The Unlikely Hero of Sobrance
(Sobrance, Slovakia)

48°45' / 22°11'

William Leibner and Larry Price

Acknowledgments
Project Coordinator

Edited by Ingrid Rockberger

This “The Unlikely Hero of Sobrance” by William Leibner and Larry Price

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The Unlikely Hero of Sobrance

The picture on the cover represents Zdenek Toman-Goldberger looking from behind a barred window as the trains with Jewish refugees leave Czechoslovakia on their way to Austrian and German D.P. (displaced persons) camps located predominantly in the American military occupied zones.
The large sign on the passenger car reads: 'Repatriacni Vlak' or repatriation train.
The letters CSD stand for 'Ceskolovenske Statni Drany', or Czechoslovak State Railways.

In Memoriam
Pesla/Paula Gutman/Toman
Ivan Toman
and
Zdenek Toman
To All the Members of the

Mossad, Brichah, Jewish Brigade
Haganah, Joint, Jewish Soldiers,
Jewish Volunteers
Who Fell in the Line of Duty While
Helping the Mass Exodus of Jews
From Eastern Europe to the Shores
of the Holy Land

See Zdenek Toman regarding Jewish matters said: Jan Masaryk, Czech Foreign Minister to Gaynor Jacobson. “If Toman is on your side…the frontiers of Czechoslovakia will be open to your Jews”

Tad Szulc, “The Secret Alliance” p.143

“Without Zdenek Toman, there would have never been a massive transfer of East European Jewish survivors” said Florence Jacobson, a social worker for the Joint in Prague and wife of Israel Gaynor, joint director of Prague in a film appearance in the movie entitled “The Bricha” produced by Martin Smok, Czech film maker and historian.

Asher Zelig Goldberger/
Zoltan Goldberger/
Zoltan Toman /
Zdenek Toman
Zdenek Toman/Goldberger

Chapter Page

Introduction 1

I The Goldberger Family 9

II Toman's Background 28

III The Transit Station Czechoslovakia 45

IV The Human Flood 66

V The Children's Transport 88

VI Britain at War with the Jews 118

VII The Mass Exit Continues 140

VIII The Goldberger Family Reunites 163

IX Toman's Downfall 173

X The Escape 190

XI The Trial 198

XII Toman the Jewish Benefactor 210

XIII Ivan Toman 231

Appendix: Partial List of Sobrance Jews 238

Bibliography

Acknowledgements

Yizkor Book Director, Lance Ackerfeld
Emerita Yizkor Book Project Manager, Joyce Field z”l
Contact person for this translation William Leibner
This web page created by Lance Ackerfeld

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Chapter		Page
	Introduction	1
I	The Goldberger Family	9
II	Toman's Background	28
III	The Transit Station Czechoslovakia	45
IV	The Human Flood	66
V	The Children's Transport	88
VI	Britain at War with the Jews	118
VII	The Mass Exit Continues	140
VIII	The Goldberger Family Reunites	163
IX	Toman's Downfall	173
X	The Escape	190
XI	The Trial	198
XII	Toman the Jewish Benefactor	210
XIII	Ivan Toman	231
	Appendix: Partial List of Sobrance Jews	238
	Bibliography
	Acknowledgements