Life that Was

Black-and-white portrait: Manfred Gottfried as a young man in a dark suit, tie, glasses, fedora, and prayer shawl holding a prayer book.

Manfred Gottfried holding a prayer book and wearing a prayer shawl, Vienna, Austria, ca. 1935. Donated to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre by Lori Seemann (née Gottfried). RA001-5-o7-5-6-0183x

Black-and-white photo: A Jewish-owned clothing store called A. Seemann. Signs in German read “Herrenkleider,” “Wäsche wirkwaren,” “Hosen,” “Strümpfe,” and “Arbeitskleider.” An advertisement reads “Ein verkauf alter neuer kleider.” A man and woman stand by the door.

Two unidentified people stand beside the entrance to A. Seemann, a Jewish-owned men’s clothing store in Vienna, Austria, ca. 1920s. Donated to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre by Lori Seemann (née Gottfried). RA0001-05-00-01-0003

Black-and-white portrait: The Bick family in a fenced garden with a shed. Two women and two men sit at a table, while another man and woman stand with gardening tools. A young girl and a young boy sit on the grass. All of the men wear suits; all of the women wear dresses. The girl has a bow in her hair.

The Bick family in their garden. Presumably near Sorau, Germany (now Żary, Poland), ca. 1900–1914. Donated to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre by Ingrid Bick. RA012-02-02-01-03

Black-and-white portrait: Four people – three women and one man – pose for the photo. The man, who has a grey beard, wears a suit and dark cap; the oldest woman wears a dark shawl. One of the younger women stands, her hand on the back of the man’s chair, wearing a dark dress with a white bow. The other young woman sits, leaning her elbow on the man’s armrest. She wears a dark dress and a watch on her left wrist.

Studio portrait of the Lifschitz family. Left to right: Zlate Lifschitz, Fruma Lifschitz, Moshe Lifschitz and Chana Levin, Liepāja, Latvia, ca. 1920. Donated to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre by Rachel Mines. RA013-01-00-00-01

Black-and-white photo: Six men stand outside of a cabin in the snow. Two of the men hold skis, and there is another set of skis leaning against the cabin door.

Six men standing in the snow with skis, between 1920 and 1940. Fourth from the left is likely Josef Baltuch. Donated to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre by Micha Menczer. RA015-01-00-03-74

Black-and-white photo: a rowboat on a body of water. A man, Leo Schmucker, turned to face the camera, has his hands on the oars. His companion, a woman, Julia Schmucker, smiles for the photo. In the background can be seen various boathouses along the shore.

Leo and Julia Schmucker in a rowboat in Hallstatt, Austria, between 1920 and 1939. Donated to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre by Micha Menczer. RA015-01-00-03-57

Black-and-white portrait: Children of around 5 years old sit in three rows. Two women stand on the right of the children, and one woman stands on the left.

Kindergarten class, Będzin, Poland, 1937. Regina Feldman (née Bulwick) is seated in the front row, furthest to the right, Donated to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre by David and Regina Feldman. 93.12.0034

The devastation of the Holocaust cannot be appreciated without understanding what was lost. Individual lives were destroyed, and families were shattered. It marked the end of a unique Jewish culture which had flourished across Europe for hundreds of years.

These seven photographs offer a glimpse of the vibrant and diverse Jewish life from before the Second World War.

Life that Was

Image Slideshow