Given name: Sophie Family name: Goetzel (2)

(1)

She came from a Polish- Jewish family, living for some time in Germany. Before the war she studied in France, where she met her husband- David Goetzel.
She and David left Germany in 1935 to escape anti-Semitism and the Nazis. They moved to Warsaw, where they were married. Once there, they planned to move to a safer country, one further away from the Nazi threat. But their daughter Micki was born in 1937 and financial constraints forced them to delay their plans.
In January 1943 she left the ghetto, she was hiding in Konstancin, than in Milanówek, she was oppressed by extortioners. Her husband and daughter were hiding seperately. In July 1943 she joined her family in Hotel Polski. They were transported to a concentration camp - Bergen- Belsen. In April 1945 came the release and she travelled with her family to France.
In June 1945 she arrived with her family in Palestine. She never recovered from all that she suffered during the war. She was diagnosed with chronic incurable depression. Her condition worsened when she spent time with David. On the advice of her doctors, she and David divorced in 1946.
She never remarried. David and his next wife travelled every year to Israel to visit her, until her death.

(2)

In January 1943 the author left the ghetto, was hiding in Konstancin, Milanowek and was persecuted by blackmailers. Her husband and daughter were hiding elsewhere. In July 1943 the entire family turned up at the Hotel Polski and where subsequently deported to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Description of living conditions in the camp, evacuation of the camp in April 1945, liberation and departure to Paris. The author came from a family of Polish Jews, who lived in Germany for some time. She studied in Paris before the war. After the war she emigrated to Israel.

(1)

In the source Pamiętniki Żydów; sygn. 302/231; w Archiwum ŻIH; title: Der Krieg von innen [The war from the inside] she appears as Sophie Goetzel-Leviathan.

(1)

The memories of David Gilbert were written by Tim Shortridge and Michael D. Frounfelter.

(1) 1-4,23-28,32-35,47-48,53-56,72-73,76-78,80-81,94-96,105,108-113,118-124-129,132-134,140-142,154-159,167-195,199-200,207-220, (2) 4-5