Rena Kornreich Gelissen
Encyclopedia
Rena Kornreich Gelissen, born Rena Kornreich (August 24, 1920 – April 8, 2006), was a Polish
-born Jew
, known for her memoir, Rena's Promise: A Story of Sisters in Auschwitz, her story of surviving the Nazi concentration camps with her sister Danka.
, Lesser Poland Voivodeship
, Poland
, to Chaim and Sara Kornreich. She had three sisters: Gertrude, Zosia and Danka. She and her sister were raised in Tylicz, but after the Nazi invasion escaped to Slovakia
. To protect the people hiding her, she turned herself in to Auschwitz
. She was on the first transport of Jewish women into the concentration camp, on March 26, 1942. There, she was tattooed "1716", being the "716th" female to enter the camp. Three days later, her sister Danka joined her, where they forged an incredibly strong bond of love and compassion that would help them survive the three years and forty-one days that they would endure in the camp, undergoing hunger, torment and abuse. Among these years, Rena and her sister narrowly escaped Nazi experimentation, underwent forced labour and in January 1945, the death march
to the Ravensbrück concentration camp
.
Rena and Danka were liberated, along with the rest of the last camp they were in Neustadt Glewe, on May 2, 1945. Their parents are believed to have been murdered in Auschwitz
and their sister Zosia's fate and her children's is still unknown. Their oldest sister, Gertrude, had emigrated to the United States
, in 1921. Liberated, the sisters traveled to the Netherlands and worked for the International Red Cross
. On July 29, 1947, Rena married John Gelissen, who was the commander of the Red Cross relief team that had given Rena and her sister food and shelter in 1945. In 1954, Rena and her family immigrated to Norwalk
, Connecticut
. In 1951, a few years before, Danka and her husband Elias Brandel had also immigrated to the United States
. Neither sister wished to live in cold war Europe or anyplace where they would have to face war or violence again.
Partnered with writer Heather Dune Macadam, Rena told her moving story of surviving the Nazi concentration camps
with her younger sister Danka. The story was made into a book, titled Rena's Promise: A Story of Sisters in Auschwitz, which was published in 1995. The book was well-received, earning her spots in numerous interviews and guest appearances.
Rena Kornreich Gelissen is the only person from the first transport of Jews into Auschwitz to write her story, which has been called "one of the most historically accurate and important books ever written on the women's camp in Auschwitz I" by Irena Strzelecka, Director, Auschwitz Museum of Women, Oświęcim, Poland.
In 2006, she died in Connecticut
, at the age of 85
. Rena is survived by her husband, John, her daughter, Sylvia and three sons, Joseph, Peter and Robert. She is buried in Bethel, CT. Her sister, Danka, is still alive.
You can find video footage of Rena on YouTube from a lecture in 1994, before the book was released.
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
-born Jew
History of the Jews in Poland
The history of the Jews in Poland dates back over a millennium. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jewish community in the world. Poland was the centre of Jewish culture thanks to a long period of statutory religious tolerance and social autonomy. This ended with the...
, known for her memoir, Rena's Promise: A Story of Sisters in Auschwitz, her story of surviving the Nazi concentration camps with her sister Danka.
Life
In 1920, Rena was born in TyliczTylicz
Tylicz is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Krynica-Zdrój, within Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland, close to the border with Slovakia. It lies approximately east of Krynica-Zdrój, south-east of Nowy Sącz, and south-east of the regional capital...
, Lesser Poland Voivodeship
Lesser Poland Voivodeship
Małopolska Voivodeship , or Lesser Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, in southern Poland...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, to Chaim and Sara Kornreich. She had three sisters: Gertrude, Zosia and Danka. She and her sister were raised in Tylicz, but after the Nazi invasion escaped to Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. To protect the people hiding her, she turned herself in to Auschwitz
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
. She was on the first transport of Jewish women into the concentration camp, on March 26, 1942. There, she was tattooed "1716", being the "716th" female to enter the camp. Three days later, her sister Danka joined her, where they forged an incredibly strong bond of love and compassion that would help them survive the three years and forty-one days that they would endure in the camp, undergoing hunger, torment and abuse. Among these years, Rena and her sister narrowly escaped Nazi experimentation, underwent forced labour and in January 1945, the death march
Death marches (Holocaust)
The death marches refer to the forcible movement between Autumn 1944 and late April 1945 by Nazi Germany of thousands of prisoners from German concentration camps near the war front to camps inside Germany.-General:...
to the Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück was a notorious women's concentration camp during World War II, located in northern Germany, 90 km north of Berlin at a site near the village of Ravensbrück ....
.
Rena and Danka were liberated, along with the rest of the last camp they were in Neustadt Glewe, on May 2, 1945. Their parents are believed to have been murdered in Auschwitz
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
and their sister Zosia's fate and her children's is still unknown. Their oldest sister, Gertrude, had emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in 1921. Liberated, the sisters traveled to the Netherlands and worked for the International Red Cross
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
. On July 29, 1947, Rena married John Gelissen, who was the commander of the Red Cross relief team that had given Rena and her sister food and shelter in 1945. In 1954, Rena and her family immigrated to Norwalk
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. In 1951, a few years before, Danka and her husband Elias Brandel had also immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Neither sister wished to live in cold war Europe or anyplace where they would have to face war or violence again.
Partnered with writer Heather Dune Macadam, Rena told her moving story of surviving the Nazi concentration camps
Nazi concentration camps
Nazi Germany maintained concentration camps throughout the territories it controlled. The first Nazi concentration camps set up in Germany were greatly expanded after the Reichstag fire of 1933, and were intended to hold political prisoners and opponents of the regime...
with her younger sister Danka. The story was made into a book, titled Rena's Promise: A Story of Sisters in Auschwitz, which was published in 1995. The book was well-received, earning her spots in numerous interviews and guest appearances.
Rena Kornreich Gelissen is the only person from the first transport of Jews into Auschwitz to write her story, which has been called "one of the most historically accurate and important books ever written on the women's camp in Auschwitz I" by Irena Strzelecka, Director, Auschwitz Museum of Women, Oświęcim, Poland.
In 2006, she died in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, at the age of 85
. Rena is survived by her husband, John, her daughter, Sylvia and three sons, Joseph, Peter and Robert. She is buried in Bethel, CT. Her sister, Danka, is still alive.
You can find video footage of Rena on YouTube from a lecture in 1994, before the book was released.