz, and their son Kurt. The documents pertaining to Arthur and Marie are mainly identification documents, such as birth, death, and marriage certificates, Arthur’s employment and education history, immigration documents and membership cards. The items relating to Kurt come from his time while interned at Westerbork, and include birthday and postcards he sent to family members, a letter giving power of attorney to his father, and information requests concerning Kurt’s death at Buchenwald. Other documents include an affidavit of support, death certificates for Arthur’s parents, and photographs. Arthur and Marie Majerowicz lived in Berlin, Germany and had three children: Kurt, Irma, and Ruth. Arthur worked as a draftsman by trade, but as anti-Semitism spread, he was unable to work. He was eventually put into forced labor, and for some time he worked as a bus driver. Arthur was eventually arrested and placed on a train to a concentration camp, but was able to jump from the train and escape. He spent the rest of the war in hiding. Due to her Christian background, Marie was not affected by the anti-Semitic persecution, and worked in a factory during the war. Their son, Kurt, was successful in his attempt to escape into Holland after the Kristallnacht. He was placed in a refugee camp, and was eventually sent to Westerbork. There he met and married Rita Schlachet and had a child, Marie. Kurt, his wife, and young daughter remained in Westerbork through the German invasion of Holland, after which they were deported to Theresienstadt in 1944. Soon after, Rita and her daughter Marie were sent to Auschwitz, while Kurt was sent to Buchenwald. All three were killed. Prior to the war, Irma and Ruth were able to escape into England. Irma acquired a work visa, and was employed as a domestic, while Ruth left Germany via the Kindertransport. While living in England, Irma married an American soldier, Irving Cantor, and immigrated to the United States in 1947. Once in the United States, she was able to help her parents immigrate soon after.