Rebecca Gratz to Anna (Annie) Gratz Clay - August 24, 1862

Rebecca writes to her sister-in-law Maria about the current state of politics and the upcoming presidential inauguration, recent literature she has read, and gives her updates on family and friends.

Rebecca shares family news with her sister-in-law Maria, comments on a controversy at Transylvania University and recommends new reading material.

Rebecca writes to her friend Maria, detailing that she and others in the extended Gratz family are studying Hebrew, and updates her on the health of friends and family.

Rebecca tells her friend Maria about how the Gratz family is mourning their mother and discusses health issues of family members and friends.

Samuel Flor1 was born in Czernowitz, Romania. He talks about experiencing antisemitism, his education, and his career as a composer, musician, and a professor at the university in Czernowitz. He describes life in Czernowitz first under Russian and then under German occupation. He explains why it was impossible to leave and how he and his wife, Gertrude tried to escape in June, 1941, but failed. He was part of a brutal roundup of Jewish men, and had to bury Jewish men who were machine-gunned to death by Germans near the River Prut. After being tormented by the Germans, the survivors, including Samuel Flor, returned home. In October, 1941 all Jews had to move into a ghetto until they were deported to the Ukraine under terrible conditions, including periodic whippings by both German and Romanian soldiers. He describes a particularly cruel incident involving Jews from Mogilev, a forced circular death march, and several atrocities committed by Ukrainian peasants. Mr. Flor worked as a slave laborer in a stone quarry in Ladesti on the Bugac and in Tulchin in a hospital. He relates a chilling vignette in which Sonderführer Fritz von Rohde explains why killing Jews is a service to humanity. As the Germans retreated Mr. and Mrs. Flor and about 66 other people hid in a hole they had dug previously for more than three days, until March 15, 1944. He describes how the 300 Jewish survivors tried to cope once the Russian army came, and his return to Czernowitz. His apartment had been nationalized so Mr. and Mrs. Flor joined the Czech army. He explains how they got out of Prague, emigrated to Barranquilla, Colombia, (South America) and then to the United States where Mr. Flor continued his musical career.