Eva Lecerof
Eva, 1938 Duisburg, Germany
Eva Lecerof, born Israel, grew up with her family in the city of Duisburg in western Germany. There she lived with her parents and her older brother Walter. Her father, Gottfried Israel, was a teacher in a Jewish elementary school and cantor in the synagogue.
On the morning of November 10, 1938, SS soldiers burst into the family kitchen and searched for Gottfried. He had been warned earlier and had managed to hide with a friend. The SS men had already arrested the rabbi and set fire to the synagogue. Eva, her mother Elsbeth and older brother Walter stood hand in hand and watched as the SS men smashed and destroyed the family´s home.
A few days later, Gottfried returned home. The danger was temporarily over, but Eva's parents did not want to stay in Germany any more. They were waiting for permission to enter the United States, but decided to try to flee somewhere else in the meantime.
Eva and Elsbeth, 1939 Duisburg, Germany
Eva’s parents got in touch with Vicar Einar Börjessonthrough mutual acquaintances. In May 1939, Eva and her mother arrived at the vicarage in Munkfors. Since Elsbeth had a job and accommodation in the parsonage, she was able to get an entry permit to Sweden.
