Haber-Margulier family. Collection

Zallel Haber was born in Zabno, Poland, on 14 September 1895 as the son of Isaak Haber and Rachel Kurz. Zallel became a diamond cutter and married Beila Margulier, born on 8 November 1898 in Zabno, Poland, as the daughter of Israel Margulier and Esthera Grossbard. On 24 November 1925 their son Israel (Isy) Haber was born in Rzeszow, Poland. The baby was named after Beila’s father whom had passed away of tuberculosis at the age of 39 during World War I. At the beginning of 1927 Zallel Haber migrated to Belgium and settled in Borgerhout, Antwerp. His wife and son followed him in November that year. On 22 July 1930, daughter Dora (Dolly) was born in Berchem. In May 1940 the Haber-Margulier family fled south. They remained in Hesdin, France, for a few weeks before returning to Antwerp in June/July 1940. In March 1942, Zallel Haber and his son Israel (Isy) undertook a new attempt. They reached Nice, where they were joined by Beila Margulier and daughter Dora (Dolly) at the end of May 1942. After the anti-Jewish raids in Nice in August 1942, the Haber-Margulier family tried to illegally cross the French-Suisse border. Their attempt succeeded and on 22 September 1942 they arrived in Switzerland. Zallel and Israel (Isy) Haber were detained at the Aigles camp, Beila Margulier and daughter Dora (Dolly) Haber were sent to the Bex camp. After intervention by acquaintances, the Haber-Margulier family members were released from the internment camps. All four survived the war in Switzerland, after which they returned to Belgium. Several family members of Zallel Haber and Beila Margulier were killed during the Holocaust. Among them were : Beila’s mother Esthera Grossbard whom was killed in the Tarnow ghetto during her arrest, Zallel’s cousin Abraham Jacob (Yankel) Haber whom was deported from the Dossin barracks with his wife Sabina Lachs, and Zallel’s cousin Sender Haber whom was deported from Drancy, France, to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Israel (Isy) Haber, 2014