Blanca Borell collection

Blanca Borell (1920-2009) was born Blanca Schreiber on 6 May 1920 in Rajsko, Poland to Jacob Schreiber and Adela Finder. She had two sisters, Sonia (later Sonia Weitz) and Stella. She married Norbert Borer (b. 23 October 1913). In April 1940 Blanca was forced into the ghetto. In 1942 she was deported to the Płaszów concentration camp. She was transferred to Auschwitz in January 1945 and then Bergen-Belsen, Gusen, and Mauthausen. She was liberated from Mauthausen in May 1945 and later went to the Linz-Bindermichel displaced persons camp where she was reunited with her husband Norbert, who also survived Plaszów and Gusen, and later served as an Austrian representative for HIAS. They immigrated to the United States in 1948. Blanca’s sister Sonia also survived the Holocaust, but both of the sisters’ parents perished. The collection consists of photographs depicting Blanca Borell and her husband Norbert Borell in the Linz-Bindermichel displaced persons camp 1945-1947. Photographs depict demonstration rallies by survivors of Gusen and Mauthausen, remembrance ceremonies in Gusen in May 1946, a soccer team in Bindermichel, and displaced persons en route to Canada with aid from HIAS. Includes a depiction of Simon Wiesenthal. Also includes a HIAS business card issued to Norbert Borer.