Jakob Kapelusz / Jerry Kapelus (M / Poland, 1929), Holocaust survivor
Jakob Kapelusz / Jerry Kapelus (M / Poland, 1929), Holocaust survivor
- KEYWORDS : <Lodz Ghetto> <Death March> <Buchenwald> <Liberation of Buchenwald> -- <France> <OSE Orphanage> <United States>
Biography
Jerry Kapelus was born Jakob Kapelusz in Lodz, Poland in 1929. In 1939, all the Jewish people in Lodz were placed in a ghetto where the living conditions were terrible. Jerry spent four years here before the ghetto was liquidated. Many people living there were sent to Auschwitz, including Jerry's family. Jerry was sent to work on a farm as a slave labourer. Jerry was sent on the infamous death march for days and nights with little food. He wound up in the concentration camp Buchenwald where he survived until he was liberated by the American Army on April 11, 1945. Jerry considers this date his "rebirth" day.
He appears in a picture at the Ecouis children's home (around June 1945):
- Among those pictured are Zysio Abramovicz, Abram Czapnik, Albert Dymant, Joseph Fachler, Léon Frydman, Moritz Freilich, Idek Goldmann, Lejzor Grunberg, Israel Grojsman, Jakob Kapelusz, Mayer Kilsztok, Léon Lewkowicz, and Hersch Unger. USHMM Collections.
Jerry left Europe in 1947 first settling in the United States. He came to Canada in 1950 and owned a ladies-wear store for 15 years before concluding his career with London Life Insurance Co. and retiring in 1995. He has been married to Merna since 1954 and they have three children and five grandchildren. Jerry has volunteered with Meals on Wheels, he is a member of B'nai Brith and he often speaks to students of all ages about the Holocaust and the evils of prejudice and discrimination.