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Media Essay

Blanka Rothschild: Family Photographs

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United States life after the Holocaust Jewish communities before the war postwar

Blanka Fischer Rothschild (1922–2010) grew up as an only child in a close-knit, affluent Jewish family in Łódź, Poland. Her father died in 1937. A few months after the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, Blanka, her mother, Anna, and other relatives were imprisoned in the Łódź ghetto. Blanka and her mother remained in the ghetto for more than four years. During the liquidation of the ghetto in August 1944, they managed to escape transport to Auschwitz. In fall 1944, they were deported to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. They were then sent to a subcamp of Sachsenhausen, where Blanka worked in an airplane factory in Wittenberg. Her mother was sent to a different camp. Soviet forces liberated Blanka in spring 1945. Blanka made her way back to Łódź, hoping to find living relatives. None of her relatives, including her mother, survived. Blanka immigrated to the United States in 1947.

Looking through photograph albums

Blanka Rothschild and Neenah Ellis look through Blanka's photograph albums. [LCID: athbr334]

Blanka Rothschild and Neenah Ellis look through Blanka's photograph albums. Photograph taken in 2004.

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Blanka Rothschild at about one year old

Blanka at about 1 year old, ca. 1923. She received this photograph many years later, after she came to America, from her grandmother's ... [LCID: roth1]

Photograph showing Holocaust survivor Blanka Fischer Rothschild (1922–2010) when she was about one year old, circa 1923. She received this photograph many years later, after she came to the United States, from her grandmother's half-brother.

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"The Three Musketeers"

"The Three Musketeers." Three school friends, in the Lodz ghetto. [LCID: roth2]

Photograph of "The Three Musketeers" —three school friends in the Łódź ghetto. Left: Lola Tenenbaum Rapoport, who survived with her husband. Center: Niusia Friedman, who was killed in Auschwitz. Lola sent this photo to Blanka Rothschild from Australia. Blanka (right) says "It's my only memento of the ghetto."

With the end of World War II and collapse of the Nazi regime, survivors of the Holocaust faced the daunting task of rebuilding their lives. With little in the way of financial resources and few, if any, surviving family members, most eventually emigrated from Europe to start their lives again. Between 1945 and 1952, more than 80,000 Holocaust survivors immigrated to the United States. Blanka was one of them.

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Blanka's embarkation card for the SS Marine Marlin

Blanka's embarkation card for the SS Marine Marlin, with a sailing date in 1947. [LCID: roth3]

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee helped to locate relatives of Blanka's who lived in the United States. Blanka crossed the Atlantic Ocean in the winter on the SS Marine Marlin, a troop transporter. The trip took over two weeks during storms and rough seas. The ship was damaged, and Blanka, along with the other refugees traveling in the lowest quarters, had to walk in water for days.

This photograph shows Blanka's embarkation card for the SS Marine Marlin, with a sailing date in January 1947. 

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Relatives in the United States

Abraham Kaplan and his wife Maria at their home in Paterson, New Jersey. [LCID: roth4]

Abraham Kaplan and his wife Maria at their home in Paterson, New Jersey. He was the half brother of Blanka's grandmother. Blanka lived with Abraham and Maria when she came to the United States. She loved them dearly.

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Wedding photograph

Wedding photo of Blanka and her husband Harry in an Oregon newspaper. [LCID: roth5]

This wedding photo of Blanka and her husband Harry appeared in an Oregon newspaper. Blanka has no other photo of their wedding. "The war taught me that things are not important," she says.

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Blanka and Harry in Oregon

Blanka and Harry in Oregon after they were married. [LCID: roth6]

Blanka and Harry in Oregon after they were married. Her husband was an inspector for General Dynamics.

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Graduation as a pediatric nurse

Blanka (middle row, third from right) graduates to become a pediatric nurse. [LCID: roth7]

Blanka (middle row, third from right) graduates to become a pediatric nurse. December 1947.

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Wedding anniversary in New York

Blanka and Harry celebrate their wedding anniversary in a New York café. [LCID: roth8]

Blanka and Harry celebrate their wedding anniversary in a New York café. At the time, Blanka was expecting their first child.

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Blanka's daughter, Shelly

Blanka's daughter, Shelly, born 1951. [LCID: roth9]

Photograph of Blanka's daughter, Shelly, who was born in 1951.

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Wedding of Blanka's daughter, Shelly

Wedding of Blanka's daughter, Shelly, in 1974 at a temple in New York. [LCID: roth10]

Wedding of Blanka Rothschild's daughter, Shelly, in 1974. The wedding took place at a temple in New York.

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Celebrating Shelly's wedding

Blanka (right) with her daughter, Shelly, after Shelly's wedding. [LCID: roth11]

Blanka (right) with her daughter, Shelly, after Shelly's wedding. New York, 1974.

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Blanka and Harry with their granddaughter

Blanka and Harry with their first and only grandchild, Alexis Danielle. [LCID: roth12]

Blanka and Harry with their first and only grandchild, Alexis Danielle.

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Blanka with her granddaughter

Blanka with her granddaughter, Alexis Danielle, and family dog. [LCID: roth13]

Blanka relaxes with her granddaughter, Alexis Danielle, and a family dog.

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Blanka's granddaughter

Blanka's granddaughter, Alexis Danielle. [LCID: roth14]

Blanka's granddaughter, Alexis Danielle.

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Blanka's daughter and granddaughter

Shelly and Alexis Danielle, Blanka's daughter and granddaughter. [LCID: roth15]

Shelly and Alexis Danielle, Blanka's daughter and granddaughter.

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Harry teaching his granddaughter how to swim

Harry teaching granddaughter Alexis Danielle how to swim, probably in San Diego, California. [LCID: roth16]

Harry teaching granddaughter Alexis Danielle how to swim, probably in San Diego, California.

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Informal family portrait

Blanka and Harry with their daughter Shelly, son-in-law, and granddaughter Alexis Danielle. [LCID: roth18]

Blanka and Harry with their daughter Shelly, son-in-law, and granddaughter Alexis Danielle. San Diego, California.

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Granddaughter's graduation

Blanka's granddaughter Alexis Danielle graduates from university in May 2000. [LCID: roth19]

Blanka's granddaughter Alexis Danielle graduates from university in May 2000.

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Blanka's granddaughter with fiancé.

Blanka's granddaughter, Alexis Danielle, and her fiancé. [LCID: roth20]

Photograph of Blanka's granddaughter, Alexis Danielle, and her fiancé.

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Holding a precious prewar family photograph

Blanka Rothschild holds one of her prewar family photographs. [LCID: athbr039]

This picture, taken in 2004, shows Blanka Rothschild holding one of her prewar family photographs.

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2004 portrait of Blanka Rothschild

Color portrait of an older woman with short white hair and light skin tone. She is wearing a peach button up shirt and a gold watch with a thin black leather band.. She looks to the right of the camera with her right hand tucked next to her chin.

Portrait of Holocaust survivor Blanka Fischer Rothschild (1922–2010) in 2004. 

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Blanka Rothschild in 2004

Blanka Rothschild, 2004. [LCID: athbr263]

Portrait of Holocaust survivor Blanka Fischer Rothschild (1922–2010) in 2004. 

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Last Edited: Jun 4, 2026

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