Survivor Profiles: Judy Kolb
This is an important place and an important story, a horrendous story that needs to be constantly told so people will not forget about it.
Judy Kolb
Her Story:
Judy Fleischer Kolb was born in the Shanghai ghetto. She shares the story of her parents, Carla and Cantor Leopold Fleischer, her maternal grandparents, Julius and Martha Frankenstein, and her uncle, Heinz Frankenstein. Following Kristallnacht, Julius was arrested and imprisoned at Sachsenhausen. Martha was able to secure his release and insisted that she, Julius, Heinz, and newlyweds Carla and Leopold leave Germany as soon as possible. They emigrated in June 1939, and Judy was born in Hongkew. This area was partially destroyed by the Japanese invasion in 1937 and had affordable rooms available for refugees arriving between 1937-40. In 1943, all refugees who had arrived after 1937 had to move to Hongkew, which than became known as the “Shanghai Ghetto.”
Many of the Frankenstein/Fleischer family’s artifacts are prominently displayed in Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition, including Judy’s red dress.
Learn More:
Coffee with a survivor facebook live session Podcast Episode Smithsonian article Modern Daily Knitting articlePhoto credits: Zachor – The Holocaust Memory Project