Majer Kaluzynski's Family

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In the page Introduction to My Father’s Family I’ve laid out the four main branches of my father’s roots, Kaluzynski, Szczekacz, Sznajderman and Sztatler. On the current page I introduce you to the living descendants of Majer Kaluzynski, my great-great-grandfather (1829 - ?).
To follow the family tree from 1744 up to Majer Kaluzynski’s birth, turn to the pages:

• Majer Kaluzynski Pedigree siblings and ancestors.

• The surname Kaluzynski – Meaning, Origin and Legend

• History of the Shtetls and Towns Where the Kaluzynski Families Lived.

While researching the family branch of Majer Kaluzynski’s from 1829 up to the current time I was sad to find out that most of the family members perished or disappeared during  WWII in the Holocaust. Only a few left Poland before WWII and immigrated to Israel, USA and South America. Hardly any relative survived the Holocaust and reached Israel after the war. I must admit that the dreadful feeling of reaching a dead end of a branch during the years 1939-1947 scares me with every family in the tree. I always stop working and approach my husband with the same saying: “When I research my family roots I always reach to a point where almost every uncle, aunt, cousin perish with no one to continue the thread.”
Below, next to the photos of Majer Kaluzynski’s children are links to photos and stories about the descendants of his extended family, those who left Poland before the Holocaust, the few who survived and some of the victims.  In the search for family roots it was most important for me to meet in person the living relatives. In the following paragraphs I will briefly list the names of these relatives next to their ancestor. With all of them I try as much as I can to keep in touch. More details about the exact lineage appear in the Family Tree.
Majer Kaluzynski was married twice. His first wife was Liba Najman with whom he had two sons, Jochym Kaluzynski and Jankiel Kopiel Kaluzynski. I haven’t been able to track down Jochym Kaluzynski. All I can find is his birth certificate from Jan 2nd, 1853. The second son, Jankiel Kopiel had 8 children. I traced some of his descendants only up to about 1920. One of his daughters, Rywka Kaluzynski, married Aron Zoberman and they immigrated to Brazil. Rywka’s great grandson Luiz Fernando Zoberman and his children live in Brazil. The story of how I discovered them will appear in Jankiel Kopiel’s page.
Majer Kaluzynski’s second wife was named Laja Dressler. They had five children:

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1. Abram Kaluzynski, my great grandfather. Abram’s first wife was Frajdla Szczekacz, my great grandmother. Abram’s second wife’s name was Chaja Helena Dresler. A few of Abram Kaluzynski’s children immigrated to Israel before WWII – my grandfather Yosef Kaluzynski, Yosef’s sister Sara Kaluzynski and their two nieces Frania Kaluzynski and Lena Ufner. They all passed away, but my sisters, Ora and Ofra, and I, my uncle Yigal, his children Udi and Tami, Frania’s daughters, Tzafrira and Chana, Sara’s children, Yoram and Didi, Lena’s children, Moshe, Michal and Rami, all try to keep in touch. Abram Kaluzynski and his other children and grandchildren perished in the Holocaust.

2. Udla Kaluzynski married Szlomo Librowicz. They had seven children. One of their sons, Hirsz Aba Librowicz with two of his three children, Esther Dayan and Szlomo immigrated to Israel before WWII. Only one of their granddaughters, Irit Amiel nee Librowicz, survived the Holocaust. I visited Esther a couple of times at her apartment. Few years ago she passed away. I enjoyed Szlomo’s company when I visit him in Tel Aviv. I visit Irit and we keep in touch by phone and email. Irit Amiel’s poems and novel are all about the pain and agony of the Holocaust, but hardly hint into her own experience.

3. Fajgla Kaluzynski married Wolf Szperling. They had eight children. Their daughter, Rywka died when she was one year old (1901-1902). Their daughter Sabina immigrated to Israel before WWII. Sabina had two sons: Ariel, who was killed on the battlefield during Israel Independence war, and Zeev Ankelevitz, who lives in Israel with his big family. Nolek Zacks, one of Fajgla and Wolf’s grandsons immigrated to Israel before WWII.  Only two of Fajgla and Wolf’s grandchildren who stayed in Poland survived the Holocaust, Rina Irmay nee Zacks and Severin Szperling.  Rina immigrated to Israel immediately after the WWII. Severin left Poland years after the war ended and he currently lives in Arizona, USA.  Rina gave a detailed testimony about her life during the Holocaust in Yad Vashem and it will appear among these pages as well as Severin’s story. Wolf Szperling died in 1928 but his wife and most of his immediate family were murdered during the Holocuast.

4. Lajzer Kaluzynski married Malka Libe Jakubowicz. They had six children. Five of their children, Balicia, Olga, Enrique, Eda and Carol Kaluzynski, left Poland before WWII and immigrated to Cuba. Today they live in the USA and in Columbia. Lajzer, Malka Kaluzynski and their daughter Fela, perished in the Holocaust in Treblinka.

5. Masza Kaluzynski married Szlama Liberman. One of their daughters, Chawa, immigrated to Israel before WWII and her sons and grandchildren live in Israel. I remember Chawa Adler nee Liberman visiting my grandparents. Chawa passed away a few years ago. Lately I’ve talked with her sons, Yitzhak and Szlomo. My father visited Poland in 1935 and spent time with Masza Liberman’s granddaughter, Marusza Fajerman. She appears in the story about my father‘s travel to Poland.

   The photos below are linked to the stories I’ve heard from my relatives. They are stories about  Zionist pioneers, Holocaust survivors, Holocaust victims and about those who were wise to leave Poland and to seek a better life in the USA, Cuba, Brazil and other places.
   I have devoted a page to the list of the family victims. The information was extracted from Yad Vashem pages of testimony.