Mania and Martin Novak papers

Mania Novak (née Rapaport, 1927-2015) was born on 25 December 1927 in Będzin, Poland to Salomon and Sima Rapaport. Mania was sent to the Będzin ghetto in January 1940. In June 1943 she was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp. In January 1945 she was sent to Ravensbrück and then its Neustadt-Glewe sub-camp where she was liberated by the Soviet Red Army in May 1945. Mania had camp number 51677 tattooed on her left arm. She went to the Zeilsheim displaced persons camp near Frankfurt-am-Main where she was reunited with Mordcha Novak (later Martin Novak), whom she knew before the war. They married in 1946 and immigrated to the United States the same year aboard the SS Marine Perch. They settled in New York. Martin Novak (born Mordcha, Mordka, or Motek Nowak, 1924-2009) was born on 3 September 1924 in Łódź, Poland to Hersch (1879-1942) and Ita (1886-1944) Novak. He had at least six siblings: Marsha (b. 1909), Dora (b. 1911), Munytek (1917-1991), Anja (b. 1922), Mutek, and Himey. His family were tailors in Łódź. They were deported to the Łódź ghetto in 1940. Martin was also deported to Auschwitz, and he had camp number B-8040 tattooed on his left arm. After liberation Martin ended up at the Zeilsheim displaced persons camp near Frankfurt-am-Main. While in the DP camp he was reunited with Mania Rapaport, whom he knew before the war. They married in 1946 and the same year they immigrated to the United States aboard the SS Marine Perch. They settled in New York. Both of Martin’s parents and one sibling perished in the Holocaust. The collection documents the post-war experiences of Mania and Martin Novak including their marriage in the Zeilsheim displaced persons camp and their immigration to the United States in 1946. Included is their marriage certificate from Zeilsheim DP camp, their certificates of identity in lieu of passports, naturalization certificates, and leather naturalization certificate holders. Also included are photographs of Mania and Martin displaying the concentration camp number tattoos on their arms and a depiction of Martin’s family by a tombstone. Identified in the photograph are Anja, Gershon, Masha, Morris, Saul Horn, Dora, and Itche.