Alter Wiener (1926 – 2018)
“..I do not know her date of birth. I do know that she died in January 1931 at ..age of 32. My Mother’s passing is ..earliest event that I remember.” Alter Wiener.
Abaham Alter Wiener was born in Chrzanow, Poland in 1926 to Pearl and Mordechai Wiener. As the Germans occupied Chrzanow on September 4th. 1939 a full taste of what was in store for the Jews of the Town was meted out with brutality. An arbitrary hatred, which filled the Jews with a deeper concern than they had ever felt, was still not to hint at what would eventually befall Jewish Chrzanow.
“..June 4th. 2001 Firehouse Cultural Center ..Portland Oregon. Alexa ..and ..Danielle came to interview me for a play ..Stories from The Holocaust. ..these 2 girls with another 8 students performed ..play. I told ..student who played ..role of my tribulations ..that he will probably remember my number 64735 ..for many years after my passing. He was moved.”
Alter Wiener. On June 1942 there were 4,000 Jews of Chrzanow resettled to Birkenau and destroyed there. Following on from this the brutal treatment did not diminish and on February 18th. 1943 1,000 more of Chrzanow’s Jews were transported to Birkenau for destruction. Alter Wiener was the only member of his immediate Family to have survived the long reach of The Holocaust.
“..We lived as happily as can be, in what
is now called poverty.
We were content, you may be sure. My
parents were very charitable.
Every Saturday at our table, a homeless
person felt respectable.” Alter Wiener.
