Holocaust survivor Menachem Bodner, born Elijahu Gottesman, was just four years old when he was liberated in 1945 from the Auschwitz death camp. Now age 72 and living in Israel, he is searching for his identical twin brother and asking our readers to help.
In May 1944, Menachem and his identical twin brother were transported to the concentration camp two months before their fourth birthday.
Because they were identical twins, they were “selected” and became the objects of criminal medical experiments by the infamous Dr. Mengele. Both miraculously survived. Last seen at Auschwitz, the two were separated just two days before the liberation.
Menachem was adopted, and given a new name: Menachem Bodner. His brother was also adopted, but was taken to the United States, Bodner says. There the trail ends, with the number tattooed on their arms as their sole remaining link.
For the next 67 years, Bodner has had no knowledge of his family or his twin brother.
But according to records retrieved from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Bodner’s twin brother was still alive two weeks after the liberation, giving him hope that he may still be alive and “out there to be found and reunited” with him.
Bodner has discovered from the records that his number and real name was A-7733 GOTTESMAN, ELIAS. His brother’s number and name was A-7734 GOTTESMAN, JENO.
“We ask that you pass this on to appear in your synagogue newsletter, localnewspaper, and local television stations to ensure the widest dissemination,” wrote organizers trying to help Bodner with his search.
A Facebook page with photos and more information can be found by clicking here. Readers who learn the whereabouts of Jeno Gottesman are asked to pleasecontact Ms. Ayana Kimron at FamilyRoots2000@gmail.com.
