Kestenberg Archive

GG was born in Wegrow in 1939. Her earliest memory is of wandering in the woods with her family. In her next memory her parents took her to a woman's home, told GG to stay with the woman and then left. This woman was Mrs. Kowalczyk. She took GG in and raised her as her illegitimate grand-daughter — even her husband believed this story — as well as hiding other Jews in her hay loft, including GG's mother for a short period. Mrs. Kowalczyk always made sure that GG knew she was Jewish. After the war ended GG's aunt in America contacted Mrs. Kowalczyk in an attempt to gain custody of GG. Mrs. Kowalczyk did not want to give GG up and hid her in the countryside. However, GG was found by two American men (possibly from the American Jewish Congress), who eventually persuaded Mrs. Kowalczyk to give her up (it is possible that she was paid off) and took GG away. GG remembers the separation as very traumatic, yet although she considered Mrs. Kowalczyk her mother she forgot her quickly. GG was taken to Sweden where she lived in an orphanage run by nuns for a year and also at some point with a Jewish family. From there she travelled with a group of girls via England to Halifax, Canada. For some reason (GG is not certain why) her aunt could not bring her to New York immediately and GG was taken in by the Morrans family in Montreal. ; She lived with them for four years, studying at the Yiddish Volkschule, until moving to New York in 1951. The move from Montreal was traumatic, GG's relationship with her aunt, who adopted her, was strained and she says that from that point she raised herself. GG's background never seemed to get in her way and her aunt place great emphasis on forgetting. She studied at Hunter High School and College, training to be a teacher. GG is not orthodox but very traditional and heavily involved in her synagogue. She feels that she can achieve anything. She also believes that the Holocaust taught her that it is important to not put off telling people how you feel.