Mayer, Cesia, Moszek, Yitzak and Srul Suknik

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1897 Mayer (Majer/Meir) was born in Warsaw on the 19th of June 1897 the 4th child of Mariem (nee Zmidek) and Josek Suknik.  There was a strong connection between the Suknik and Zmidek family through 3 closely linked marriages and their common origins in Chmielnik.
1917 August 23rd. Mayer married  Cesia Lament daughter of Taube (nee Zmidek) and Berl Lament.  Both families were originally from Chmielnik.

1918

Moszek, their first son, also known as Moniek, was  born.

1920

Yitzhak Sukenik, their second son was born in Warsaw. At the time of Yitzak´s birth the family were living at 44 Pa?ska street, Warsaw.

1926

Srul their 3rd son, was born.

1926

to

1929

One entry in the Polish Business Directory of 1926 shows Szmul Lament (Mayer's cousin) and a Suknik as the owners of a bag factory at Twarda14, Warsaw, whilst two other later entries put Mayer's business at the same address.

Mayer´s sister Cesia, also put Twarda 14 as her address when she applied for a working permit for Belgium in 1928. 

 

 

Polish Business Directory ?2

1926

1928

1929

1930

 

 

Worki  / sacs - bags

Ceranowie sztuczne - Darning (- a sewing technique for repairing holes or worn areas in fabric or knitting using needle and thread alone,often done by hand.)

Stoppeurs - invisible menders

Repriseurs - darners


1929

 

 

Mayer´s cousin (and most probably business partner at the time), Szmul Lament , set off for a new life in France with his family where they built up a successful clothing business, and all manage to survive the war.

 

In the same year Mayer´s elder brother Szyja, joint owner with  Simon Nasielski of a Fur Factory  in Brussels since 1926,  sent a supporting document to help Mayer enter Belgium to work for the company. In the letter he gave the reason for the invitation being that the secrets of the company could not be shared with a stranger.

Szyja would pay him 1200 francs a month, with a contract for 2 years, and Mayer would  live with him at  rue de Bouchers.

 

In the case that Mayer did not like it in Belgium, Szyja agrees to repatriate Mayer at his expense, or in the case of illness or incapacity for work he will undertake to provide him with medical care and medicine.  

 

Mayer is quoted in the letter as living at Pansk 40.

 

1930 Mayer presented a request to the Belgian Consulate in Warsaw for a visa to stay for one year for the purposes of making a living, giving his address as Panska 70/50, but it would appear that this was rejected.
1931 He did however manage to obtain a visa to go abroad from the Polish Authorities  arriving in Belgium via France (possibly linking up with his cousin Szmul Lament in Paris )  on June  28th  with a visa valid until 31st November the same year.

1932 Mayer managed to get an extension for a 3 further months until February 1932, but stayed in Brussels whilst a  lawyer tries to get further extensions. In July he was finally arrested, placed in Prison de Forest in Berkendael, Brussels  and eventually deported back to Poland via Germany.


1932 According to Cesia (Mayer's sister) Suknik's testimony : 
" Mayer went to Brussels before 1931 to escape poverty. He tried to work with his brother Szyja but Szyja's mistress did not want Mayer working for them. So Mayer went back in Poland where his family was very poor."
1935 Cesia (Mayer's sister), who was living in Belgium at the time decided to visit Poland with her son Karl to see if it was viable to return. These are the earliest photos of Mayer and his family.
 
Photo from left to right
Mayer, Srul ,Yitzak or Moszek, Karl and his mother Cesia (Suknik), unknown, unknown
Written on reverse- Lazienki Park
Photo from left to right
Cesia, Srul, Mayer, Karl, unknown,unknown, Yitzak
Written on reverse - Pomnik Chopena (Chopin Monument) Lazienki Park Warsaw

Photo left to right
Ewa,(Mayer's niece), Cesia, Srul, Mayer & Yitzak

Mayer and his wife Cesia  

 
Mayer and wife Cesia Moszek, Yitzak, Srul and their mother Cesia/Curtla

World War II

1939

During the siege of Warsaw on the 10th September 1939, Cesia and Srul died whilst living at Panska 40 , Warsaw.
Yad Vashem Testimony for Cesia
Yad Vashem Testimony for Srul

1940

In October, the Warsaw Ghetto  was created and sealed on November 16. Over the next years the population would vary from 380 000 to 440 000 Jews, approximately one third of the  population of Warsaw confined to an area  of 2.4% of the city.

1941

Typhus epidemics and starvation were rampant. 43 000 inhabitants died inside the ghetto, more than one in ten of its residents.  An average daily food ration  for Jews in the Ghetto was limited to 184 calories, compared to 699 calories allowed for  Poles and 2,613 calories for Germans. In August, the rations fell to 177 calories per person.

  Foundation for Documentation of the Jewish Cemeteries in Poland.
 

June 26th Josef (Mayer's father) died, buried at Okopowa Cemetry.

August 13th Moszek died age 23, cause unknown,  and was buried at Okopowa Cemetry.

  Mayer opened a bakery at Grzybowska Street but shortly afterwards on 17th November died of typhus.

Warszawa Ghetto Deaths JHI 
Majer Sukenik, born 19-Jun-1897 - Father Josek, mother Marja, widower, - died 17-Nov-41 - address Zamenhofa 3 m. 22, occupation handlarz (tradesman), cause of death - dur plamisty (typhus).  
Doctor who signed the death certificate: Dr. Chosgelert
JRI-Poland - Akta 4067, Sygnatur S276, Card Number 47632

Source: https://cbj.jhi.pl/documents/533625/0/

At this point Yitzak became the last surviving member of his immediate family.



Last update February 2021