Shlomo Adler papers

Shlomo Adler (born Stanislaw Salek Adler) was born on June 16, 1930 in Bolechow, Poland (now Bolekhiv, Ukraine) to Abraham Dolek Adler and Sara Adler. Dolek owned a leather factory and Sara was a WIZO (Women's International Zionist Organization) activist and took care of the household. Salek's older sister, Miriam (Musia, b. 1924) was born in 1924. In September 1939, after the Soviet annexation of Eastern Poland, they nationalized all private businesses, including Dolek's leather factory, but he was chosen to administer many of the leather workshops in Bolechow. On June 22, 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, and on July 2, 1941 they reached Bolechow. In the spring of 1942, Dolek was arrested and accused of black market activities. Sara was told to pay a bribe, but after she managed to collect half of the sum, she was denounced for trying to bribe an official and also arrested. A few days later she was led to the train station, and Salek never saw either of his parents again. In June 1942, 2,500 Bolechow Jews were deported to the Belzec death camp. Salek managed to avoid deportation by hiding in a storage room. The Germans then established a Jewish Quarter in town only for Jews with proper work permits. Salek and his cousin Jozek Adler remained in Bolechow working in a wooden barrel factory and Musia worked in a recycling plant. In March 1943 the Germans conducted another deportation Aktion. During this Aktion, Musia, who was 19 years old, was shot and killed along with her cousin Pepcia (Pepka) Diamand, Pepcia's mother, and Jozek's mother. In the beginning of July 1943 Salek heard shooting and fled with his cousin Jozek. They hid for a few days in the nearby marshes and in other locations. Salek, who was 13 years old, was determined to leave and forced his cousin Jozek to flee with him. While escaping they met Mr. Raduchowski who previously promised to prepare a hiding place for one person. Seeing both boys he decided to take them in. Mr. Raduchowski and his wife prepared a small space, hidden behind a false wall. The two boys spent the next 13 months there until August 1944 when the Soviet Red Army liberated the area. Soon after liberation Salek declared himself as a Pole, misstated his age, and joined the Polish Army. In June 1946 he was arrested and accused of, among other things, collaboration with the Nazis. During numerous and lengthy interrogations Salek was ready to admit to all the charges, but not to collaboration with the Nazis. He admitted that he was Jewish and a survivor, who lost all the members of his immediate family. The KGB officer severely beat Salek. This incident convinced Salek to rejoin the Jewish community and to leave Poland. He joined the Gordonia Zionist youth group in Bielsko-Biała and soon left Poland under false papers. Upon arrival in Paris, a group of survivors boarded the SS Ha'Maapil Ha'Almoni, formerly SS San Miguel, but British forces turned back his ship and interned the passengers in a DP camp in Famagusta, Cyprus. In September 1947 Salek finally reached Palestine with the help of Aliyat Hanoar (Youth Aliyah). In 1952 he married Esther Szulc and they had two sons: Abraham (b. 1954) and David (b. 1962).

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Shlomo Adler

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Shlomo Adler

Shlomo Adler donated the Shlomo Adler papers to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2003 and 2004. The collections numbered 2003.21.1, 2003.243.1, and 2004.121.1 have been incorporated into this collection.