Frieda Zalc Langnas was born July 23, 1935 to Harry and Sara Zalc in Danzig.  Her father owned a store selling yard goods and was quite successful but in 1933 things started to change with the rise of the Nazi party.  Harry started sending money with people leaving Danzig going to England and the United States where he had opened bank accounts to put money.  By 1935 it was apparent they needed to leave Danzig but they were having trouble finding somewhere they could go.  In November, 1938, the store was destroyed on Kristallnacht and they knew they had to leave.  Frieda's father found out that a man who owned a factory in Trinidad would sponsor them and after being chased by Nazi teens while he was walking home one night knew that there was no alternative but to leave.  Harry left in August 1940 for Bordeaux where he boarded a ship, the Flanders, to Trinidad.  Frieda and her mother arrived three weeks later.  They stayed in Trinidad for 18 months and had a nice life there. HIAS helped them with somewhere to live.  There were other Jews there and also a Sephardic community who welcomed them.  The English government who governed Trinidad wanted to put Jews into a Detention camp and Frieda's parents decided to it was time to come to the United States where they had an aunt and uncle who sponsored them.  They arrived through Ellis Island and came to Detroit where they lived with a family for a short time.  Harry became partners with his Uncle and they opened a dime store on the East side.  Frieda and her parents lived in the back of the store until they could afford an apartment.  Frieda's brother and sister, twins, were born a year after arriving in Detroit.   They finally bought a house down the street from the store and rented a room to a teacher for extra income.  It was a very sad time for Frieda's parents as their families were being exterminated in Europe.  After the war they would check lists of survivors looking for family members but didn't find anyone who survived.  

Eventually, Frieda's father bought a car without even knowing how to drive.  A neighbor taught him to drive which gave the family much more independence.   Frieda's first experience with Jewish life was when her parents sent her to Camp Tamarack for a summer.  She was exposed to Shabbat and other Jewish children which was a new thing for her.   Frieda said she had a happy childhood.  She graduated high school and went to University of Michigan-Dearborn and got her degree in Art History.  She married Joe Langnas, also a survivor, and they had four children, wanting a big family to help replenish those lost in the Holocaust.  

 My message is to be a proud Jew, stay connected to family and educate your children.