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PISKER, FISCHER, AND ALTSTÄDTER FAMILIES PAPERS, 1919-1987 2014.411.1

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Archives 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW Washington, DC 20024-2126 Tel. (202) 479-9717 e-mail: [email protected]

Descriptive summary

Title: Pisker, Fischer, and Altstädter families papers

Dates: 1919-1987 (bulk 1935-1948)

Accession number: 2014.411.1

Creator: Pisker family (: ) Fischer family (Zagreb: Croatia) Altstädter, Vladimir, 1911-1984.

Extent: .5 linear feet (1 box)

Repository: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Archives, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW, Washington, DC 20024-2126

Abstract: The collection documents -era experiences of the Pisker, Fischer, and Altstädter families in . Biographical materials include marriage certificates, two postcards from Alfred Fischer to his wife Elvira Fischer Pisker written while he was imprisoned at the the Stara Gradiška subcamp of the Jasenovac concentration camp, and written testimony from Elvira describing her wartime experiences. The photographs include pre-war family photographs primarily of the Pisker family; the Pisker and Fischer families in Italian-occupied , Croatia; Elvira Pisker’s weddings to Alfred Fischer in 1936 and Vladimir Altstädter in 1948; Vladimir Altstädter in Yugoslav Partisan uniform; and the Pisker and Fischer families in the and concentration camps.

Languages: Croatian, English

Administrative Information

Access: Collection is open for use, but is stored offsite. Please contact the Reference Desk more than seven days prior to visit in order to request access.

Reproduction and use: Collection is available for use. Material may be protected by copyright. Please contact reference staff for further information.

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Preferred citation: (Identification of item), Pisker, Fischer, and Altstädter families papers (2014.411.1), United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Archives, Washington, DC

Acquisition information: The collection was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum by Boris and Louise Altshtater in 2014.

Accruals: Accruals may have been received since this collection was first processed, see archives catalog at collections.ushmm.org for further information.

Processing history: Adam Fielding, July 2017

Biographical note Elvira Pisker (later Elvira Fischer and Elvira Altstädter, 1916-1987) was born on 16 April 1916 in Vrginmost, Yugoslavia (now Gvozd, Croatia) to Leo (d. 1944) and Helena (née Hochstater, referred to as Lina) Pisker. She had one sister, Lili (1909-1976), and three brothers, Vilko, Hinko (d. 1941), and Oskar. Leo was a wealthy merchant and owned a soap factory. Elvira’s father and brothers Hinko and Oskar perished during the Holocaust.

Alfred Fischer (1910-1943) was born on 20 July 1910 in Kutnjak, Yugoslavia (now Kutnjak, Croatia) to Ljudevit and Milka (née Veiss) Fischer. He had two brothers, Hugo and Pavle, and one sister, Ella (Ella Novac). All of Alfred’s siblings survived the Holocaust.

Elvira and Alfred married in Zagreb, Yugoslavia (now Zagreb, Croatia) in 1936. Their son Boris (later Boris Altshtater) was born on 25 May 1938. Before the Axis , they owned an orthopedic prosthetic shop in Zagreb. In 1941, Alfred faced persecution by the Ustaše and was subsequently deported to the Stara Gradiška subcamp of the Jasenovac concentration camp where he perished in 1943. After he was deported, Elvira, Boris, and members of the Pisker and Fischer families fled to Crikvenica, Croatia. In 1942, they were deported to the Kraljevica and Rab concentration camps. The camps were liberated by in 1943. After the camp was liberated, Elvira and Boris survived with the partisans in forests until the end of the war. After the liberation of Rab, Elvira met Vladimir Altstädter, whom she would later marry in 1948. In 1949 Elvira, Vladimir, and Boris immigrated to Israel. They returned to Yugoslavia in 1954. Boris moved back to Israel in 1957.

Vladimir Altstädter (1911-1984) was born on 23 September 1911 in Virovitica, Yugoslavia (now Virovitica, Croatia) to Julius and Slava (née Weiss) Altstädter. He had at least one sister, Anica (Anica Lukic). His mother perished during the war.

Scope and content of collection The collection documents the Holocaust-era experiences of the Pisker, Fischer, and Altstädter families in Yugoslavia. Biographical materials include marriage certificates, two postcards from Alfred Fischer to his wife Elvira Fischer Pisker written while he was imprisoned at the the Stara Gradiška subcamp of the Jasenovac concentration camp, and written testimony from Elvira describing her wartime experiences. The photographs include pre-war family photographs primarily of the Pisker family; the Pisker and Fischer families in Italian-occupied Crikvenica, Croatia; Elvira Pisker’s weddings to Alfred Fischer in 1936 and Vladimir Altstädter in 1948; Vladimir Altstädter in Yugoslav Partisan uniform; and the Pisker and Fischer families in the Kraljevica and Rab concentration camps.

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System of arrangement The collection is arranged as two series: Series 1: Biographical materials, 1937-1987 Series 2: Photographs, 1919-1948

Folders are arranged alphabetically. Documents are arranged chronologically.

Indexing terms Person: Pisker, Elvira, 1916-1987. Altshtater, Boris, 1938- Fischer, Alfred, 1910-1943. Altstädter, Vladimir, 1911-1984.

Corporate: Stara Gradiskǎ (Concentration camp) Kraljevica (Concentration camp) Rab (Concentration camp)

Topical Subject: Holocaust Jewish (1939-1945)--Croatia--History. --Croatia. World War, 1939-1945--Underground movements--Croatia. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Children.

Geography: Zagreb (Croatia) Crikvenica (Croatia)

Genre/Form: Photographs.

CONTAINER LIST

Series 1: Biographical materials, 1937-1987 Folder Title 1 Fischer, Alfred: Death certificate, 1946 2 Marriage certificates, 1937-1987 3 Pisker, Elvira: Testimony with translation, 1966 4 Pisker, Helena: Calling card, 1939 5 Postcards from Alfred Fischer to Elvira Pisker, 1942

Series 2: Photographs, 1919-1948 Folder Title 6 Altstädter, Vladimir, 1940-1946 7 Fischer, Alfred, circa 1936-1941

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8 Fischer, Boris, circa 1941 9 Fischer, Hugo, 1939 10 Memorial in Mirogoj Cemetary, Zagreb, circa 1946 11 Pisker, Elvira, 1929-1942 12 Pisker, Elvira and Alfred Fischer: Wedding, 1936 13 Pisker, Elvira with Alfred and Boris Fischer, 1935-1941 14 Pisker, Elvira with Boris Fischer, 1946 15 Pisker, Elvira and Vladimir Altstädter: Wedding, 1948 16 Pisker family, 1919-1935 and undated 17 Pisker, Lili, 1941-1942 18 Pisker, Vilko, 1946 19 Pisker and Fischer families: Crikvenica, Croatia, 1941-1942 20 Pisker and Fischer families: Kraljevica or Rab concentration camps, circa 1942-circa 1943

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