Paula’s Footsteps Genealogy Services
Paula's Story
Please Note: Paula's story was put together through documented research
My great-aunt Paula whom I am proudly and lovingly named after, has been my inspiration to begin my genealogical journey.
Paula is my maternal grandfather's youngest sister, she was the sixth child born to Moses and Sussel Pollak on December 26, 1928 in Vienna Austria. The family lived on Karajangasse which is within walking distance to Augarten Park.
Shortly after the Anschluss (annexation) of Austria in March 1938, the Nazi strolled onto Karajangasse and made the girls school just steps away from where the family lived a “collection camp”. On May 31, 1938 police shut down Karajangasse and ordered all shopkeepers to close their stores and all residents to close their blinds. Among all those arrested and later deported to Dachau Concentration Camp was Paula’s father Moses. This would be the first of multiple arrests for Moses.
While the story is unclear on how it was decided who would depart Vienna on the Kindertransport, Paula would see her sister Frieda and my grandfather Dolfi for the last time on July 27, 1939 at the Westbahnhof Train Station.
Between 1939 - 1942, Paula would see family members being deported to concentration camps, this included her father, brother Heinrich, and maternal grandmother. She would write letters to her family members, discussing a little bit of what was going on and how she passes the time.Then the news would come that on March 11, 1942 her father passed away in Buchenwald Concentration Camp.
July 17, 1942 at the age of 13 Paula along with her mother and paternal grandmother would be ordered to arrive at the School Compound, 2a Kleine Sperlgasse in Vienna. At 5:30pm she would depart Vienna’s Aspangbahnhof on transport number 32, train 69. Paula was prisoner number 205, as she left Vienna and wouldn’t return. The train would arrive in Auschwitz the following day, along with her mother and grandmother the three would perish shortly after their arrival.
While I never had the opportunity to meet Paula, I feel that honouring her is one of the best ways I can keep her memory alive. Over the years I have been lucky enough to travel to Vienna and walk the streets she did, walk through the apartment building she lived in, and even walk her final footsteps she had through Auschwitz. Paula was only 13 years old when she perished, more than anything I hope she is proud of the work I have done/continue to do and my passion for wanting to help others learn stories about their loved ones.