Mirjam Stern (F / Slovakia, 1937-2017), Holocaust survivor

Girls at the Weir Courtney children's home in Surrey: (left to right): Hedi Friedman, Zdenka Husserl, Mirjam Stern, Hanka Traub, Judith Singer, Tanya Muench, Ruth Kamaryth, Sylvia Grüner, Eva Traub; and (back row): Milly Schwarz and Magda Liberman

Mirjam Stern (F / Slovakia, 1937-2017), Holocaust survivor

Judita Stern / Judith Sherman (F / Slovakia, 1929), Holocaust survivor

• KEYWORDS : <Slovakia> <Hungary> <Hidden Children> -- <Belgicka Children> <England> <United States>

Biography

Judita Stern (Dec 23, 1929) and Mirjam Stern (Aug 18 [or 23], 1937 [or 1936]) were born in Kurima, Slovakia. They had a brother who perished in the Holocaust, as their parents did.

In 1942 Judita and Mirjam were smuggled to Hungary to live with an aunt, but they were caught and sent to an orphanage for a year. When the Germans occupied Hungary in 1944, they went back to Slovakia. There they were hidden in the woods or by Catholic families. Unlike Mirjam, who survived in hiding, Judita was caught and deported to Ravensbruck and then Bergen-Belsen.

After the war the sisters reunited in their home-village in Slovakia. In August 1946 they went to England as part of the Belgicka Children. Judita studied at the London School of Economics and later emigrated to the United States. Mirjam remained longer in England before joining her sister in the United States.

Judita wrote a book about her experiences and her oral interview is preserved at USHMM.

Sources

• USHMM Database -- NO
• 45aid.org (Mirjam Stern, 1936 or 1937) -- YES