Bertha and Hasl Blumberg

These are my parents, Bertha and Hasl Blumberg. The photo was taken in Liepaja in the 1930s.

My father was born on 5th January 1901. He learned watch-making from a watchmaker. This was arranged in accordance with the tradition that sons were apprenticed to craftsmen. He became a watchmaker. There was a clock production enterprise in Liepaja, which belonged to Ruseniek. He bought plans in Switzerland and then my father and his team assembled clocks. Watches were especially popular.

My mother was born on 8th August 1899. She was born in Kuldiga. Probably she went to school at the Kuldiga Gymnasium. Her parents died early so she moved with some relatives to Liepaja.

My father often worked at home. There were six of us in our family: Mother, Daddy, Aunt Paula and three children. My father earned enough money to keep a family of six. He kept a lodging-house of five rooms with full utilities. We lived on the first floor of a two-storey building.

I remember my mother’s evening dresses for going to parties with my father. One of her gowns was a full-length, deep-cut, black dress with a big white rose. Another evening dress was full-length and lacy. When they were going to parties, my father told the yard keeper in advance that they had to go and a car would be summoned. Can you imagine? I saw so much beauty and grace during the first 15 years of my life!

I lost everything, all my family in 1941. 15 years of happiness ended abruptly. My father was shot on 24th July 1941; my mother, brothers, granny and other close relatives were murdered on Chanukkah, 13th December 1941.