Balta Orphans

· Background
· Database
· Acknowledgements
· Searching the Database

Background

The following is a translation of the cover letter for this list of orphaned children in the Balta Ghetto:

Mr. President,

As a director of the two orphanages from BALTA ghetto which shelter over 200 children, I would like to inform you of the following:

Taking in consideration the material and moral situation in which those children have lived for over a year, in this orphanage, it could be easily understood that their intellectual and mental equilibrium has suffered greatly. The mission of the pedagogic personnel is thus very difficult. They have to help the orphan rebuild the beliefs in themselves, the optimism and the good nature, qualities absolutely necessary to a child's development. On the other hand we have to find simple and practical solutions to give the orphan child a practical and intellectual training (preparedness) for life. However, in this instance the pedagogues are disoriented. (probably the meaning is not up-to-date). The funds for the maintenance of the orphanages are insufficient, and the funds reserved for education are not existent. We are missing the schools supplies of all kinds. We are missing toys, supplies for manual dexterity classes (probably art classes or similar) like silly paddy, knitting balls? Transferred recently as a specialist in the education and re education of children from Obodovca ghetto to Balta ghetto, I have noticed that the leaders of this community show understanding and good will towards the children especially the Meyer, Mr. P. Rubinstein. But our hope is in the help we hope to receive from Central Office. The children who now wear clothing sent from Bucharest have changed completely their appearances and their outlook (soul structure) and in the ghetto the atmosphere is better, the colors are more alive and optimistic. The children generally look better and healthy. The food is nutritious and sufficient.

I plead with you once more Mr. President, to please listen to my plea, and send everything you find necessary to help with the moral and intellectual education of our orphan children.

Signed:

With the highest esteem,

Eugen Sidar
Director of the Orphanages 1&2

Please also see the Introduction to the Balta Ghetto List project for more information about Balta and the general Transnistria area during the German occupation.

Database

The database contains information for 220 orphans living in the Balta Ghetto.

The fields of the database are as follows:

Acknowledgments

The information contained in this database was indexed from the files of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum [USHMM RG-25.016M (Reel-10)] who got their copy from fond 37 of the former archives of the CCRCP (Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party), Bucharest.  This information is accessible to you today thanks to the effort of the following JewishGen volunteers who are responsible for the transcription of this file: Nolan Altman (coordinator), Monica Talmor and Paula Zeiselman.

In addition, thanks to JewishGen Inc. for providing the website and database expertise to make this database accessible. Special thanks to Susan King, Warren Blatt and Michael Tobias for their continued contributions to Jewish genealogy.  Particular thanks to the Research Division headed by Joyce Field and to Nolan Altman, coordinator of Holocaust files.

Nolan Altman
June, 2005

Searching the Database

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Last Update: 15 Sep 2005 by WSB.