| Left to right: Sisters Risa (eldest), Ella
(Sandra's Mom), Hilda, Blanch, Maria Schwartz (mom). Maria and
Risa did no survive the concentration camps in Austria. Hilda,
Blanch and Ella left Austria just before Hitler marched into the city of Vienna. Not
speaking any English, Hilda and Ella stayed in England until after the war.
Blanche was the first to immigrate to New York where she lived and died,
never marrying. Hilda stayed in England, married and died about 10 years
ago from complications of diabetes. Sandra's mother Ella died about 9 years ago
from complications due to heart failure. Sandra's daughter, age 5 is named after
Sandra's mother - Ella. Her name is Ellie.
Henry, Maria's husband, died in one of the Austrian wars probably shortly before the picture was taken.
Ella recalled he died when she was 5 which puts the picture very close to his death. When
Ella left Austria for England as a young girl, this picture was the only thing she
brought with her.
"It was her only memory of her mother and sisters as children, and therefore, my only memory
to pass on to my daughter." Sandra 2000 |
