United States: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum shared the life story of Regina Rotenberg through their official Facebook account and informed about her picture holding a teddy bear which was taken in 1928, noting that there was no sign her life would be in danger.
At that time, her age was two or three and was living with her Polish Jewish parents in Germany, Europe.
Ten years later, Hitler was in power and it became clear to the Rotenb2erg’s that life was no longer safe for Jews in Germany. Regina and her siblings were sent away on a rescue mission, known as a Kindertransport. When they arrived in Belgium, they thought they had escaped the Nazi threat.
Along with this, the children’s parents, Max and Tema, made their way to Belgium and were temporarily reunited with their children. But after the Germans conquered Belgium in 1940, the Rotenberg’s once again had to make plans. They met Father Hubert Celis, a parish priest, who agreed to help the family.
“He became our saviour,” Regina remembered later. In 1942, Father Hubert found places for Regina, her two younger brothers, and her sister, who was then about two years old.
While in hiding, Regina saw her mother for one last time, from a distance. Tema had made a cake for Regina’s 17th birthday but didn’t dare to come too close to her daughter, for fear someone would ask questions about a woman they didn’t know.
In addition, that same month, Max and Tema were discovered and deported to the Auschwitz-Birkenau killing centre. From the police station, Tema sent a note to the butcher who was hiding Regina and her sister.
It read, “’Please take care of my belongings,’ which meant us, the children,” Regina said.
Regina’s parents did not survive. Regina was later discovered and deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. She survived several camps and a death march. Regina was eventually reunited with her siblings, who had been protected by Father Hubert, his family, and other priests for almost two years.
Furthermore, after the war, the Rotenberg children remained close to Father Hubert and his family. Father Hubert led Regina to the canopy when she got married.
