Chazzan Kalman Kalich on the cover of The Art of Cantor Kalmen Kallich, released by The Greater Recording Company in 1976 (GRC 298).
According to the Extract from the Registry of Engaged Jews, 1885–1937 of Brzozów, Kalman (or Kelman) was born on January 4, 1903, in Brzozów (now in Poland), as Kelman Stieber, the son of Mozes Yosef Kalech and Sara Stieber.
This date of birth differs slightly from the one listed in the United States Social Security Death Index, which records December 18, 1902—17 days earlier—as Chazzan Kalich’s birthdate, and notes February 1982 as the month of his passing.
Yet another variation appears in the book First Hungarian Congregation Ohab Zedek, which cites December 17, 1903 as his date of birth. The United States Censuses of 1910 and 1930 also reflect some uncertainty, estimating his year of birth as approximately 1903–1904.
Taken together, these sources present three slightly differing timelines—ranging across about one to three years. Based on this evidence, it seems reasonable to conclude that Kalman Kalich was likely born during the winter of 1902–1903.
Kalman Stieber in the Extract from the Registry of Engaged Jews, 1885–1937, of Brzozów
Chazzan Kalich served in several congregations, most notably at Congregation Ohab Zedek, where he officiated for over 40 years. The following is noted about the congregation on their website (https://ozny.org/about.php):
(The following text is adapted from an article I wrote for offline use.)
In a file from the Directorate-General for War Victims, we find information about my great-great-uncle Kalman Lehrer (also sometimes known as Kalman Kalech) during World War II. The file states that he was conscripted into labor service with the Julius Berger Company.
What I initially overlooked in the document was the abbreviation “OT,” which appears on one of the documents in that file:
From Kalman Lehrer’s file at the Belgian Office of War Victims (File No. DOS-DDO d210703)
The document states that Kalman Lehrer
a été mis au travail forcé dans le Nord de la France (O.T.). Il figure sur les listes de salaires (établies par quinzaines) de la firme “Julius Berger” du 26.7.42 au 31.10.42.
(Translation: [Kalman Lehrer] was conscripted into forced labor in Northern France (OT). He appears on the wage lists (prepared biweekly) of the company “Julius Berger” from July 26, 1942, to October 31, 1942.)
First, I will explain more about the OT, which stands for Organisation Todt, and then I will continue with more details about Kalman Lehrer during the war.
The Establishment of Organisation Todt (OT)
The Organisation Todt (OT) was established in May 1938, when Hitler instructed the Generalinspekteur für das Straßenwesen, Dr. Ing. Fritz Todt, who had already proven himself with the construction of the Autobahn, to take over the continuation of the Westwall (also known as the Siegfried Line) construction, which had previously been led by the Wehrmacht. Todt developed the organization by combining various planning departments, private companies (including the Julius Berger company), and, until the outbreak of war in 1939, the Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service).
During the war, the OT evolved into a military construction unit, and its structure changed frequently, adapting each year to the demands of its orders.
From March 1940, the OT came under the authority of the Reichsminister für Bewaffnung und Munition (RMfBM) — the Minister for Armament and Munitions.
After Fritz Todt’s death in February 1942, the OT was reorganized under Albert Speer (Mannheim, 19 March 1905 – London, 1 September 1981). Since early 1941, it had been headed operationally by engineer Franz Xaver Dorsch (24 December 1899 – 8 November 1986).
Objectives of the Organisation Todt (OT)
Following Hitler’s order in December 1941 to expand the French coastal fortifications known as the “Atlantikwall,” the OT embarked on a large-scale construction program. This massive project demanded an extensive workforce and vast quantities of materials—many of which were diverted from the “Bunkerbauprogramm,” the bunker construction program in German cities.
The Atlantic Wall (Source: Wikimedia Commons, user Uberstroker)
Main Tasks of the Organisation Todt in the Occupied Territories
Besides constructing defense facilities, the OT was responsible for building roads, telecommunication networks, factories, resource extraction facilities, bridges, and barracks. They also handled the repair and recommissioning of economic institutions, the exploitation of resources in the occupied territories, and security (sick!) tasks.
Some notable OT construction projects:
From summer 1941: Construction activities in the Soviet Union and the Balkans.
Early 1943: Construction of launch sites in northern France for the flying bombs “V-1” and “V-2.”
From summer 1943: OT employment within the German Reich to repair air-raid damage.
1943 to 1945: Building air-raid shelters for civilians as part of the “Expanded Air Raid Shelter Program” (“Erweitertes LS-Führerprogramm”).
From 1944 onwards: Industrial, utility, and railroad building projects, including the establishment of underground armament and fuel depots as part of the “Jäger Program” and the “Geilenberg Program” (1944-1945).
Organisation and Labor Supply of the Organisation Todt (OT)
The OT was organized into regional groups according to areas of operation, with a hierarchical structure based on importance.
German workers in the OT wore olive green uniforms and were subject to a quasi-military service obligation.
The OT also recruited auxiliary personnel from Western European countries, some voluntarily, though not all out of idealism. For example, at the war’s start, Belgium had an unemployment rate of around 500,000, leading many to accept OT work for economic reasons.
From 1942 onward, the OT increasingly conscripted forced laborers and prisoners of war.
By 1943–44, a growing number of concentration camp prisoners and other Nazi regime detainees were also used as OT laborers.
Armband worn by an Organization Todt laborer (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Composition of the OT Workforce in Late 1944 (Total approx. 1.36 million workers):
14,000 German workers deemed unfit for military defense duties
22,000 concentration camp prisoners
The remainderwere forced laborers and prisoners of war
Because the OT worked closely with the Gestapo and SS, conditions for forced laborers and prisoners of war were notoriously harsh and inhumane.
Belgian Jews Working for the Organisation Todt (OT)
Starting on June 13, 1942, Belgian Jews were conscripted into forced labor in camps operated by the Organisation Todt. These camps, scattered along the northern coast of France, were established to support the construction of the Atlantic Wall.
Unlike the non-Jewish volunteers—who received fair wages and generally better treatment—Jewish forced laborers endured far harsher conditions. While both groups worked on the same construction sites, the Jews faced discrimination, mistreatment, and degrading conditions that foreshadowed the horrors they would later face in concentration camps.
In early summer 1942, the first Jewish labor camps were established along the French coastline. One additional camp, Mazures, was located inland in the Ardennes region of France, near Charleville.
Most of the Jewish laborers came from Antwerp. The Belgian police, following orders from the Belgian Bureau of Employment, were responsible for rounding them up. Only after their arrival in the camps did the Germans, OT officials, and guards take charge of them.
This forced labor operation lasted approximately three months. Four trains departed from Antwerp on July 13 and 14, August, and the final one on September 12, 1942. Additionally, three other trains left Brussels (June 26), Charleroi (July 31), and Liège (August 3).
The first group of 250 Jewish laborers—of various nationalities—arrived at the Condette camp, south of Boulogne, on June 13, 1942. A month later, on July 14, a transport reached Calais and Port-Lahon. On July 18, around 200 Jews from Antwerp were brought to Mazures via Revin. Transports continued: 250 men arrived in Calais on August 14, 300 more in Boulogne, and another train reached Dannes-Camiers via Boulogne on August 5.
Initially, all new arrivals were gathered and registered at Dannes before being distributed to surrounding camps. More than 100 prisoners were sent to the Ferques camp during June and July 1942. On August 14, a train bound for Boulogne again passed through Dannes. By late September 1942, 250 of the physically strongest prisoners were sent to the Etaples camp.
Starting in August 1942, the Hermann Dohrmann Company of Mülheim an der Ruhr—specializing in road construction and heavy industry—began preparing payroll records for Jewish laborers from Brussels and Antwerp. Five lists were compiled between August 9 and October 17, 1942. Each list, except the fifth (which had 118 names), contained 120 names and covered two weeks of wages. In September 1942, 250 Belgian Jews were officially assigned to work in Etaples and were registered in the Dannes-Camiers camp system.
The Deportation of Belgian Jews from OT Camps to Auschwitz
Beginning in August and September 1942, mass round-ups (razzias) of Jews were launched across Belgium and northern France. This marked the start of the implementation of the so-called “Final Solution.” Jews who had previously been sent to labor camps under the Organisation Todt (OT) were now also targeted. The first deportation train bound for Auschwitz departed from the transit camp in Malines (Mechelen) on August 4, 1942.
The Prioritization of Deportation over Military Objectives
The German authorities anticipated the deportation of approximately 20,000 Jews from Belgium and northern France. Although they initially struggled to reach this number, they took drastic measures to meet the target. Jewish forced laborers were removed from OT camps along the coastal regions, even though this disrupted essential military construction projects. Every effort was made to fulfill the deportation quota, even at the expense of delaying fortifications vital to defending the Reich and securing Hitler’s vision of Europe. This irrational decision underscores the brutal logic of the Nazi regime, in which the annihilation of the Jews—the so-called “Final Solution”—took precedence over all other military and strategic goals.
The Deportations from the Northern France OT Camps
Four transports carrying a large number of Jewish forced laborers from the OT camps in Northern France departed from the Dossin barracks in Mechelen (Malines) en route to Auschwitz:
Two convoys on October 24, 1942 (the 14th and 15th convoys)
Two more on October 31, 1942 (the 16th and 17th convoys) (Kalman Lehrer was deported on the 16th convoy.)
During this period, the OT labor camps were almost entirely emptied, effectively fulfilling the Nazis’ objective of deporting 20,000 Jews. However, this mass deportation significantly disrupted construction work on the Atlantic Wall.
The camps were not left entirely deserted. Some Jews of Belgian nationality, particularly those married to Aryan (non-Jewish) women, were temporarily allowed to remain. Additionally, the Germans began bringing in other groups of prisoners to fill the vacant labor roles. Still, the camps would never again reach the peak population of approximately 2,000 Jewish forced laborers, as had been the case in the summer of 1942.
Convoys 15–17: Deportation of Jewish Forced Laborers from OT Camps
The 15th convoy, departing on October 24, 1942, included 238 Jewish forced laborers from the Todt Organization (OT) labor camps in Charleville and La Rochelle in northern France. The 16th convoy, which followed a week later on October 31, carried 752 forced laborers, and the 17th convoy included another 562.
The 17th convoy marked a significant shift in the nature of the deportations. It was the first convoy composed entirely of men, many of whom had been transferred directly from OT labor camps without even passing through the Dossin Barracks in Mechelen (Malines). Upon arrival at Mechelen, these OT laborers remained on standby in the train until additional detainees from the barracks were brought on board to fill the transport.
This convoy also saw the first large-scale escape attempt. While the train was still on Belgian soil, 241 deportees managed to jump from the moving train—an unprecedented event. The timing of this mass escape may be explained by the fact that the previous convoys had included entire families, including women and children. In those earlier cases, the emotional and moral burden of abandoning one’s family likely prevented many from attempting escape. The 17th convoy, by contrast, consisted only of men, many of whom were alone and had nothing left to lose. With no children or wives at their side, the prospect of a dangerous leap toward freedom became more conceivable—and for some, it succeeded.
The Julius Berger Company
As mentioned earlier, the Todt Organization was formed through a combination of state planning departments, private companies, and, before the outbreak of war in 1939, the Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labor Service).
One of the private companies involved was Julius Berger, which later became part of Bilfinger & Berger AG (www.bilfinger.com) (now operating under Bilfinger SE), headquartered in Mannheim, Germany.
The company was originally founded by a Jewish engineer and entrepreneur, Julius (Juda) Berger (born September 22, 1862, in Zempelburg, West Prussia – murdered May 16, 1942, in Theresienstadt). In the 1930s, during the Nazi regime’s Aryanization campaign, Berger was forcibly removed from his own company, which was expropriated and transferred to non-Jewish ownership.
In its early years, Julius Berger’s company focused primarily on railway, road, and bridge construction. It quickly gained a strong reputation with the German government, securing contracts for hundreds of miles of infrastructure. In 1893 alone, Berger constructed 22 stretches of railway across Germany.
Meanwhile, August Grün, co-director of another successful firm, specialized in water-related civil engineering. When Grün’s business partner left in 1892, Paul Bilfinger, a government engineer, took over. By that time, the company already had 250 employees and significant experience and equipment in a variety of construction areas.
From the outset of their partnership, Grün and Bilfinger pursued a wide variety of engineering projects. In 1907, they entered the international arena by constructing a 45-mile stretch of railway in Hungary. That same year, Julius Berger’s company also expanded its operations, undertaking projects such as building a canal in Hamburg, a dam and power station in Blesen, and hydraulic control systems along several German rivers and canals.
In 1909, Julius Berger and Grün & Bilfinger collaborated for the first time on a major undertaking: the widening of the Kiel Canal, a crucial 61-mile waterway connecting the North Sea with the Baltic Sea.
Their international activity began to wane significantly after 1935. With the outbreak of World War II, both companies turned their efforts toward domestic construction—particularly projects initiated by the Nazi government as part of its economic recovery plans. These included the building of the Autobahnen, Germany’s national highway system. Berger and Bilfinger were among the top firms awarded these contracts. Many sections of the Autobahn required long, high bridges with complex engineering solutions, which provided continued challenges for their engineers.
During the war, both Julius Berger and Grün & Bilfinger were involved in the construction of airports and naval installations in support of the German war effort. Like many German firms during this time, they benefited from the militarized economy and were complicit in Nazi infrastructure development.
Following the war, both companies spent the first two postwar years engaged in clearing rubble, repairing bridges and railways, and restoring damaged buildings, roads, and dikes across Germany. These efforts were part of the massive reconstruction efforts in the devastated postwar landscape.
A Note about the Groupe de Recherches “Dannes-Camiers”
To deepen understanding of the fate of Belgian Jews deported to Dannes-Camiers, France, a research group was founded by the children and grandchildren of deportees from Liège and nearby Seraing who were sent to labor camps in Northern France. The Groupe de Recherches “Dannes-Camiers” aims to locate, collect, and disseminate information and documents about this relatively overlooked chapter in the deportation of Belgian Jews.
In the course of their work, the group discovered important documentation in the archives of the Office of War Victims (see https://www.arch.be/index.php?l=en&m=online-resources&r=archives-online&sr=second-world-war#war-damages-files), which was part of Belgium’s Ministry of Social Security. Among the findings were lists of “employees” registered by the Organisation Todt (OT). The group also came across official postwar reports detailing the wages and funds that were systematically stolen from the Jewish laborers.
Although the Belgian Jews deported to the labor camps of Dannes-Camiers were nominally paid wages for their forced labor, these salaries were never received. The group is now committed to uncovering what became of these stolen funds, which were reportedly recovered by the Belgian government after the war.
Kalman Lehrer and the Organisation Todt (OT)
Kalman Lehrer was conscripted into forced labor for the Julius Berger company, one of the private firms contracted by the Organisation Todt (OT). According to records from the Belgian Office of War Victims, Kalman was stationed in Boulogne, France, from July 26, 1942, to October 31, 1942.
Born on June 20, 1898, Kalman was 44 years old in 1942—an age that would typically have been considered too old for OT labor assignments. His inclusion in forced labor therefore suggests that he may have actively sought or found a way to be included, possibly as a desperate attempt to avoid immediate deportation. Tragically, this temporary reprieve did not spare him: he was eventually sent to Auschwitz via the 16th convoy departing from the Dossin barracks on October 31, 1942, and did not survive.
Overview of Kalman Lehrer’s employment period with the Julius Berger Company (from his file at the Belgian Office of War Victims, file: DOS-DDO d210703)
Kalman Lehrer’s “Salary” and the Fate of the OT Workers’ Funds
Although Kalman Lehrer’s personal file does not specify the exact amount he earned, it is widely known that Organisation Todt (OT) forced laborers received a standard stipend of 10 Belgian francs per day. These wages were not given directly to the workers but instead were transferred to La Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas (today part of BNP Paribas – www.bnpparibas.com).
In early 1943, the Brüsseler Treuhandgesellschaft (BTG) was tasked with identifying and managing the properties and assets of so-called “enemies of the Reich,” including Jews. In a later phase, the BTG centralized, managed, and liquidated these assets. Among its actions was the demand to transfer the unclaimed wages of Jewish OT laborers to an account at the Société Française de Banque et de Dépôts (SFBD). The total sum amounted to 1,349,265 Belgian francs.
After the liberation, the SFBD returned only a portion of the funds to former laborers whose wages had originally been routed through the Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas. In 1958, a partial amount of 965,758 Belgian francs was eventually transferred to the Deposit and Consignment Office (Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations) in Belgium.
As for Kalman Lehrer himself, the exact date of his death remains unknown. Official records estimate that he was murdered sometime between October 30, 1942, and June 1, 1945, following his deportation on the 16th convoy to Auschwitz.
Appendix I: Inventory List from the Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas
Source: Federal Public Service for Social Security, Directorate-General for War Victims, Belgium
As mentioned in the main text, Jewish forced laborers working under the Organisation Todt (OT) were, in theory, paid a daily stipend. These payments were to be processed via the Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas—now part of BNP Paribas. In reality, however, these wages were never disbursed to the workers during the war.
The Belgian Office for War Victims provided me with an inventory list of all the files they hold relating to the Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas. While the list is extensive, it is not complete and still contains some gaps.
Nonetheless, I am including it here because:
It offers insights into the bureaucratic mechanisms used to appropriate and centralize Jewish labor wages during and after the war.
It provides a snapshot of the many private companies that were integrated into the OT structure;
It may serve as a valuable research tool for anyone wishing to investigate this aspect of Jewish forced labor in Northern France;
COMPANY
Folder Number
File Number
Remarks
Aachener
1
1
Abwickelungsstelle
2
1
Ackermann
3
1
Ackermann & Stadtfeld
4
1
Adam
5
1
A.E.G.
6
1
Alaers
7
1
Alardin
8
1
Albrecht R.
9
1
Allbaulenz
10
1
Allgeier
11
1
Altenbach
12
1
Angele & Schmid
13
1
Anton
14
1
Antonini
15
1
Antonus
16
1
Arbeitsgemeinschaft Athies
17
1
Arbeitsgemeinschaft Baden
18
1
Arbeitsgemeinschaft Nordwest
19
1
Arbeitsgemienschaft Stuttgart-Nord Eitel
20
1
Aretz
21
1
Arge Landschaftsgärtner
22
1
Arge Lageraufbau
23
1
Arge West
24
1
Armbruster
25
1
Art & Technique
26
1
Firma FG Reincke et C° – suhunternehmer “Art et Technique”
Artois
27
1
Ateliers de Construction de la Seine
28
1
Curt Badhauser et Co
29
2 B
Baierle Edmund
30
2 B
Balke (Arge Balke-Emmrich)
31
2 B
Bauken
32
2 B
Baresel AG
33
2 B
Barth. C.W.
34
2 B
Basco
35
2 B
A.bastijns et H. Simon
36
2 B
Bauförster
37
2 B
Baum u. Bentgen
38
2 B
Baumanns L.
39
2 B
Baustoff und Geratelager
40
2 B
Bautch Beschaffungsamt
41
2 B
Bauwens Peter
42
3 B
A. Becker
43
4 B
Jos Becker
44
4 B
Kurt Becker
45
4 B
Bellinghausen
46
4 B
Bentz
47
4 B
Julius Berger
48
5 en 6
Robert Berger
49
4B
Bergold & Kleber
50
4B
Bergt camp
51
4B
Bermann N
52
4B
Berneburg
53
4B
Bernd & R. Friess
53Bis
4B
Bessemans
54
4B
G. Benchel
55
4B
Bentepark der Luftwaffe
56
4B
Birkle & Thomer
57
4B
manque
Bisse & Roelandts
58
4B
Blaivie & Fils
59
4B
Bläser
60
4B
Blees
61
7
Bleymehl
62
7
Blum (Carl G.)
63
7
Herman Bock
64
7
Bödicker
65
7
Bodson
66
7
Boeree & Bakker
67
7
Boersch
68
7
Borreux Al
69
7
Bosman & Knauer
70
7
Bourlez C
71
7
Boval A
72
7
Karl Brandt
73
8
Karl Brandt
73
9
Bratengeier
74
10
Brecheis Karl
75
10
Brown-Bowerie
76
10
Franz Brüggemann
77
10
Alfred Bührmann
78
11
Burmeister J.H. Gustav
79
11
Büscher & Sohn
80
11
A & O Bussenius
81
11
Heinrich Butzer
82
11
Cabooter & D’ Haene
83
12
Callens
84
12
Champy
84 Bis
12
Cheppe & Swille
85
12
Christoph & Unmack
86
12
Claus – Van Hulle
87
12
J.H. Collignon
88
12
Conrad F
88 Bis
12
Conradt Hans
89
12
Constantin Pierre
90
12
Constructa Moderna
91
12
Coppens Albert
92
12
Coppens H
93
12
Cranz Kurt
94
12
Daemen Frères
95
12
Daems Henri
96
12
Dalheimer Otto
97
12
Dandois
98
12
De Baets-Vanden Berghe
99
13
De Bon
100
13
Debusschere-Vanden Borre
101
13
Decheneux L
102
14
De Cuyper R
103
14
Defense Aerienne
104
14
Degembe
105
14
Degler Franz
106
14
Derdesheimer
107
14
Delbanche
108
14
Dericks Komertz
109
14
De Ryck
110
14
Desmet
111
14
Dessy Oscar
112
14
Deutsche Asphalttiefbau
113
14
Deutsche Bau
114
15
Deutsche Elektrik
115
15
Deutsche Tiefbaugesellschaft
116
15
Dienststelle
117
15
(fardes spéciales)
Franz Dietrich
118
15
Paul Dietrich
119
15
Dieu & Allain
120
15
Dittgen
121
15
Despy A
122
15
Dohrmann
123
15
Dortmunder Bauunion
124
15
Dubener
125
15
E. G. Dubois
126
16
Ducker
127
16
Duesburger Kies Baggerei
128
16
Siegfried Dumon
129
16
Duvi & Rosetzky
130
16
Albert Durinck
131
16
Dyckerhoff & Widmann
132
16
Dziechel-Jansen
133
16
Divers:Portland Cement
134
16
Kriegsmarinewerft Brest
134
16
Technique Compagnie Lille
134
16
Hansa Bau Union
134
16
Soldatenheim Loon
134
16
Abwickelungstelle Bevek S/Mer
134
16
Dienststelle N° 1311
134
17
Dienststelle N°1402
134
17
Dienststelle N°4348
134
17
Dienststelle N° 5049
134
17
Dienstselle N° 5060
134
17
Dienstselle N° 5343
134
17
Dienststelle N° 6299
134
17
Dienststelle N° 6812
134
17
Dienstselle N° 7201
134
17
Dienststelle N° 9395
134
17
Dienststelle N° 10052
134
17
Dienststelle N° 10439
134
17
Dienststelle N° 10585
134
17
Dienststelle N°11156
134
17
Dienststelle N° 12214
134
17
Dienststelle N° 12325
134
17
Dienststelle N° 12523
134
17
Dienststelle N° 13884
134
17
Dienststelle N°13965
134
17
Dienststelle N° 16255
134
17
Dienststelle N° 17943
134
17
Dienststelle N° 19089
134
17
Dienststelle N° 19484
134
17
Dienststelle N° 22333
134
17
Dienststelle N° 22631
134
17
Dienststelle N° 26025
134
17
Dienststelle N° 27089
134
17
Dienststelle N° 28547
134
17
Dienststelle N° 30049
134
18
Dienststelle N° 30051
134
18
Dienststelle N° 31148
134
18
Dienststelle N° 31716
134
18
Dienststelle N° 31809
134
18
Dienststelle N° 31859
134
18
Dienststelle N° 31881
134
18
Dienststelle N° 31908
134
18
Dienststelle N° 32179
134
18
Dienststelle N° 32688
134
18
Dienststelle N° 33199
134
18
Dienststelle N° 33281
134
19
Dienststelle N° 33917
134
19
Dienststelle N° 33928
134
19
Dienststelle N° 34705
134
19
Dienststelle N° 35370
134
19
Dienststelle N° 36620
134
19
Dienststelle N° 37686
134
19
Dienststelle N° 38380
134
19
Dienststelle N° 38440
134
19
Dienststelle N° 38969
134
19
Dienststelle N° 39614
134
19
Dienststelle N° 40469
134
19
Dienststelle N° 40774
134
19
Dienststelle N° 49123
134
19
Dienststelle N° 49595
134
19
Dienststelle N° 50726
134
19
Dienststelle N° 50825
134
19
Dienststelle N° 50893
134
19
Dienststelle N° 50938
134
19
Dienststelle N° 51270
134
20
Dienststelle N° 52092
134
20
Dienststelle N° 52160
134
20
Dienststelle N° 52273
134
20
Dienststelle N° 52443
134
20
Dienststelle N° 52966
134
20
Dienststelle N° 53072
134
20
Dienststelle N° 54100
134
20
Dienststelle N° 54222
134
20
Dienststelle N° 54365
134
20
Dienststelle N° 54471
134
20
Dienststelle N° 54660
134
20
Dienststelle N° 54678
134
20
Dienststelle N° 55116
134
20
Dienststelle N° 55555
134
20
Dienststelle N° 55590
134
20
Egenter F
135
21
Eggers
136
21
Ehland Paul
137
21
Eiermann Rudi
138
21
Eigen
139
21
Eisenrieth
140
21
Ensatzgruppe West
141
21
Elbau
142
21
Erbes Bau
142 Bis
21
Elektro Bar
143
22
Theo Elsche
144
22
Ensle Paul
145
22
Emmerich John
146
22
Engel Emiel
147
22
Ensle – Ostertag
148
22
Entreprises Générales Dalcq
149
22
Entreprises Générales de Batiment et Construction
150
22
Entreprises Industrielles & de Travaux Publics
151
22
Entreprise Louzier
152
22
Entreprise Vande Walle
153
22
Epple Karl
154
22
Erbes Bau
155
22
Gebr. Erdmann
156
22
J. Erkes
157
22
Fackler A
158
22
Fandel Theodor
159
22
Farben Industrie (Henin Lictard)
160
22
Felger Aumann
161
22
Festungskolonne 27
162
22
Ficheroulle et Lambiotte
163
22
Fichter Aug
164
22
Fillibeek
165
22
A. Finck
166
22
B. Fischer
167
23
Flame
168
23
S. Flockerzi
169
23
Florack Heinrich
170
23
Flossdorf A
171
23
Forster Fritz
172
23
Fournelle & Zumbruch
173
23
France Quest
174
23
Francke Werke
175
23
François René
176
23
H. Fredrich
177
23
Friedrichsmeier
178
23
Frommer Gustave
179
23
Früh Max
180
23
W. Fuchs
181
23
Fürst Max
182
23
Füsgen Fr.
183
23
O. Gallopijn
184
24
Nik Garçon
185
24
A. Garie & Sohn
186
24
Fr. Gassen
187
24
Gastmann
188
24
Gebigke & Blaivie
189
24
Gehzt Standt
190
24
Gerselhart & Schottle
191
24
Gerre Elektrobau
192
24
Gerdum u Breuer
193
24
Gevaert G.
194
24
Geyer L.
195
24
Gielis & Wijngaert
196
24
Gleisbauzug Knope
197
24
Gluiraufbau A. G.
198
24
W. Gotzky
199
24
Grafen & Servin
200
24
Grands Travaux Modernes
201
24
A. Grassmann
202
24
R. Grasdorf
203
24
Gres & Gheza
204
24
Karl Gross & Sohn
205
24
Gross Max
206
24
Groth & C°
207
24
Gruss & Belfinger
208
24
Grusser Christhoph
209
24
Grusser-Gossen
210
24
Guggenberger R
211
24
Guidi
212
24
L. Guns
213
24
H. Haars & Gruneberg
214
25
Habermann & Guekes
215
25
Hachez
216
25
Hachez Isselstein
217
25
Hageman Dykmann
218
25
Hagemann & C°
219
25
H. Hagen
220
25
H. Hanauer
221
25
Hanbuch & Sohne
222
25
Hannebeek Baug
223
25
Hannoffel Joh.
224
25
Hausa Bau Union
225
25
Harder
226
25
Hardt Ludwig
227
25
Harn & Nayer
228
25
Hauck Matihaus
229
25
Hausler O.
230
25
Hebel
231
26
Hegerfeld
232
26
Heilingbrünner L
233
26
Heilmann & Littmann
234
26
Heine Herbert
235
26
Heinemann & Bune
236
26
Held & Lamki
237
26
Heffmann
238
26
Hellenthal & Sohn
239
26
Heller Fr.
240
27
Helm
241
27
Helmsted
242
27
Hemmino & Witte
243
27
Hennes
244
27
Hermanns Gebr
245
27
Hermant Maurice
246
27
Hermecke
247
27
Hesscge Arbeitsgem
248
27
Heuer KG
249
27
Hildebrand Conrad
250
27
Hillesheim
251
27
Hilfertging Jean
252
27
Hochtief
253
27
O. Hocke & C°
254
27
Hortz & C°
255
27
O. Hoffmann
256
27
Holzmann
260 Bis
28
Hoffritz
257
29
K. Hofmann
258
29
Hofmann Lohium
259
29
Hollinoer
260
29
Homme Paul
261
29
Horsch Claus & Sohn
262
29
Hoss
263
29
Huber F
264
29
Hubert & Rauwald
265
29
Huberts J.B
266
29
Huguet Ins Fourre
267
29
Hulster Léon
268
29
Hulskens C°
269
29
Hundgen & Sohn
270
29
Huta
271
29
Ibau-industrie Bau
272
30
Industra
273
30
Instrass
274
30
Iserluhn
275
30
Iven H
276
30
Jansen
277
30
Janssen
278
30
Jitax
279
30
Jobst & Milch
279 Bis
30
Jochimski
280
30
Joly H
281
30
Jonen H
282
30
Jordan Max
283
30
Jucho
284
30
A. Jung
285
30
Jungzen
286
30
Kahlke
287
31
Kallenbach
288
31
Karle Ernst
289
31
Kauffer & C°
290
31
Kehl & C°
291
31
Keller J
292
31
Keller Nelly
293
31
Kengelbach
294
31
keuber W
295
31
Kirsch L
296
31
Kirschenhofer
297
31
Klaber Max
298
31
Knauth Art
300
31
Kniffler
300
31
Knop W
302
32
Knyff
303
32
Koch & C°
304
32
Koch & Neyer
305
32
Koernig
306
32
Kohl Erwin
307
32
Kohnn A
308
32
Korte & Vogel
309
32
Koster & Adolphs
310
32
Kowahl & Bruns
311
32
Krauz Kurt
312
32
Krautscheid
313
32
A. Kremers
314
32
Kriegslazarett St. André
315
32
Kriegsmarine Arsinal
315 Bis
32
Kriegslazarett Calmette
316
32
Krockel K.
317
32
Kromm W
318
32
Krombus F. N.
319
32
C. Kroth & Sohn
320
32
F. Kriball
321
32
Kriebler K
322
32
Kuhlmer H
324
32
Kunster & Sohn
325
33
Kunster & Zimmermann
326
33
Kurz und Muller
327
33
Kutsch Steffens
328
33
Neant
329
33
Labay & Driehesne
330
34
Lachaise
331
34
Laer Bern
332
34
Lamberte B
333
34
Lamers Hans
334
34
Lammertyn
335
34
Landauer
336
34
Langlois A
337
34
Latseka W
338
34
Leoris A
339
34
Leuhard H
340
34
Leuk. Meisel
341
34
Leuz & C°
342
34
Leuzen A
343
34
Levaux Ant & fils
344
35
Leydens W
345
35
Lieser
346
35
Limourin
347
35
G. Limper
348
35
Lindemann
349
35
Lingermann Karl
350
35
Linnartzund Sohwarz
351
35
Litrvin Chuh & Bank
352
35
Livernet
352 Bis
35
Lohrum
353
35
Loth & Bopp
354
35
E. Ludwig
355
35
Ludwig – Rottland
356
35
Lung Alois
357
35
Luftwaffe Beutepark
358
35
Luypaert Van Simpsen
359
35
Macher Ludwig
360
36
Maffenanti
361
36
Maler Arbeitsgemeinschaft
362
36
Malmendier Jos
363
36
Manfredini M
364
36
Marahrens
365
36
Marine Haffen
366
36
Markgraf und Heger
367
36
Markische Bauges
368
36
Marx Gebr
369
36
Matrowitz & C°
370
36
Matzdorff W
371
37
Mattern Stand Heller
372
37
Maue Otto
373
37
May
374
37
Mayer Aug
375
37
G. Meister
376
37
Mell Gebr
377
38
Merkle
378
38
Mertens L
379
38
Metzdorf H
380
38
Metzinger H
381
38
Meyer Fritz
382
38
Michiels
383
38
Michiels-Collignon
384
38
Micka
385
38
Mickelheit Gebr
386
38
Milch. Mart
387
38
Néant
388
38
Mobelfabrik
389
38
Mobers Gebr
390
38
Mogendorf Segner
391
38
Mohr Hans
392
38
Molders & C°
393
38
Moll K
394
38
Moll L
395
38
Moller E
396
38
Moller & Schott
397
39
Monuzzi & Roelants
398
39
Muhlenbruch
399
39
Mulheimer Strassebbau
400
39
Muller & C°
401
39
A. Muller
402
39
Fr. Muller
403
39
J. Muller
404
39
Max Muller
405
39
Manque
Mussgang & C°
406
39
Nachbarschulte
407
40
National
408
40
Jacob Neumayer
409
40
Manque
E. Niclas
410
40
Niemax Gebr
411
40
Nill W
412
40
Noll Jakob
413
40
Novak & Schwarz
414
40
N.S.K.K. Transf
415
40
Nuyts H
416
40
O.B.L. Audingren
417
41
O.B.L. Cherbourg
418
42
O.B.L. Marseille
419
42
O.B.L. Mette
420
42
O.B.L. Nord
421
42
O.B.L. Normandie
422
42
O.B.L. Nord West
423
42
O.B.L. Paula
424
42
O.B.L. Rouen
425
42
O.B.L. Sud
426
42
Oderthal Jakob
427
43
C. Oelting
428
43
Oevermann G
429
43
Ohlig
430
43
Olbrecht G
431
43
Olm G
432
43
Oltsch & C°
433
43
Opel Beuchel
434
43
Osselaere Alph
435
43
Ostbau
436
43
Osthoff W
437
43
Ostland
438
43
O.T. Divers
439
43
Ott. Bau
440
43
Ouest Travaux Publics
441
43
Ovander G
442
43
Pampers
443
44
Pantz E
444
44
Pape Aug
445
44
Pastore
446
44
Pauwels
447
44
Pauwels & Smits
447 Bis
44
(farde à part)
A. Penasse
448
44
Perino frères
449
44
Perthil Robert
450
44
Pfalz
451
44
Philippi
452
44
Piessen V
453
44
Piette A
454
44
Pilot – De Puydt
455
44
G. Pinnow
456
44
Plotner
457
44
Jakob Pohl
458
44
Polenski & Zollner
459
44
Postiaux Gaston
460
44
Ponghon Charles
461
44
Pracht Hans
462
44
Primus
463
44
Provost
464
44
(farde à part)
Rabits
465
45
Raebel Wecke
466
45
Ramant & C°
467
45
Ranker Atois
468
45
Rathjens
469
45
Rausch & Balensiefen
470
45
Rauwald
471
45
Rech
472
45
Reh & C°²
473
45
Regensburg
474
45
L. Reinartzund Sohn
475
45
Reincke
476
46
Rempke
477
46
H. Rennert
478
46
(manque)
Resthaven Ge.
479
46
H. Reuss
480
46
Rheinbay
481
46
Rheinpfaz
482
46
Riedel
483
46
Riede
484
46
Ries
485
46
Ritter Massong C°
486
47
Rittmann
487
47
Roeder J
488
47
Max Roelants
489
47
Fr. Rodiek
490
47
Cl. Rohuer
491
47
Rom J.P.
492
47
N. Rörig
493
47
J. Roth
494
47
J. Rothfuss
495
47
Rottger
496
47
Rottland & Lindeman
497
47
Rucker
498
47
Sachsinger
499
48
Saeger & Woerner
500
48
Samson
501
48
Sauercin & Schaefer
502
48
S.B.U.
503
48
Scandolo
504
48
Schäfer
505
48
Schartmann
506
48
Scheidt
507
48
Scherer
508
48
Schlichthoon
509
48
Schmitz & Sohn
510
48
Schmarsel
511
48
H. Schmetz
512
48
Schmitt R
513
48
Schmitz E
514
48
Schmitz Erpenbach
515
48
Schmitz H.
516
48
Schmucker
517
48
Schneider Johann
518
49
Schneider (Juifs)
518 Bis
49
manque
Schneider & Klippel
519
49
Schneiders & Schumacker
520
49
G. Schnellen
520 Bis
49
(farde à part) farde 49 Bis
G. Scholzen
521
49
Schomburg
522
49
Schommer
523
49
Eg. Schott
524
49
Schroder Otto
525
49
Schroders
526
49
H. Schroeder
527
49
Schubert
528
49
Schuffelhauer
529
49
Schulte ter Hardt
530
49
Schuppart
531
49
manque
Schijnler
532
49
Schutterlé M
533
49
Schnutzer BB
534
49
L. Seemann
535
49
J. Ph Sehn
536
49
Selbach
537
49
Siemens Bau Union
538
49
Simon Arthur
539
50
H. Smits
539 Bis
50
(farde à part 50 Bis)
Sobeco
540
50
Sobetta
541
50
Herbert Soche
542
50
O. Soetaert
543
50
Sofsky
544
50
Sotrabe
545
50
Sparenberg
546
50
Spereher
547
50
Spiller K
548
50
Spinhoff-Campo
549
50
Spieker
550
50
Stark
551
51
Stehmeyer & Bischoft
552
51
Stein E
553
51
Steindl
554
51
Stichel
555
51
Stichtmann
556
51
Stilgenbauer und Faber
557
51
Stock Carl
558
52
Stöcker
559
52
Stohr Karl
560
52
Stolze
561
52
Strabag
562
52
Strassen Ingeniersbau
563
52
Strauch W
564
52
Streubel
565
52
Struck
566
52
Sturm
567
52
Stutzenberger
568
52
Sudbau
569
52
Technique C°
570
53
Technische Gruppe
571
53
Terrastraba
572
53
Terbrak
573
53
Tesch G
574
53
Deutsche Theater
575
53
Deutsche Tehater Lille
576
53
Tiele
577
53
Thomas Emiel
578
53
N. Tilger
579
53
W. Topel
580
53
Trama
581
53
Uamann
582
53
Unico
583
54
Vaesset
584
54
manque
Valente
585
54
Van Belle
586
54
Van Craenenbroeck
587
54
Vanderstappen
588
54
Van der Veeken
589
54
Van der Vurst
590
54
Van de Velde
591
54
Van de Vloet
592
54
Vanderwalle
593
54
Vanmeen
594
54
Van Dooren G.
595
54
Van Doorne
596
54
(farde à part) 54 Bis
Van Droot
597
54
Van Elewijk
598
54
Van Elven
599
54
Van Geit
600
54
Van Kempen
601
54
Vanniesbecq
602
54
Van Schoor
603
54
Van Steelant
604
55
Van Uden & C°
605
55
Van Regenmortel
606
55
Van Wiënen & Cie
607
55
Van Wijnsberghe
608
55
(farde à part 55 bis)
Vattez H
609
55
Verhaeghe – De Craemer
610
55
Vereecken Jos
611
55
Verhaege – De Craemer
612
55
Vigafrau-firma
613
55
manque
Viot
614
55
manque
Völkel & Heidingsfelder
615
55
Völker Wilhelm
616
55
Voller
617
55
Volz
618
55
Von der Heydt
619
55
manque
Von der Wettern
620
55
Vomel
621
55
Van Wronski
622
55
Wadle & C
623
56
Wagner Jean
624
56
Wagner Richard
625
56
Walter Karl
626
56
Wassermann Friedrich
627
56
Waysse & Freytag
628
56
Weisez
629
56
Wendel G
630
56
Wemez M
631
56
Werner Franz & C°
632
56
Werner Krause
633
56
Werkstattzug
634
57
Westbau
635
57
Westdeutsche Steinindustrie
636
57
Westdeutsche Wegenbauges
637
57
Wetterholm R
638
57
Wichmann
639
57
Wickert Aug
640
58
Wicaker Wilhelm
641
58
Wiemeer & Trachto
642
58
Wieland H
643
58
Wiesbaden
644
58
Wiesdorfer Bauwerstatten
645
58
Willemen
646
58
Windschild & Langelott
647
58
Wirtz H
648
58
Witt J
649
58
Woets
650
58
Wolf Fritz
651
59
Wolfer & Goebel
652
59
Wolff Friedrich
653
59
Wolff A. Müller
654
59
Wolfsholz
655
59
Wynants P. A.
656
59
Zapp
657
60
Zeglink
658
60
Zettelmeyer
659
60
Zervos
660
60
Zimmerman G
661
60
Zimmermann Adolf
662
60
Zimmermann Wilhelm
663
60
Zinzen P
664
60
Zublin
665
60
Appendix II: Sources Used in This Article
This article is based on a range of archival documents, scholarly publications, and verified online resources. Below is a list of the key sources consulted during the research and writing process:
Groupe de Recherches “Dannes-Camiers” – Research group focused on the fate of Belgian Jews deported to the labor camps in Northern France. Their history and work can be explored at: www.dannes-camiers.be/en/hist.html
Marcel Apsel, “Forced labor through Organization Todt,”Avotaynu, Vol. XVII, No. 1, Spring 2001, pp. 56–58.
Website of the Directorate-General War Victims of the Federal Public Service Social Security: http://warvictims.fgov.be
DOS/DDO d210703, LEHRER Kalman – at the Directorate-General War Victims of the Federal Public Service (FPS) Social Security: http://www.warvictims.fgov.be
Cantor Kalman Kalich served among others, as the cantor of the Ohab Zedek congregation in New York.
From the website of Congregation Ohab Zedek (link):
Congregation Ohab Zedek (formally known as the First Hungarian Congregation Ohab Zedek), or OZ, as it is fondly known, is more than just a synagogue. Under the leadership of Rabbi Allen Schwartz, the Shul is known for its open doors and big heart. […] OZ has a proud history. The Shul was founded in 1873 on Avenue B and Houston Street on the Lower East Side as the First Hungarian Congregation Ohab Zedek. After a sojourn on West 116th Street in Harlem, the Congregation moved to its present location at 118 West 95th Street in 1926. Today, as part of a revitalized Upper West Side that has drawn an ever-expanding population of families and young adults, OZ is a vibrant and dynamic Jewish center for prayer, learning and social activities.
After contacting the congregation, I got the following e-mail on Mon, Aug 22, 2011 from Mr. Chaim Steinberger (ChaiStein-*at*-aol.com) who serves as the archivist of the synagogue:
[…]This is the information that I wrote in the book on the History of the shul (Ohab Zedek), and that’s all the information I have:
“Cantor Kalich was born in Kalich, Poland on December 17, 1903. He previously served as Cantor of the Arena Synagogue, Budapest, Hungary, and sang in Yossele Rosenblatt’s choir in Pressburg, Hungary. He was honored for his many years of service at Ohab Zedek at a dinner held at the Hotel Olcott, New York City, given in his honor on Saturday evening, March 11, 1961, recognizing his 25 years of dedicated service to the congregation. He died in New York City on February 24, 1982.”
By the way, he was chazan at Ohab Zedek from 1935 to 1981. I believe his wife’s name was Rose.[…]
One of the greatest projects for genealogists on the Internet and which are managed by different organizations, are websites with complete digitized books.
One of these projects which can be interesting for Jewish family researchers, is http://hebrewbooks.org.
Their mission as stated on their site:
Hebrewbooks.org was founded in order to preserve old American Hebrew books that are out of print and/or circulation. Many American Rabbis wrote seforim (Hebrew books) in the early part of the 20th century. They have long since passed away and in many instances so has their holy work.
Currently our mission has expanded to include all Torah Seforim ever printed. At Hebrewbooks.org you will be able to view and print the entire Sefer online.
[…]
HebrewBooks.org is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Our goal is to bring to life the many Seforim that were written and unfortunately forgotten, and to make all Torah Publications free and ubiquitous.
I uploaded here on my website as an example a few (more…)
I received the following document on May 27th, 2011 via e-mail from the state archive in Kielce (Archiwum Państwowe w Kielcach).
The document, as written in the mail from the Kielce statearchive, is:
[…]skan dot. Izaka Kalecha z księgi meldunkowej miasta Tarnobrzega
Meaning the following:
[…]a scan with Izak Kalech as reported in the book of the city of Tarnobrzeg
The scan comes from the following collection (Thanks to Mr. Moshe Steinberg [m.steinberg -at- utoronto.ca] for the tip):
Tarnobrzeg PSA Citizen List of delayed Births ,Lwow Wojewodztwa / Rzeszow Province (records in Fond 525 in Kielce Archive Sandomierz Branch)
This is how the contents of the file appear on the website of jri-poland:
[table “17” not found /]
Mr. Witold Wrzosinski (a researcher based in Poland whose website is at http://avanim.pl. He who can be contacted via e-mail: w.wrzosinski-at-avanim.pl) explained me more about this document:
[slider title=”click here to read what Mr. Witold Wrzosinski sent mee”]
Dear Gershon,
this is an entry from “ksiÄ™ga meldunkowa”. It is not a census, it’s a “registration book”. Such books were introduced in various cities and towns in Poland in the second half of the XIXth century. Usually there was one for every street, with all houses and apartments listed along with their inhabitants. The house owners had to write down every birth, marriage or death in the house and the information was regularly collected. These books were official documents, kept by city clerks. They are a great source of information, but not much of them survived.
Best regards
Witold Wrzosinski,
Warsaw, Poland
As my question in which year this file was added to the book:
Gershon,
Such books were often kept for years and updated, but here the document does not seem to contain any updates, so it’s a little different kind of registration book. According to the Polish archives databases, there are four surviving sets of documents from Tarnobrzeg that could fit – a census from 1880 (but it is most probably in Russian, so I would exclude it), a census from 1931/32 (but it’s simply a census, not a “registration book”), a “book of migrations” from 1901-1905 (but it is also most probably in Russian) and finally my type, the “book of the Tarnobrzeg disctrict inhabitants” from 1925. Maybe they have planned to keep it updated and gave up or maybe the idea was different from the beginning – I don’t know. Anyway, all the documents are part of the Fond 525 in Kielce Archive Sandomierz Branch.
Best regards,
WW
and finally regarding the 5th column with ‘Gdzie przynależny’:
No, it means literally “belongs to” and I guess this applies to either the place he was born in Ulucz), which belonged to the larger district of Ustrzyki or maybe he was still registered in the Ustrzyki district office while living in Tarnobrzeg. Also, the year 1925 is just a guess – I would give it 75% of probability.
Best regards,
WW
[/slider] (Please add your comments below or if you prefer, send me a personal mail via this link):
Update: Check this link (Translation of document from Tarnobrzeg Books of Residents)
I received the following document on May 27th, 2011 via e-mail from the state archive in Kielce (Archiwum Państwowe w Kielcach).
The document, as written in the mail from the Kielce statearchive, is:
[…]skan dot. Izaka Kalecha z księgi meldunkowej miasta Tarnobrzega
Meaning the following:
[…]a scan with Izak Kalech as reported in the book of the city of Tarnobrzeg
I am wondering whether this is a census or another document type.
I am also wondering from which year this file is. (Please add your comments below or if you prefer, send me a personal mail via this link):
I received today via e-mail two files (about Kalech from Brzozów) from the Statearchive in Rseszow (Archiwum Państwowe w Rzeszowie).
I am now trying to transcribe/translate the files and to get more details on the sources via the visitors of my website. I started already to transcribe it as far as I could.
If you can assist me transcribing/translating, I would be very happy if you can add your comments below or if you prefer, you may contact me in private via the contact-form.
I posted recently (10 February 2011) a question via soc.genealogy.jewish regarding a company where my great-grandfather’s (Gershon Lehrer) brother Kalman Lehrer worked during WWII. The company was called Julius Berger and was based in France.
Kalman was born 20th June 1898 in Ustrzyki-Dolne. When the war started Kalman lived in Antwerp, Belgium on the Kroonstraat 205.
From 26 July 1942 to 31 October 1942 he was forced to work for the “Julius Berger” company in North-France.
He was deported via Malines/Mechelen in Belgium to Auschwitz on 31 October 1942 with transport 16 from which he did not return. The Belgian authorities confirmed (on 5 May 1955) their assumption that he passed away sometimes between 31 October 1942 and 1 June 1945.
I am looking for more details regarding the company Julius Berger.
[slider title=”Click here if you would like to read the message I did post to the newsgroup”]
lehrer <gershon.lehrer@gmail.com>
X-No-archive: yes
Hi,
I found in documents that my great-great uncle Kalman LEHRER had to work during the
War in Norht-France in a company which was called Julius Berger. He worked there
from 26 June 1942 to 31 October 1942.
Does anyone know more about the company? Thanks a lot in advance for your help,
One of the greatest projects for genealogists on the Internet and which are managed by different organizations, are websites with complete digitized books.
