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Tombstone of Michael Rohan (born 2/11/1947, died 7/3/1961). Next to him is buried Ludmila Rohan, his adopted mother (born 24/2/1907, died 26/9/1988)

With the changing of the political climate in Europe, particularly in Czechoslovakia, the post–Communist Czech governments faced a great deal of pressure from various humanitarian groups as to the whereabouts of Ivan Toman. The government would not answer since it did not know the details of the case. The Czech secret service kept releasing uninformative statements that led nowhere. The Czech government decided to create an office of investigation to investigate unsolved crimes that were committed during the Communist regime. The office consisted of top police investigators and researchers. They worked, researched and examined all the relevant offices and reports on the cases. They even interviewed people, including Aranka Toman–Resnik and Zdenek Toman in California. A former political prisoner named Jozef Bacon who knew Aranka was sent to California to interview her and her brother Zdenek. Still no clues or traces were found that shed light on Ivan's disappearance. Months and years passed and still no clue. It is evident that some of the investigators did not want to find clues since they or their friends were deeply involved in the various cover–up stories. Eventually, the Czech police decided to solve the case.

The investigators returned to the original arrest warrants, investigations and court proceedings. The record of the verdict states that Zoltan Toman/ Goldberger was condemned in absentia to death and all of his possessions were to be turned over to the government. His possessions were his apartment in Prague and a bank deposit book containing 50,341.10 Czech korunas.^[1] Toman's wife, Pesla, also had a bank book with 249,890.90 Czech korunas. The investigators began to search the bank records and luck was with them. They found the Toman account books but they were closed. Zdenek Toman/ Goldberger's account was closed on February 18, 1949, prior to his trial that took place on June 23, 1949. The man who closed the account was Captain Alois Male of the Czech security police. The act was highly illegal if not criminal. Toman was still legally an innocent man and nobody had the right to close his account. Apparently, higher officials than the captain ordered the bank to close the account. Pesla Toman's account was closed by Alois Male of the Czech security police on March 16, 1950. This closure was a plain common robbery since Pesla Toman had not been charged with any crime. The money was hers or her descendants'. Male went one step further and established a trust fund in the amount of 259,480 Czech korunas^[2] for Ivan Toman whose foster father was Prague resident Jiri Rohan.

Jiri Rohan was a regular driver for the security police. He was married to Ludmila and they had no children. The Rohan family wanted a child and Jiri kept asking the officers for a child. One day, the Rohans were presented with a baby. They were told that he was found abandoned in the town of Jihlava, quite a distance from the city of Prague. Attached to the baby was a note stating that his name was Michael and 10,000 Czech korunas.^[3] The couple adopted Michael and gave him their last name, Rohan. Michael was registered as Michael Rohan born on November 2^nd, 1947. No legitimate birth certificate was ever presented as to the authenticity of the child. Until today, the names of the father and mother of the child are not known. The cities of Prague and Jihlava had no listing of an unwanted child on this particular day. Yet a baby was presented to the Rohans by the security police. The baby was even provided with a nice trust fund. Apparently a few Czech security agents were involved in these bizarre machinations. They had the approval and protection of the Interior Minister, Vaclav Nosek.

Ivan Toman remained at the state shelter for a short time and then he was moved from place to place by security officers. Even the state shelter did not know where the child wound up. All inquiries as to the whereabouts of the child were ignored or sent to the wrong address. Aranka tried to get in touch with the shelter from her prison in Prague but failed to establish contact. Even the Czech Red Cross tried to intervene but to no avail.

Years later, an accident occurred and Michael Rohan was seriously injured and rushed to a military hospital in Prague where he was unconscious for about 50 days and died on March 7, 1961, under the name of Michael Rohan.^[4] He was 14 years of age. He never knew his original name, his family or his origin. He was cremated and the urn containing his ashes was buried at plot number 288 at the Motol Crematoria. Years later, his adoptive mother was buried next to him. The Czech investigators never solved the mysterious disappearance of Ivan Toman. They slowly started to spread the idea that Michael Rohan and Ivan Toman were one and the same person. With time and persistence many people accepted the story. Czech officials even visited the Goldberger sisters and presented them with their findings. These findings were also shown to Zdenek Toman but he was doubtful. The sisters went to Czechoslovakia on several occasions and visited the grave of their supposed nephew but not Toman. As a matter of fact, the last codicil of his will, probated on June 3, 1998, set aside $10,000 for Ivan Toman, a clear indication that he was doubtful about the entire Czech story about his son. No real tests were ever performed to ascertain whose ashes were buried at the cemetery next to Ludmila Rohan. Toman was familiar with the methods of the Czech secret police and he did not trust them. Ivan was not the only missing child in Czechoslovakia.^[5]

With advancing age, Zdenek Toman reduced his social activities and trips. He spent more time in his sumptuous home in California surrounded by many beautiful art works that he had acquired in Europe, according to Avishay Braverman, President of Ben–Gurion University.^[6]

Toman drew up a will on December 23, 1991 in which he left everything to his wife Maria M. Toman and to her three daughters, Marina Mayers, Maura Lundi and Patricia Braukman and their children. He also mentioned in the will his son Ivan Toman whose whereabouts in Czechoslovakia were unknown. The document is quite extensive and deals with Toman's assets in the United States. No mention was made of assets in Venezuela if they existed nor is the Goldberger family mentioned in the document. This seems a bit strange since Toman was close to his sister Aranka. Toman sent her checks while she was in prison in Czechoslovakia and took great interest in her well–being. Aranka helped Pesla Toman and her son Ivan while Zdenek Toman was away at the so–called health farm and Toman sent a car to bring Aranka to Prague right after the war. These two siblings became very close and Toman did everything in his power to help Aranka.

But suddenly, relations among the Goldbergers cooled. Toman's new family started to distance itself from the rest of the Goldbergers. As a matter of fact, Cecille Goldberger, niece of Toman, stated in a letter that the Goldbergers had little contact with the Toman family.^[7] This could explain why the Goldberger family is not mentioned in Zdenek Toman's will. Nor were there any bequests made to Jewish or non–Jewish social or welfare agencies. This is strange indeed for a family that donated so much charity. Everything was left to the Toman family.

Maria Toman and her daughters even contested a document that Zdenek Toman signed with Ben–Gurion University in which he pledged to contribute $5 million for the construction of a new learning facility at the campus of the institution in Beersheba. Payments were supposed to start with the beginning of the construction. However Toman died before construction began. When the university began construction, it notified Toman. The latter‘s estate did not reply. The university hired lawyers who took the case to court where the family was forced to appear and explain the reason for non–payment of the promissory note. The case was settled out of court.

Zdenek Goldberger Toman resting peacefully in Venezuela

Asher Zelig Goldberger or Zdenek Toman saved thousands of Jewish Shoah survivors by enabling them to cross Czechoslovakia and escape the areas of Eastern Europe infested with anti–Semitism. Jews, especially in Poland, felt insecure and began to leave. They headed mostly to the Czech border posts, which they crossed, and where they received temporary shelter. The American Joint Distribution Committee provided the money and the Brichah provided the guides to move these refugees to Germany, Austria and Italy where they took up residence in the D.P. camps. Their number was staggering and reached about 250,000 by the end of 1947. Britain and the United States pressured Czechoslovakia to close its borders but Toman kept them open. The large refugee population in the camps provided the manpower that challenged the British navy and eventually forced Britain to abandon Palestine. Most of the Jewish refugees went to Israel and started a new life. Toman, on his visits to Israel, was pleased to meet the people he had helped.

Asher Zelig Goldberger wrote a beautiful chapter in Jewish history.

May he rest in peace.

Footnotes

1. The exchange rate was about $1=50 Czech crowns Return
2. http/www.vasevec.cz/blg/ctvrty–musketyt–leta–pane–styricateo=osmeho–6. p.8 Return
3. Czech police file Return
4. http/www.vasevec.cz/blg/ctvrty–musketyt–leta–pane–styricateo=osmeho–6. p.8 Return
5. Many children of so–called politically unreliable parents were given up for adoption without leaving any traces, as reported by Ms. Uzlova in an interview in the Globes newspaper. She herself has never been able to find her mother or sister. Return
6. Larry Price interview with Avishay Braverman. Return
7. Letter received from Cecille Goldberger. Return

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