Michael Lerman

"The Jewish people now they have Israel. The best friend of theirs should be weapons. They can’t rely on G-d to save them. When it comes to your safety you must be prepared. "

Name at birth

Michael Lerman

Date of birth

02/23/1917

Where were you born?

Kovno, Lithuania

Where did you grow up?

Kovno, Lithuania

Name of father, occupation

Mordechai Lerman, Owned a clothing store

Maiden name of mother, occupation

Taibal Abramovich, Homemaker

Immediate family (names, birth order)

Parents and eight children: five girls and three boys

How many in entire extended family?

Who survived the Holocaust?

Nobody other than myself. I was never able to find anyone from the family after the Holocaust. I was in hiding to avoid the Germans. Later I was in the ghetto until I was taken to labor camps.

Name of Ghetto(s)

Kovno

Name of Concentration / Labor Camp(s)

Dachau Sub Camp

Where did you go after being liberated?

To my family in America in New York.

When did you come to the United States?

I believe in 1949

Where did you settle?

New York

How is it that you came to Michigan?

My wife and I recently moved to Michigan. Our daughter, Miriam, lives here.

Occupation after the war

Clothing Store Owner

When and where were you married?

I was married in the Kovno Ghetto during the war. Helen (Chayala) and I were separated after being deported to the camps, but found each other after the war ended. We were reunited in Germany after mutual acquaintances knew that we had both survived. We came to the United States together.

Spouse

Helen Chayala, Homemaker and helped in clothing store

Children

Eugene, electronics engineer with Boeing Miriam, nurse Terri, nurse

Grandchildren

Nine

What do you think helped you to survive?

I was young and the young have different memories and thoughts. I thought about good things, I always thought about what I would do after the war ended. I stayed positive that’s what rescued me, A table with food, my friends and family. Everything good – forget about the bad things. That’s what rescued me.

What message would you like to leave for future generations?

The Jewish people now they have Israel. The best friend of theirs should be weapons. They can’t rely on G-d to save them. When it comes to your safety you must be prepared.