A Drawing of the Grave of Baby Rose Brand
Drawing of the grave of baby Rose Brand
Shoshana (grandmother of baby Rose) standing in the center wearing a hat, next to her husband Mordecai and other family members before the war
Romek-Reuven Brand with a family member before the war
Romek-Reuven Brand was born in 1908 in Ozorkow, Poland. With the outbreak of war in 1939, Reuven and his two sisters fled to Russia on horseback, riding through Warsaw to Brisk. From there, the Soviet authorities deported the three to the interior of the Soviet Union. Along the way Reuven met Tola Fuerstental, who made a similar journey with her family, and the two married.
In April 1941, baby Rose was born to the couple. In 1942 Reuven enlisted in Anders’ Army, and Tola and Rose followed in the wake of the army. The difficulties of the trek and the poor nutrition resulted in Rose falling ill. The child died aged 15 months, and was buried along the way. Tola sketched the grave to remember it. To preserve it the drawing was mounted on a card on which is written: “Rose Brand, born April 9th 1941. Died July 20th 1942.
Reuven and Tola continued with Anders Army’ to Tehran. After a year Tola joined the “Tehran Children” group and came to Eretz Israel. Reuven joined her later on.
The couple settled in Eretz Israel, and in 1944 their son Jacob was born. They lived in the Plaza Hotel in Tel Aviv until it was bombed during the War of Independence, and then they moved to Kfar Saba where their two daughters, Malka and Margalit were born.
Tola kept the penciled sketch throughout the years. Her daughter Margalit donated it to Yad Vashem for safekeeping.
Yad Vashem Artifacts Collection
Gift of Margalit (Brand) Katz, Givatayim, Israel