Kestenberg Archive

LK was born in the town of Szatmar, Romania. She was the second eldest of six children. The family was sent to live in the town's ghetto and were among the last group of Jews to leave the ghetto. LK was deported to Auschwitz. LK's youngest sister died before the deportation; out of the five remaining siblings only LK and one other survived. Upon arrival at Auschwitz, the family, and the other Jews who had been transported to the camp, were made to line up for the first selection conducted by Menegele. In the selection LK was separated from her family members. For several weeks, JK was assigned to dig trenches. Later, she worked in the fields- during this time she sprained her ankle and was sent to the sick-bay. She survived the ‘selections' in the sick bay due to the help of a chemist, also from Szatmar, who was working in the sick ward. After few months JK was among those transported from Auschwitz to Bergen-Belsen. After the liberation JK was placed in the hospital in Bergen-Belsen where she become bedridden. Later she was taken to Sweden, while in the hospital she developed pneumonia. JK remained in Sweden after the war. She went on to study and become a doctor. Although she is not religious, she passed on her Jewish identity to her children.