One day, I saw a post on LinkedIn from Rafi Yablonsky about his remarkable family history—both of his grandparents were Holocaust survivors. I was intrigued and wanted to learn more, so I reached out to him. Rafi connected me with his mother, Ruth, and I approached her about preserving her mother Adela’s story through A BOOK by ME. What especially grabbed my attention was learning that Adela had been liberated by an all-Black military unit. That powerful intersection of Holocaust and African American history immediately hit me as a story that needed to be told.

Annually we have an Iowa classroom teacher who creates a graphic novel as a class project. This typically starts with a Zoom interview with the teacher, class and, in this case Ruth, since Adela has passed. I received this message from Ruth afterward and it read “Over the past days, I’ve had the most meaningful and emotional interaction with the 6th‑grade students in Iowa. They are remarkable young researchers — thoughtful, curious, and deeply respectful. They took my mother’s story and explored it with such care and depth. At the same time, they gently pushed me to face memories and experiences of my mother that I don’t often allow myself to revisit. It has been powerful, emotional, and unexpectedly healing.”

It’s astonishing to me how this storytelling project impacts not only the students who research and preserve these important stories, but the book subjects themselves. For many, seeing their family’s experiences placed into the hands of a new generation is deeply meaningful. Their memories are no longer simply stories from the past—they become a legacy, preserved by young people who are taking these important stories into the future.
— Deb Bowen, Executive Director Understanding Works NFP

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Adela’s story resonated with us because she still loved, served, and guided people with a caring heart after her young life of terror and pain. She was the image of strength and resilience when others detested her very being. She gave us insight into the power of hope and courage and the will to survive.

As we wrote this story, we were fortunate to connect with Adela’s daughter, Ruth. She was genuine, vulnerable, and open to our questions. She was the unexpected “gift” in our process. We appreciate the honor and responsibility of keeping Adela Blanc Goldberg’s story alive and sharing it with the world.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Vice’s 6th Grade Class, 2025-2026
Forest Grove Elementary, Bettendorf, Iowa

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Adela Blanc Goldberg — Jewish Holocaust Survivor

Adela Blanc was born on October 17, 1919, in Łódź, Poland. Her mother, Ratzel, was a homemaker and her father, Shmil, was a talented carpenter and artist. She had three siblings: Haya, Baruch, and Hannah. Their family enjoyed summer vacations, renting a cottage for the whole season. As a child, Adela was adventurous and often got into trouble. When she was one year old, she climbed onto the coal stove in the kitchen, where a kettle of boiling water was sitting. She spilled the boiling water on her neck, causing a burn that left a scar for the rest of her life. When she started school, her parents at first sent her to a Jewish day school, but she didn’t want to learn Hebrew. Instead, they sent her to public school, where she learned to speak excellent Polish.

On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. Three months after the occupation, Jews were forced into a ghetto, separated from the rest of the population.

Before being forced into the ghetto they had two chances to escape, but Adela’s father refused to leave. The first chance came when her uncle Binem’s family fled to Russia and invited Shmil to join them. Shmil believed he was safe because he had served in the German army during World War 1, so he stayed. The second chance came when Alvin, the son of the woman who rented their summer cottage to the Blancs, warned Shmil that the Germans were planning to open a ghetto. He offered to help them escape, but Shmil did not believe that such a thing could happen.

Once the family was forced to move inside the ghetto, Adela’s father and brother were forced to work as carpenters. Adela, her mother, and her sister, Haya, worked as seamstresses. Her youngest sister, Hannah, who was just nine, worked for six hours a day.

Food was scarce in the ghetto. People had to work to earn vouchers called “Taloneh,” which they could use to get bread, fruit or vegetables. But even with vouchers, food shortages sometimes lasted for weeks.

One day, Adela saw well-dressed men carrying beets. She politely asked if she could buy some, and they gave the beets to her for free. Another time, when she was working in the field, she spotted wild gooseberries growing nearby. She asked her supervisor if she could pick some, and he replied, “I didn’t hear, I didn’t see,” allowing her to take them. She sold the berries and used the money to buy butter for her sick brother.

In 1942, during one of the SS’s selections in the ghetto, Adela’s mother, Ratzel, was taken to the Belzec death camp, where she was murdered in the gas van. That same week, her sister Hannah, was also taken, but she was saved by a Kapo who told her to jump off the truck and hide.

In 1944, Adela was sent to Auschwitz concentration camp. Her sisters arrived later. Soon after arriving, her sisters were moved to Stutthof concentration camp.

Adela’s father and brother were believed to have been sent to Auschwitz together. Later, she learned that her father died during a death march. She never found out what happened to her brother.

Adela said that while most people during that time were cruel, there were a few SS guards who helped her. She didn’t know why, but she believed their kindness saved her life.

Adela spent two months in Auschwitz. She explained that every morning there would be a roll call in the barracks. An officer would make decisions about who would live or die.

Adela shared a story about how she survived roll call despite having a large scar on her neck. During roll call, everyone stood with their hands straight up. This position hid her scar, and she believed it saved her life. This process lasted for hours, and everyone had to stay standing until it was over. The Germans transported Jews to the gas chambers in groups of 100. Adela was about to be taken because she was number 100. Then a woman stepped forward and said, “My daughter is in this group, and I don’t want to leave her alone. I want to go with her.” The guards allowed the woman to join her daughter’s group, making her number 100, and Adela became number 101. Adela was sent back to the barracks while her paperwork went with the group. Soon afterward, she was sent to Bergen-Belsen for several months.

At Bergen-Belsen, prisoners were called for the gas chamber alphabetically. Since Adela’s last name was Blanc, she was called up early. But, just like in Auschwitz, another woman stepped forward. She said, “I am the aunt of this lady.” She pointed to someone next to Adela and explained that she had promised the girl’s parents to protect her. Again, Adela became number 101. However, this time the guards still tried to send Adela to the gas chambers. She escaped by jumping out of a transport window and running back to the barracks. Her paperwork was sent ahead, so she was never called up again.

Salzwedel was the last camp to which Adela was sent. She was forced to work at a factory, filling bullets with gunpowder. The working conditions were terrible. Adela had to use her bare hands to handle dangerous materials. She and other workers didn’t get any food or water for almost 12 hours a day. One day, a worker accidentally placed gunpowder in the wrong place, causing a fire to break out. Guards suspected sabotage and threatened to torture people until someone admitted to causing the fire.

Adela was questioned. She suggested that they check an area overseen by a cruel SS guard. She knew the guard wasn’t good at keeping things organized, so she thought blaming her was the best way to protect everyone else. The guards investigated the area and stopped questioning prisoners. Adela saved many lives that day.

In 1945, the war ended and Adela was liberated by the American Army. It was the 761st Tank Battalion, famously known as the “Black Panthers,” who holds a significant place in American military history as the first all ­African American armored unit to engage in combat during World War II. Prior to this, African Americans were often relegated to support roles, and the creation of this unit marked a significant step toward integration and recognition of black soldiers as capable combatants. Their unit was attached to General George S. Patton’s Third Army, and they fought for 183 consecutive days.

Adela returned to Łódź hoping to find family members. Sadly, there was no one left, since all had been murdered by the Nazis. She left and went on to Deggendorf Displaced Person camp in Germany. At camp she met her future husband, Avraham. From that moment on, they stayed together. They eventually moved to Israel where Adela found joy in helping new immigrants adjust to their new lives. She enjoyed cooking for others as one way to show she cared about them. Adela continued to serve, support, and provide hope to others despite her own experiences. She knew, no matter the circumstances, there was always hope … always a way to solve a problem.

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The Miracle of 101
The Story of Adela Goldberg

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A BOOK by ME, a book series developed by Deb Bowen, empowers students to preserve history by telling the story of unsung heroes in our communities. For the young participants, it’s a guided cross-curricular project that gathers stories of people who do amazing things but have received little or no recognition. Students learn how to publish a picture book that is a primary source document with photographs and a biography.

Since 2003, Deb Bowen has been arranging meetings between students and individuals from the WWII generation. This intergenerational storytelling results in unique storybooks written and illustrated by kids for kids in the A BOOK by ME series. More about Deb Bowen >