Irving Shapiro

Creator(s): Shapiro, Hershel Joshua
Format: email

Irving Shapiro was born Israel Szapiro on April 15, 1923, in Międzyrzec, Poland. From 1942-1945, he was imprisoned and assigned to forced labor at Majdanek concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, Buna-Monowitz (or Auschwitz III) concentration camp, and at the end of the war at Dora-Mittlebau concentration camp. Irving was sent to Majdanek with his brother, Abraham, who disappeared sometime during 1942. Sadly, the boys were never reunited. Irving searched for Abraham throughout his lifetime. Their father, Hershel, and mother, Mala, were murdered in the Treblinka death camp in 1942. Irving married Clara Zaltzman in September 1945 in Neustadt, Germany. They later immigrated to Canada with their first daughter, Tatiana. Seven years later, in 1955, relatives provided sponsorship for them to move to the US in Gering, Nebraska, where they settled and built successful businesses. Irving and Clara had two additional children, Hershel and Marlene. Hear Irving's testimony in his own words.