Becker family

Biographical Information

Before the invasion and occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Becker family lived in Lodz, Poland.

Martin Becker (1917-2001) attended the American University in Cairo, Egypt, and later studied economics at Carleton College, Northfield, MN. At the time of Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, Martin was living in New York, where he had an uncle who owned a bakery. His mother, who had been visiting him earlier from Poland, was at sea, returning to Poland. Unable to reach Poland, his mother was rerouted and returned to the United States, where she spent the rest of her life. Family members Abraham, Tadek and Lolek remained behind and were trapped in Nazi-occupied Poland. Their home was confiscated by authorities; they were forced to move to the Warsaw Ghetto.

Martin registered for the US military draft, and received military intelligence training at Camp Ritchie, Maryland. He served in Europe during the war, and entered Dachau concentration camp in April 1945. Towards the end of the war, he was as an interrogator of German suspects for war crimes trials.

According to a note included in the file by Martin Becker, donor of the collection, his father and brothers perished at Treblinka death camp.