Survive to return's file / תיק -לשרוד כדי לחזור

These sources present the The memoirs of Basia Tsin, a Holocaust survivor who documented in detail her experiences and the fate of the Jewish community in Latvia. The texts review the Her life before the war As a teacher in Kraslava, the shocking period of Nazi occupation and the brutal transitions between various ghettos and concentration camps, including Stutthof and SalspilsIn Asia describes the The loss of her family members, including her little daughter, alongside displays of heroism and humanity in the inferno. The testimonies also include documentation of Trials held for war criminals local and reconstruction of Jewish life after liberation. The articles combine Historical photographs and documents, which constitute a Yad Vashem for the destroyed community and its stubborn struggle for survival. Ultimately, the sources seal its story inHer immigration to Israel and in her efforts to preserve the memory of the Holocaust for future generations.

The Story of In Asia, Zin, as reflected in the sources, is a powerful testimony to the survival, loss, and rebirth of Latvian Jewry during and after the Holocaust. Born in Kraslava (H63-1f), Basia went through all the hellish stages of the Nazi occupation, from the local ghettos to the most terrible concentration camps, and finally found her home in Israel (H63-40f).

Key figures

Victims and survivors

• Basya Zin: The main heroine and author of the memoir "Survive to Return." A teacher by training who survived many ghettos and concentration camps (H63-1f, H63-5f, H63-14f).
• Boris Slavin: Basia's husband, who was murdered in Kraslava during the war (H63-1f, H63-32f, H63-51f).
• Isaac Drizin: Basia's brother, who was with her during part of the war and survived (H63-13f, H63-21f).
• Diana: Basia's daughter, who was born after the war in Riga and became a successful doctor (H63-16f, H63-33f, H63-36f).
• Sara Gilelson: A close friend and colleague of Basia from the ghetto, who accompanied her in difficult moments (H63-10f, H63-13f, H63-14f).
• Rachmiel Katz: A classmate who helped Basia and her husband with food during their stay in the camps (H63-1f, H63-13f).
• Core (Liba): Basia's grandmother, who was murdered in the Daugavpils ghetto (H63-1f, H63-11f).
• Dr. Gurevich: The head of the Judenrat in the Daugavpils ghetto, who tried to protect the community (H63-13f).

Nazis and collaborators

• "Iks": A brutal German capo and criminal who commanded the prisoners at the Dondega camp (H63-13f, H63-18f).
• "Iron Gustav" (Zhelezny Gustav): A notorious executioner at the Dondaga camp, who used to murder prisoners by shooting them at close range (H63-13f).
• Kalnins: The commander of the Latvian police in Kraslava, who was responsible for the persecution of the Jews in the city (H63-10f, H63-34f, H63-35f).
• Eglit: A Latvian collaborator who participated in the murder of Jews and was convicted after the war (H63-34f, H63-35f).
• Trachum: A local collaborator in Kraslava who was involved in brutal murders (H63-34f, H63-35f).
• Gunter Tabbert: The Gestapo commander in Daugavpils, who gave the orders for the murder of thousands of Jews (H63-16f).

Expansion of important sources

Basia Tzin's memoirs were published as a series of articles in the Jewish magazine "VEK" under the title "Surviving to Return" (H63-10f, H63-49f). The Sources H63-1f and-H63-10f They are critical to understanding the beginning of the journey; they describe the peaceful life in Kraslava before the war, the entry of the Nazis, and the beginning of the deportation to the ghettos (H63-1f, H63-10f). The sources H63-34f and-H63-35f provide an important legal and historical perspective, as they detail Basya's testimony at the Latvian war crimes trials of the 1960s, and reveal the names of the local perpetrators of the atrocities (H63-34f, H63-35f). Finally, the sources H63-40f and-H63-42f Documenting her immigration to Israel in 1991 and her life in Netanya, where she continued to commemorate the victims until the day she died (H63-40f, H63-42f).

Summary of the historical journey

Basia was born in 1912 to an educated family (H63-1f). With the outbreak of war in 1941, a ghetto was established in Kraslava and the Jews were ordered to wear a yellow badge (H63-11f, H63-10f). From there she was transferred to the Daugavpils ghetto, where she witnessed the murder of her grandmother and many friends (H63-11f, H63-12f). She was later deported to various concentration camps: Kaiserwald in Latvia, Stutthof in Poland, and Dundaga (H63-13f, H63-14f, H63-17f). In these camps, she described extreme hunger, hard labor, and daily selections in Basia (H63-14f, H63-19f, H63-20f).

Towards the end of the war, during a death march, she managed to escape with a group of women and hide in a Polish house until liberation by the Red Army (H63-15f, H63-22f). After the war, she returned to Riga, started a new family, and worked as a teacher and economist (H63-16f, H63-30f). In 1991, at the age of 79, she immigrated to Israel and was reunited with her family in Netanya (H63-40f, H63-45f).

List of sources

• H63-1f : The opening of Basia Tzin's memoir, describing her childhood, her family, and the beginning of the occupation.
• H63-2f : A description of life in the Daugavpils ghetto and dealing with uncertainty.
• H63-3f : An article on the figure of Albert Einstein in the context of Jewish-scientific discourse.
• H63-5f Description of forced labor in the ghetto and attempts to survive hunger and disease.
• H63-7f : Memories of the atmosphere in Kraslava before the war and the political changes.
• H63-8f : Description of Basia's professional life as a teacher at the Jewish school.
• H63-9f : The beginning of the evacuation and escape from Kraslava with the German invasion.
• H63-10f : Description of the deportation to the Kraslava ghetto and the first encounter with the Latvian police.
• H63-11f : Continued description of the ghetto, the famine, and the first selections.
• H63-12f : The murder of the grandmother and transfer to labor camps.
• H63-13f : Description of the Dondega camp and the atrocities committed by the Capo "X".
• H63-14f : Description of the Stutthof concentration camp and life under constant terror.
• H63-15f : The liberation by the Red Army and the first encounter with freedom.
• H63-16f : Returning to Riga after the war, starting a family and giving birth to daughter Diana.
• H63-17f : Description of the stay in the Kaiserwald camp and the difficult conditions.
• H63-18f : Details of the Kapo's cruelty in the Dondega camp.
• H63-20f : Forced labor in the construction of railroads and attempts at mutual aid among prisoners.
• H63-21f : Escaping the death march and hiding in abandoned houses.
• H63-22f : Staying with a Polish family and meeting the Red Army.
• H63-23f : Life in Soviet-occupied Riga and the attempt to recover.
• H63-24f Description of meetings with other survivors and attempts to locate family members.
• H63-25f : Continuing the search for relatives and beginning work in the Soviet administration.
• H63-26f : Description of conditions in Riga after the war and the food shortage.
• H63-27f : Thoughts on the fate of the world and Judaism after the Holocaust.
• H63-28f : Memories of Victory Day and the survivors' feelings of involvement.
• H63-29f : Description of the trip back to Latvia and the sights along the way.
• H63-30f : Returning to work as a teacher at a school in Riga and the bureaucratic difficulties.
• H63-31f : Memories of her childhood in Kraslava and the local market.
• H63-32f : The revelation of the bitter fate of her first husband, Boris Slavin.
• H63-33f : Life in the 1950s in Riga and the birth of her daughter Diana.
• H63-34f : Basya's testimony in the trial against Latvian war criminals.
• H63-35f : Details of the punishments given to Nazi collaborators in Latvia.
• H63-36f : Celebrations of Basiya's 85th birthday in Israel and a summary of her life.
• H63-37f : Her activities among the Latvian immigrant community in Israel and the commemoration of the Holocaust.
• H63-40f : The story of her immigration to Israel in 1991 and her absorption in Netanya.
• H63-41f : Participation in the seminar "Holocaust and Resurrection" and the preservation of Jewish memory.
• H63-42f : A description of her later life in Israel, surrounded by friends and family.
• H63-43f : A literary and historical review of the importance of Basia Tzin's memoirs.
• H63-44f : A photo of Basia Tzin at a survivors' conference in Riga in 1990.
• H63-45f : An article in German about the life of Basia Zinn and her comparison to Golda Meir.
• H63-47f : Description of Basia's public activities in Riga for the restoration of Jewish culture.
• H63-48f : An article in tribute to Basia Tzin, who reached heroism.
• H63-49f : Information about the publication of Basia's memoirs in German.
• H63-50f : Memories of her activity in the "Gordonia" movement in her youth.
• H63-51f : Description of economic and political life in Kraslava before the occupation.
• H63-52f : Memories of her father, his faith and his connection to the Jewish community.
• H63-53f : A detailed description of the deportation process and the Aktions in Kraslava.

H63-1f

H63-2f

H63-3f

H63-4f

H63-5f

H63-6f

H63-7f

H63-8f

H63-9f

H63-10f

H63-11f

H63-12f

H63-13f

H63-14f

H63-15f

H63-16f

H63-17f

H63-18f

H63-19f

H63-20f

H63-21f

H63-22f

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H63-25f

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H63-27f

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H63-32f

H63-33f

H63-34f

H63-35f

H63-36f

H63-37f

H63-38f

H63-39f

H63-40f

H63-41f

H63-42f

H63-43f

H63-44f

H63-45f

H63-46f

H63-47f

H63-48f

H63-49f

 

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