| The Djaments |
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Dedicated to the Five Djament brothers.
Contributors :
Eve Drobot, Toronto, Canada
Frank Drobot, California, USA
Vlad Drobot, California, USA
Adam Rutkowski, Sydney, Australia
Eve Drobot, Toronto, Canada
Frank Drobot, California, USA
Vlad Drobot, California, USA
Adam Rutkowski, Sydney, Australia
The Djament family (see the family tree) was headed by Itzhak Djament, born in 1883 in Chmielnik, a town east of Krakow towards the city of Lwow, where 80 per cent of the
population were Hassidic Jews. His parents were Moses Leiba and Pesla. Itzhak’s brothers and sisters ran small shops in country villages selling largely to the local population. In
1906, at the age of 23, a marriage was arranged by the local matchmaker and Itzhak married Chave Lind, (whose Polish name was Ewa). She was born in 1885 in Tarnow, a city 65 km
east of Krakow, with a Jewish population of 25,000, the daughter of Simon and Chaya Sandhaus (see the Sandhaus family tree) however went by the name of Lind since, in the eyes
of the law, Simon and Chaya were not legally married (marriages conducted by a rabbi were not considered legal). Simon Sandhaus ran a pub in Tarnow and it is thought that
Itzhak worked as an accountant for a local brewery.
population were Hassidic Jews. His parents were Moses Leiba and Pesla. Itzhak’s brothers and sisters ran small shops in country villages selling largely to the local population. In
1906, at the age of 23, a marriage was arranged by the local matchmaker and Itzhak married Chave Lind, (whose Polish name was Ewa). She was born in 1885 in Tarnow, a city 65 km
east of Krakow, with a Jewish population of 25,000, the daughter of Simon and Chaya Sandhaus (see the Sandhaus family tree) however went by the name of Lind since, in the eyes
of the law, Simon and Chaya were not legally married (marriages conducted by a rabbi were not considered legal). Simon Sandhaus ran a pub in Tarnow and it is thought that
Itzhak worked as an accountant for a local brewery.
l to r Jakub, Chave, Romek, Israel, Jozek, Itzhak and Samuel
(Photo taken circa 1918)
(Photo taken circa 1918)
Their first child, Roman, (Romek in Polish) was born in 1907 and the second, Josef in 1909. Israel (also known
as Julek) was born in 1911. A year later Itzhak with his young family moved to Krakow where he worked as a
salesman in a shop owned by the Wechsler family selling His Master’s Voice gramophones.
In all they had five sons. In 1913 Chave gave birth to identical twins, Samuel and Jakub.
They all lived in a one-room apartment, No. 7, on the third floor of 45 Starowislna, a large building on a broad
avenue not far from the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz.
In 1917 Itzhak came home to announce that the government had ordered all families with young children to
evacuate the city because of fear that Russia, in the wake of their Communist revolution and in the midst of
the First World War, would invade Krakow. The Djaments packed all their belongings and reported to the
train station where the seven of them, as well as their daily housekeeper, boarded a train that took them to
Eichwald, a small town in Sudeten in what is now the Czech Republic. Their time there was very pleasant,
with plentiful milk and fresh bread and butter, fresh air and peace and quiet, just like an extended holiday in
the country. Roman and Jozef were old enough to attend school, so they enrolled at the local primary
school and became fluent in German.
as Julek) was born in 1911. A year later Itzhak with his young family moved to Krakow where he worked as a
salesman in a shop owned by the Wechsler family selling His Master’s Voice gramophones.
In all they had five sons. In 1913 Chave gave birth to identical twins, Samuel and Jakub.
They all lived in a one-room apartment, No. 7, on the third floor of 45 Starowislna, a large building on a broad
avenue not far from the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz.
In 1917 Itzhak came home to announce that the government had ordered all families with young children to
evacuate the city because of fear that Russia, in the wake of their Communist revolution and in the midst of
the First World War, would invade Krakow. The Djaments packed all their belongings and reported to the
train station where the seven of them, as well as their daily housekeeper, boarded a train that took them to
Eichwald, a small town in Sudeten in what is now the Czech Republic. Their time there was very pleasant,
with plentiful milk and fresh bread and butter, fresh air and peace and quiet, just like an extended holiday in
the country. Roman and Jozef were old enough to attend school, so they enrolled at the local primary
school and became fluent in German.
Your webmaster in front of 45 Starowislna St, the
Djament residence in Kazimierz. The family occupied the
top floor. (Photo taken in 2006)
Djament residence in Kazimierz. The family occupied the
top floor. (Photo taken in 2006)
After several months they returned to Krakow to discover someone else had moved into their one-room
apartment, and for the two years that followed they were forced to share it. Then No. 9, a three-bedroom
apartment across the hall, became available, and after handing over a substantial amount in key money, the
family moved in and lived in relative luxury until the outbreak of the Second World War.
Itzhak went into the timber business and the family became fairly prosperous. At the end of the First World
War, there was a building boom in Krakow and Itzhak would travel to the countryside to contract with local
lumberjacks for trees to be delivered to a mill for cutting, and then he would sell them to timber yards.
Unfortunately, during one of his trips he contracted rheumatic fever from which he survived, however it
weakened his heart.
Before 1918, Krakow was not in Poland but was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was known for its
tolerance towards Jews. Indeed, the Jews of Krakow were often quite wealthy and, more importantly,
integrated into the city’s society. The Djament boys attended school at J. Dietel Primary School, and later
high school or gymnasium .where their classmates were an equal mixture of Jews and Christians.
Despite their origins, Chave and Itzhak were not very observant, attending synagogue only on the high
holidays. Nonetheless, each of the five boys had a bar mitzvah. The family were also not very strict about
Jewish dietary laws, although they did not eat pork — but even that went by the wayside when Itzhak came
down with rheumatic fever and the doctor advised him to eat as much meat as possible to regain his strength.
At the time, the cheapest meat available was ham.
Itzhak succumbed in 1932, at the age of 49, to a fatal heart attack weakened by his rheumatic fever.
Chave perished in the gas chambers of Sobibor, in 1942.
apartment, and for the two years that followed they were forced to share it. Then No. 9, a three-bedroom
apartment across the hall, became available, and after handing over a substantial amount in key money, the
family moved in and lived in relative luxury until the outbreak of the Second World War.
Itzhak went into the timber business and the family became fairly prosperous. At the end of the First World
War, there was a building boom in Krakow and Itzhak would travel to the countryside to contract with local
lumberjacks for trees to be delivered to a mill for cutting, and then he would sell them to timber yards.
Unfortunately, during one of his trips he contracted rheumatic fever from which he survived, however it
weakened his heart.
Before 1918, Krakow was not in Poland but was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was known for its
tolerance towards Jews. Indeed, the Jews of Krakow were often quite wealthy and, more importantly,
integrated into the city’s society. The Djament boys attended school at J. Dietel Primary School, and later
high school or gymnasium .where their classmates were an equal mixture of Jews and Christians.
Despite their origins, Chave and Itzhak were not very observant, attending synagogue only on the high
holidays. Nonetheless, each of the five boys had a bar mitzvah. The family were also not very strict about
Jewish dietary laws, although they did not eat pork — but even that went by the wayside when Itzhak came
down with rheumatic fever and the doctor advised him to eat as much meat as possible to regain his strength.
At the time, the cheapest meat available was ham.
Itzhak succumbed in 1932, at the age of 49, to a fatal heart attack weakened by his rheumatic fever.
Chave perished in the gas chambers of Sobibor, in 1942.
What's new ?
May 2010
. Just a small technical change - removed links to .wmv format videos. Streaming now available using .flv format only, this makes it
. compatible with Mac and PC systems.
. Added a navigation button link to all video pages
May, 2009
. Added memorabilia from class of 1931, attended by Stefan and Janek in Krakow. Follow the link to Bits and Pieces 2. Thanks to Vivien Lapa of Montreal for the contribution.
. Technical change : Created Flash video of all the movies for multi platform viewing.
January, 2009
. Added travel diary maintained by Adam during the journey to Australia. Follow the link from the stories page.
. Added a recipe for an apricot fruit cake - thank you Alice
December, 2008
. Recipe for kasza, submitted by Eve.
. Movie of the Warsaw to Australia journey on SS Roma - see the stories page.
November, 2008
. Long awaited story of Janek's escape from India in the stories page - thank you Eve
. Recipe section - for all favourite Djament treats
October, 2008
. Vlad has translated and commented on a number of documents from Stefan's personnel files. Follow the link from "Bits and Pieces page 2".
August 2008
. Vlad has provided a new version of Stefan's personal perspective. Follow the link from the brother's page.
. Added an interesting side note about Felicjan Slawoj Skladkowski to the alternate spelling Djament or Diament.
.
May 2010
. Just a small technical change - removed links to .wmv format videos. Streaming now available using .flv format only, this makes it
. compatible with Mac and PC systems.
. Added a navigation button link to all video pages
May, 2009
. Added memorabilia from class of 1931, attended by Stefan and Janek in Krakow. Follow the link to Bits and Pieces 2. Thanks to Vivien Lapa of Montreal for the contribution.
. Technical change : Created Flash video of all the movies for multi platform viewing.
January, 2009
. Added travel diary maintained by Adam during the journey to Australia. Follow the link from the stories page.
. Added a recipe for an apricot fruit cake - thank you Alice
December, 2008
. Recipe for kasza, submitted by Eve.
. Movie of the Warsaw to Australia journey on SS Roma - see the stories page.
November, 2008
. Long awaited story of Janek's escape from India in the stories page - thank you Eve
. Recipe section - for all favourite Djament treats
October, 2008
. Vlad has translated and commented on a number of documents from Stefan's personnel files. Follow the link from "Bits and Pieces page 2".
August 2008
. Vlad has provided a new version of Stefan's personal perspective. Follow the link from the brother's page.
. Added an interesting side note about Felicjan Slawoj Skladkowski to the alternate spelling Djament or Diament.
.
See what's new below !