Mordko Krzepicki

8 July 1909 – 24 August 1952

Early Information Early Information

My father was born in Wielun, Poland, 200 kms SW Warsaw, 80km SW of LodzMy father was born in Wielun, Poland, 200 kms SW Warsaw, 80km SW of Lodz

He was married in Wielun on 20 September 1935He was married in Wielun on 20 September 1935

His wife’s name was Fela HabelskaHis wife’s name was Fela Habelska

He was divorced on 19 September 1950 (Katowice, Poland)He was divorced on 19 September 1950 (Katowice, Poland)

His parents were Szmul Krzepicki and Chana FajwlowiczHis parents were Szmul Krzepicki and Chana Fajwlowicz

He arrived in Melbourne on 28 January 1949 on the NapoliHe arrived in Melbourne on 28 January 1949 on the Napoli

He spent his first 30 years in PolandHe spent his first 30 years in Poland 1909-19391909-1939

He spent the war years inHe spent the war years in RussiaRussia 1939-421939-42 PersiaPersia 19421942 Other Army theatresOther Army theatres 1942-461942-46 United KingdomUnited Kingdom 1946-481946-48 Source: National Archives

& Wielun Certificates

LOVETT FAMILY TREE

FAJWLOWICZ (LOVETT) FAMILY TREE

Mordko Krzepicki c.1946

3rd Rifle Battalion, 3rd Carpathian Infantry Division, 2nd Polish Corps, 8th British Army

Mordko Krzepicki, with mates in Palestine 1942

Mordko Krzepicki, with mates in Palestine 1942

Mordko Krzepicki in Palestine, 1942

MILITARY HISTORY MILITARY HISTORY Sources of informationSources of information

APC Polish Historical DisclosuresAPC Polish Historical Disclosures

Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Defence

RAF Northolt (Barbara Kroll)RAF Northolt (Barbara Kroll)

Middlesex United KingdomMiddlesex United Kingdom

Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, Princes Gate, Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, Princes Gate, LondonLondon

Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and PeaceHoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace

Stanford University, CaliforniaStanford University, California

July 1941July 1941 Released from Siberian labour camp after theReleased from Siberian labour camp after the Polish/Soviet AgreementPolish/Soviet Agreement

Anders ArmyAnders ArmyPolish Forces under British Command (Iran)Polish Forces under British Command (Iran)

1942 - 431942 - 43 33rdrd Rifle Battalion 3 Rifle Battalion 3rdrd Carpathian Infantry Division Carpathian Infantry Division 22ndnd Polish Corps 8 Polish Corps 8thth British Army British Army

Middle East (Iraq-Palestine-Egypt)Middle East (Iraq-Palestine-Egypt)

1944 - 461944 - 46 ItalyItaly

1946 - 481946 - 48 UK, EuropeUK, Europe

MILITARY HISTORY: Cpl M KrzepickiMILITARY HISTORY: Cpl M Krzepicki

MILITARY HISTORY: Cpl M KrzepickiMILITARY HISTORY: Cpl M Krzepicki

1943 - 441943 - 44 Sangro and Rapido Rivers, Sth ApenninesSangro and Rapido Rivers, Sth Apennines

Battle for Monte CassinoBattle for Monte Cassino

Ancona/Goths line of enemy defencesAncona/Goths line of enemy defences

Rearguard of 8Rearguard of 8thth British Army British Army

Northern ApenninesNorthern Apennines

19451945 Senio RiverSenio River

Bologna/Lombardy PlainBologna/Lombardy Plain

Divorcee, Sept.19th 1950, wife presumed dead

Mordko Krzepicki and Edna Dobson

THE EUREKA MOMENTTHE EUREKA MOMENT

Daniel Mendelsohn at the Daniel Mendelsohn at the Jewish Holocaust Museum, May 2007Jewish Holocaust Museum, May 2007

““The Lost” (550 pages)The Lost” (550 pages)

Stephen Spielberg Visual Testimonies at Monash Stephen Spielberg Visual Testimonies at Monash UniversityUniversity

Eureka!!!!Eureka!!!!

Syma Habelska * m Berl Benesz *(Spielberg Visual Testimony)

Rosie m Jack Chrapot (mother Lola Chrapot)

four children…..

Fela Habelska * m Mordko Krzepicki 1935 #, divorced post WW2

m (2nd marriage)*

Helen * m C Sanaki

2 children…..

MY FATHER’S FIRST WIFE’S FAMILY

# Migrated to Melbourne 1949

* Migrated to Melbourne 1951

Nuchem Chabelski

m

Chaja Blic

Lieb (Arie) KRZEPICKI m Rakhel ?

Szmul b.1889 d1941 m Khana (Chana) Fajwlowicz b1890 d1941 Treblinka

Yekhiel b?

Moshe (Menakhem) b1909 d1944 Lodzm Frida BOMS b1911 d1944 Lodz

Yeshayahu b1940/41

Mordke * b1909 d1952 Melbourne

Rakhel b1914 d1941 Treblinka

Tova/Gitel/Gizela b1918 d1941 Treblinka

Kaza b1920 d1941 Treblinka

Abram Dawid * b 1913 ?

Yaakov b1882 d1942 Chelmo m Frida (Fidel) GRANEK b1885 d1942 Chelmo

Arie b?

Rakhel b1914 d1942 Chelmo

Lea b1922 d1942 Chelmo???

KRZEPICKI FAMILY TREE Source: Yad Vashem, except *

Wielun

POLAND

Wielun: Plac Legionow

Wielun: Street Scenes

Wielun Public Buildings

Wielun Synagogue

Destroyed September 1939

Wielun –

Statues from the Communist era

Wielun Urzad Stanu Cywilnego

Waiting at the USC

Wielun: Regional Museum

Petje and Mr Jan Ksiazek,Deputy Director of the Museum

ul. Turowska, 19

My Father’s last known address in Wielun

His family home? His wife’s family home?

His home with his wife?

WIELUN BUSINESSESWIELUN BUSINESSESSource: 1929 Business Directory, WielunSource: 1929 Business Directory, Wielun

LingerieLingerie M. KrzepickaM. Krzepicka ul. Fabryczanaul. Fabryczana

FabricsFabrics Ch.KrzepickiCh.Krzepicki ul. Kaliskaul. Kaliska

ConfectioneryConfectionery A. KrzepickiA. Krzepicki ul. Kaliskaul. Kaliska

DyersDyers B. KrzepickiB. Krzepicki ul. Kaliskaul. Kaliska

BookshopBookshop L. KrzepickiL. Krzepicki ul. Fabryczanaul. Fabryczana

Office provisionsOffice provisions B. KrzepickiB. Krzepicki ul. Kaliskaul. Kaliska

Food tradersFood traders L. KrzepickiL. Krzepicki ul. Kaliskaul. Kaliska

GrainsGrains L. KrzepickiL. Krzepicki ul. Fabryczanaul. Fabryczana Sz.KrzepickiSz.Krzepicki ul. Barbaryul. Barbary

Source: Yale Reisner, JHI Warsaw

INFORMATION FROM THE JEWISH HISTORICAL INSTITUTE INFORMATION FROM THE JEWISH HISTORICAL INSTITUTE WARSAWWARSAW

Leib Leib a member of the Communist Party in a member of the Communist Party in 1930s 1930s

Wowe (Zev) Wowe (Zev) manager of a library, member of a manager of a library, member of a Zionist Zionist organisationorganisation

Abram Dawid Abram Dawid convicted for communist activities, 1933,1937convicted for communist activities, 1933,1937 My father’s brother?My father’s brother?

Berl Berl Society of Jewish Craftsmen in late 1920s Society of Jewish Craftsmen in late 1920s

Michel Michel on the Board of the Socialist Party on the Board of the Socialist Party

Michel & Lewek Michel & Lewek one of the first Jewish families in Wielun. one of the first Jewish families in Wielun. Bought real estate after 1806, when Bought real estate after 1806, when

Jewish Jewish people were allowed to buy property people were allowed to buy property

Krzepickis in Pre-War Wielun

Source: Yale Reisner / Wielun Yizkor book

Wielun: Zajazd Boryna

USC at Boleslawiec

(24km from Wielun)

USC at Praszka

(19km from Wielun)

Praszka Synagogue – now a cinema

Towns near Wielun

Ruins of the Krzepice Synagogue

Jewish Cemetery at Krzepice

Lodz: Radegast Station and Memorial

Jewish Cemetery Lodz

Jewish Cemetery Lodz, established 1811

The Ghetto Field, burial place of 43,000

Graves dug prior to liberation

Lodz: Art Nouveau Buildings

Lodz: ul. Piotrkowska - Arthur Rubenstein memorial

“Manufaktura”

Israel Poznanski’s factory converted to a “Chadstone”

Another factory complex being converted to a 5-star hotel

Museum of Textiles, Lodz

The Grand Hotel, Lodz

Podgorze (Krakow):

pl.Bohaterow Getta

Entrance to Oskar Schindler’s factory

Sample Page from Ministry of Defence Personnel Records

Mordko Krzepicki

8 July 1909 – 24 August 1952