ʼAlfon Children's book, ʼAlfon, entrusted to Esther Greenbaum

Jakob Lieb Greenbaum (1882-1942, last name also listed as Grynbaum and Grinbaum) was born in 1882 to Abram Greenbaum (b. 1862) and Hinda Greenbaum (b. 1861, née Rosenberg). He had four siblings: Simon Greenbaum (1886-1957), Dawid Greenbaum (b. 1891), Joseph Greenbaum (1895-1955), and Joshua Greenbaum (1896-1942, Shiyah Greenbaum). Jakob married Hena Ryster (1884-1942). Hena was the daughter of Johathan Ryster (1861-1913) and Rifka Genendla (1859-). She had four siblings: Abraham Ryster, Haim Ryster, Hirsh Lieb Ryster, Teveh Ryster. Jakob and Hena lived in Gąbin, Poland where he worked in agriculture, and also owned a movie theater. The couple had four children: Chaim Greenbaum (1907-1992, later Henry Greenbaum). Stas Greenbaum (1910-1942, also referred to as Stanislaw or Stan), Janek Greenbaum (1914-1985, later Albert Greenbaum), and Rozia Greenbaum (1918-2007, later Rose Greenbaum). Henry moved to France in 1927 to study engineering, but later switched to medicine. He met his wife Esther Stern (1909-1989) while he was a medical student. Henry immigrated to the United States in June 1939, but Esther had to remain in Europe. He enlisted with the United States Army in 1941, and Esther joined him in the U.S. in June 1942. They married the same month and in 1944 Henry went overseas as a doctor in Normandy. During the war he was able to maintain correspondence with his family in Poland. Their daughter Anita was born in 1945. In 1941 a ghetto was established in Gąbin. Jakob was sent to Liebenau work camp as a forced-laborer working on the autobahn. He was killed by a motorcycle driven by a German officer in 1941. Albert was also a forced-laborer and fled the camp. He was hidden by Helena Grabarek and her family in Niedzieliska, Poland. Rose fled Gąbin and was first hidden in the home of Jan Sołdański, and then with Witold and Boleslawa Ostrowski in Budy Piaseczne. She lived under the false name of Jadwiga Maciejewska. On April 17, 1942 Hena, Stas, his wife Helene (1917-1942), and their son Izho (1941-1942) were all deported from Gąbin to Chelmno where they were murdered. Albert and Rose were reunited after liberation in 1945. They first lived in Poland and then Paris. Albert married Suzanne Antonos (1917-2002), and they immigrated to the United States in 1950. Their daughter Arlene was born in 1955. Rose married Harry “Grisha” Dinerman (1915-2010), and they first immigrated to Australia, and then the United States in 1955. Their daughter Helena was born in 1949.

The book was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2019 by Anita Greenbaum Brush, the daughter of Henry and Esther Greenbaum.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum collection, gift of Anita Greenbaum Brush