Wolf Finkelman collection

Wolf Finkelman (1928-2010) was born on December 12, 1928 in Savin, Poland to Joseph Finkelman and Masha Finkelman (née Epelstein, b. 1904). Wolf Finkelman had six siblings: Heniek (Henry, b. 1915), Hanah (b. 1920), Malka (b. 1924), Stephen (b. 1930), Hill (b. 1936), and Marsha Finkelman. In 1941, the Finkelman family was forced into the Rzeszów ghetto. Most of his family was deported to Belzec concentration camp and Szebnie concentration camp. Wolf and his brothers, Heniek and Stephen, evaded deportation until 1943, when they were sent to Szebnie concentration camp. After six months, Wolf and Stephen were deported to Auschwitz concentration camp. Upon selection, Stephen was sent to the gas chambers and Wolf was selected for labor. Despite being only thirteen years old, Wolf lied about his age, claiming to be seventeen. . Wolf was tattooed with the number 161073 and was sent to perform forced labor as a mechanic building anti-aircraft guns. As the Russians advanced in 1944, Wolf Finkelman was sent with other prisoners to Mauthausen and Gunskirchen concentration camps. In early May 1945, the Americans liberated Gunskirchen. Wolf Finkelman was the only survivor of his entire family. In December 1946, Finkelman and eighteen other orphans immigrated to the United States, landing in New York. Wolf settled in Houston, Texas, where the Jewish Family Services supported him while he completed high school. Wolf Finkelman eventually married Ruth Levy and they had three sons. Ruth died in 1998. Two years later Wolf married Rose Gordon. Wolf Finkelman died of cancer on March 16, 2010.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Wolf Finkelman

Funding Note: The cataloging of this collection has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

Wolf Finkelman donated the Wolf Finkelman collection to the United States Holocaust Mermorial Museum in 2000.