The Journey
Contents
The Journey: Theme Overview 1
Artifacts
Pin 2
Dining Room Card 3
Diary 4
Postcard 8
Berthing Card 9
Identification and Travel Card 10
The Journey: Theme Overview
As the Holocaust orphans embarked on the ships that would take them to Canada, they took with them small suitcases
containing a few personal items acquired in the DP camps. Most had identity cards or travel documents, that had been
issued to them after liberation. A lucky few had family photographs, that had been retrieved after the war.
To qualify for the War Orphans Project, the young people had to prove that they were under the age of eighteen.
However, as the orphans waited for immigration approval many turned eighteen and became ineligible for the project. In
desperation, some of these young people claimed to be younger than they were in order to qualify for the program.
Attempts by Canadian Jewish Congress to have some of the orphans’ older brothers and sisters included in the project
were rejected.
The war orphans were subjected to a screening process that took two to six months. They were observed and given
medical examinations. To be granted a visa, they had to express a desire to come to Canada and demonstrate "the abili-
ty to adjust." Sometimes immigration officials excluded children who wore glasses or could not read. Most of the orphans
came in small groups, accompanied by a member of Canadian Jewish Congress. Although the Canadian Privy Council
Order of 1947 had given permission for 1,000 orphans, in the end 1,123 were admitted.
1
Pin
Page 1 of 1: artifact and description
Pin given to Leo Lowy. On board the Nea Hellas, April 1948.
front
back
In March 1948 I was among a group of about 115 Jewish orphans on board the Nea Hellas. We were all part of the
War Orphans Project and we were on our way to Canada at last. Members of Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC)
were in charge of us and gave us these pins to help them identify us. The pins distinguished us from all the other
passengers so that CJC could find us.
I wore my pin all the time. I appreciated wearing it because it helped me find and identify some of the other
orphans. We were so forlorn. Not knowing English, we couldn't speak to the other passengers. When I saw some -
one wearing the pin I would go up to them and start talking in Yiddish, Czech, Hungarian, whatever language
worked.
When the ship landed in Halifax, a group of people from the Jewish community met us and gave us a beautiful
reception.
Leo Lowy
2
Dining Room Card
Page 1 of 1: artifact and description
Dining room card belonging to Robbie Waisman. On board the Samaria, November/December 1948
front back
I had to show this card to be seated in the dining room on board the ship Samaria. My table was number 21. It is
written in German because many of the people onboard the ship were German speaking. I could not read English at
the time so I read the German. I remember that the food was good. Any food was good.
Robbie Waisman
3
Diary
Page 1 of 4: cover and description
Diary belonging to Bill Gluck. On board the Marine Falcon, June 1948
I remember the ocean voyage to Canada very well. It was such a momentous event that I wanted to record it all. I
always knew that someday I would want to write a book about my experiences. That is why I kept this diary.
At 8:15am on June 14, 1948 we boarded the SS Marine Falcon, a converted supply ship that had been built for
the US Navy, bound for Canada. These ships were ferrying troops home at the end of the war. This was our first
ocean voyage. Some in the group became seasick as soon as the ship left the harbour, others later as foul weather
set in.
I was most impressed with the bunk beds covered with snow white sheets and the hanging baskets in case of
seasickness. The dining room was spotlessly clean. The tables were covered with spotless white tablecloths. I was
very impressed with anything clean and white. There was lots of good food. Coffee, cream and sugar were left on the
tables. We could have as much as we wanted to eat, during and after meals. I was in awe of everything and immedi -
ately began keeping a daily journal (in Hungarian) for the duration of the voyage.
I carefully wrote out the words to O Canada just as it was taught to us, as well as the Canadian conversion of
weights and measures. I still chuckle when I re-read that journal after all these years to see my youthful innocence
and excitement.
Bill Gluck
Note:
Because of its size and complexity, Bill Gluck’s diary is not available for facsimile reproduction. The following
pages include a translation and selected pages in reduced size.
4
Diary
Page 2 of 4: sample and translation
Monday, 14 VI. 1948.
We boarded the train in Diepholtz at 8:15am and within ten
minutes we were on our way to Bremen-Haven. Arrived there
about 12 o'clock noon and at 12:40 it was time to hop on the
ship! We got in line with our Diepholtz supplied photographs
and boarding numbers in hand, and were soon promenading
on board the ship. She is quite a nice "little" ship (12,500 ton).
Nice inside and out. What's more, a surprisingly nice three
level ship. As soon as we boarded, waiters were waiting for us
and immediately escorted us to our cabins. At 3pm a German
tugboat pulled us out of the harbour and we were on our way.
The cabin: snow-white; not big, not small. Twelve snow-white
two level cots, each included two sets of sheets, a nice little
pillow and a life preserver. Meanwhile, we've also received a
piece of soap and two towels. At 5:20pm Chow Time:
Everybody who had been given a little meal ticket for this
occasion, started marching toward the kitchen. At the door we
are received with the password, "Please enter." And the table?
Baaaaa! (My face fell open.) Imagine a table for about ten peo-
ple, nicely covered "Po Americansky" (Russian for: The
American Way). On the table was tomato soup (not much) fol-
lowed by roast beef on a plate, noodles, peas and a peeled
baked potato. The coffee in the pot was made of real coffee
beans, and we could drink as much as we wanted with as
much sugar as we wanted. On another plate is a kind of
American snow-white, brick-shaped bread – more than enough
– and napkins and toothpicks. To conclude, a nice big pear.
That's it! I was so full, I almost exploded. We eat three times
daily. And I forgot the most important thing! On each bed there
is a square cardboard box hanging in case of vomiting. The O Canada
top deck is nice and so is the sea. "And they only saw the sky
and water."
Tuesday, 15 VI. 1948.
I've slept through the night like a cadaver and woke not long before breakfast. The menu for breakfast was cream of
wheat, scrambled eggs with bacon and fried potato, coffee (coffee beans, of course), a piece of honey cake and jam.
The morning went by without any excitement. For lunch there was a bean soup, roast beef with pickled tomatoes and
green peppers, coffee and for the finale, prune compote. The afternoon started with something that was long waited for:
high tide. The ship began to roll all directions, front and back, left and right. The bow disappears in and out of the water.
Huge waves with nice, white covered salty foams spray us on the deck. Often, very large fish (dolphins?) are being
tossed about by these waves. People begin to feel-some more, some less light headed on the ship. As far as I'm con-
cerned – zip! Later on a woman vomited on herself on deck. The gang is getting worse and worse. The women are hav-
ing a hard time climbing and descending the stairs. Everyone appears to be drunk. It was laughable to see them all
cross-eyed. I too felt something, but only a little bit, and was quite comfortable doing the waltz later on at the dance.
After supper I read and rested on the top deck. The sea was beautiful! Admirably so! The tops of the waves were cov-
ered with white foam and at times it appeared as if the whole sea was white. The waiters are all black, as is the crew,
the captain, and his second-in-command. There are only a few whites here and there among the whole ship's personnel.
They're all very helpful. I had a chat with the captain. He is very nice and ready to advise us on all matters, especially
the girls. (He advises about smoking and how to behave on the streets later on, etc.) Among other things in our discus-
sion, I asked him if he was married. The guy grabs his neck with both hands, "No, no, no, I never married. No, no."
Wednesday, 16 VI. 1948
The captain predicted vomiting for today or tomorrow. With some it has already taken place. In my case, sleep was first
class. I also had a very good meal. Vomiting? Nix. Wow, someone just lent me Ady's complete collection of poems. I'm
5
Diary
Page 3 of 4: sample and translation
going to do some reading. I'll continue later. The weather became much uglier. Rain splashes on the deck. There are a
good number who are sick among the group (the pukers). Aside from the occasional dizzy spells, I'm doing very well so
far. My appetite is starting to diminish slowly, but I still have enough appetite to eat the whole ship. Among other things,
Blumi threw up this morning. I have enough cigarettes and they still taste good. There are things that can be bought in
the canteen, including: cigs, chocolates, candies, chewing gum, and coca-cola. Everybody did some shopping out of the
$2.50 received yesterday. Gave 50 cents for a present being collected for the Congress leader. The $2.00 I'll send to
Ocsi, my brother, as soon as we arrive in Halifax. The grub is excellent, but I will not itemize it. I've spent the afternoon
in the company of a nice little girl from Latvia. In the evening I saw a neat movie. And now, I’m going to bed. This is all
for today.
Thursday, 17 VI. 1948
During the night I almost fell out of bed a few times. It is a bad, but interesting feeling when a man's stomach is able to
rush back and forth from his mouth down to his ass. The crew is laughing, they say this is nothing. The big waves come
in September, they say, when some boats capsize in mid-ocean. My appetite is on the wane, the cigarette does not taste
good, and I'm not going to lunch today. It's raining up on top; inside it sways too much. Most of the gang is sick. No mat-
ter which direction I'm turning, someone is puking. As I am trying to turn away from one, I'm only turning to face another.
I did not get sick yet, but I didn't eat my lunch. The wind picks up the top of huge waves and blows them on the deck. In
bed I can feel myself sinking deeply and heavily into the spring mattress, then rising to a point where I hardly touch the
sheets. It's six o'clock in the evening: Finally I threw up and now I feel much relieved. The sea began to ease somewhat
and they are predicting good weather for tomorrow.
Friday, 18 VI. 1948
I woke this morning feeling quite well and what's more important: hungry. I had a good appetite all day. I spent the morn-
ing in a sleeping bag on the top deck. At lunch I packed away everything with a good appetite and the bobbing of the
ship did not bother me anymore. It was the first time and the last time that I was seasick – as if it were severed. Thick
fog settled in the afternoon, I could hardly see my nose. The ship blew her foghorn repeatedly and that created a little
6
Diary
Page 4 of 4: translation
panic among the passengers. The captain reassured the gang by explaining that there is an instrument in the bow of the
ship that sends radar waves ahead. If the rays do not return, it means it's all clear ahead. If they do return, they show
clearly what is in front. In the evening we saw a very, very good movie. I bought myself a shaving kit for 50 cents. It's the
same kit I saw at home. The handle is made of the same yellow metal, and it came with three blades. And now it's
9:15pm I'm going to sleep.
Saturday, 19 VI. 1948
Everything passed as if it never happened. I'm eating well, puffing on cigarettes, and I don't care if the ship is rolling or
not. However, I discovered a serious matter. I've realized that I need to do my laundry. "Whoa," I said to myself, "this is
one thing I have never done before." Still, I must get down to it. Together with Blumi, I marched into the bathroom and
got down to washing. I believe this was the first and last time I wanted to do this. On two fingers of my left hand, two
small, but very painful blisters have developed. I was forced to do it. Almost all my stuff was filthy, but now they are so
clean that not even a member of the fair sex could have washed it cleaner. Now I'll dry everything in a festive mood.
Tomorrow, however, I'll do the ironing. (Ah, oh, oooh, Bill, how are you able to handle all this?) There was a dance,
everyone was in a good mood and it lasted until midnight.
Sunday, 20 VI. 1948
I got used to the sea, but I would not mind if I could get rid of it. There are still two-and-a-half days to go! Vowee! The
whole day is boring and I cannot discover anything new anymore. Last evening I saw a huge whale easily slicing
through the water. Interestingly enough, wherever there are gulls, there must also be fish. When a gull skims the water,
a fish will soon appear. Otherwise nothing interesting going on. I am signed up with Blumi and two other guys to go
wherever they will send us. And now, I'll start to write some letters. The first to Rozi, the next one to Pop, the one after
that to Ocsi, my brother in rotten Germany. Last evening I have ironed my two slacks. After two hours of cussing, finally
success! Otherwise, the whole day was a bore.
Monday, 21 VI. 1948
Nothing new is happening today. Simply for the sake of change, this afternoon there was an evacuation exercise. We all
had to don our life-saving devices and at a given signal run up and stand next to a life boat on the top deck. There is
room for 135 persons in each lifeboat. After everybody made it up to the top, they chased us below again. And finally it
was finished. In the evening we saw a real dumb movie, followed by dancing till 12 o'clock midnight. And that is how we
ended the day.
Halifax, 23 VI. 1948
We pulled into the harbour at about 10am. At 12noon we disembarked beside a train station where a number of kind
people were waiting for us with oranges, cigarettes and chocolates. They bought stamps and mailed our letters for us.
And then the train began to roll with us toward Toronto. This time we found ourselves in neat first class compartments
that were easily turned into sleepers during the night. The sheets were sparkling white. Besides the fancy equipment on
board, we also found the food to be fairly good. Twelve people remained behind in Halifax; the rest of us will be divided
between Toronto and Winnipeg. The trip will take 24 hours. It is a most comfortable journey and I'm looking ahead for
further developments with much curiosity.
Montreal, 24 VI. 1948
I had a very pleasant sleep on the train and the food was also fairly good. It was 9 o'clock at night when we pulled into
the Montreal railway station. Representatives from the Jewish Congress were already there waiting for us. Dudu's Klara
and Csoki from Aschau were also there. We were bused to the temporary home where we washed and bathed, then
four of us – Brandi, Blumi, Yunger, and myself – moved into a neat room. We'll stay here for three weeks. The personnel
in this house are very pleasant. Even though roll call is at 8 in the morning, we, the new arrivals, will be allowed to sleep
in.
Montreal, 25 VI. 1948
I had a most pleasant sleep in a bed that was supplied with upper and lower snow-white sheets. Today we will receive
some clothes and some dough. I wonder what we will get.
Translated by Bill Gluck, August 1997.
7
Postcard
Page 1 of 2: artifact
Postcard belonging to Leo Lowy. On board the Nea Hellas, March 1948
front
back
8
Berthing Card
Page 1 of 1: artifact and description
Berthing card belonging to Robbie Waisman. On board the Samaria, November/December 1948
front
back
This was my berthing card on board the Samaria, a ship with the Cunard White Star line. I was assigned to bunk
number 38. It wasn't a private cabin. I shared it with all kinds of people that I didn't know. There were about 15 peo -
ple in the cabin, many of whom got seasick. There were tourists in first and second class but I was below, in third
class with all the immigrants, Jewish and non-Jewish.
I was the only one of the War Orphans Group onboard. Most of my buddies had gone to Australia. They had
been my security. I felt completely alone. But I do remember making friends. I did a lot of reading. I read Margaret
Mitchell's Gone with the Wind in French. The voyage took about a week, which seemed quite long to me. I still have
fond memories of the trip.
I remember feeling a tremendous amount of anticipation and excitement. One moment I was thrilled with the
anticipation, the next minute worried about the uncertainty. I thought of Canada as a young country full of wheat
fields. It seemed to be a place where I would never run out of bread. Canada represented a new life and a new
beginning.
Robbie Waisman
9
Travel Card
Page 1 of 7: description
Travel card belonging to Robbie Waisman. Versailles, France, 21 August 1947
cover
pages 1-3 pages 4-8 page 9
Pages 1-3 Pages 4-8 Page 9
These pages cover the basic identity and On these pages are a variety of exit (from France) and entrance Robbie arrived in
identification information about Robbie: his (to Canada) visas. The difficulty in obtaining the appropriate visas Halifax on
name, nationality, profession, and resi- was ensuring that the dates for the exit visa coincided with the December 3rd
dence, as well as a description of him. dates on the entrance visa. You can see where the expiry date of 1948 and was
Because a photograph was attached to the the first French exit visa was changed from 21 October 1947 to 21 granted landed
document the person who filled out this July 1948. A second French visa (page 8) was issued to coincide immigrant status.
travel document wrote "see photograph." with the Canadian Immigrant Visa. Robbie was only allowed to
enter Canada between the dates of 12 November 1948 to 23
December 1948, and allowed to exit France between the dates of
12 October 1948 to 12 January 1949.
This is a travel document that was given to me because I did not have a passport. It cost me 60 francs, which at the
time was a great deal of money for me. Romek is my Polish name and Kam is short for Kamienna, the district in
Poland that I am from. The metal rivets around my photograph were used to prevent forgeries and tampering.
It was a valuable document because it allowed me to cross borders. It represented all kinds of things to me —
adventures, a trip, the anticipation of a new country and a new beginning. The difficulty of acquiring a visa like this
made it all the more valuable to me. It represented hope and a future.
Robbie Waisman
10
Travel Card
Page 2 of 7: cover
11
Travel Card
Page 3 of 7: pages 1-2
12
Travel Card
Page 4 of 7: pages 3-4
13
Travel Card
Page 5 of 7: pages 5-6
14
Travel Card
Page 6 of 7: pages 7-8
15
Travel Card
Page 7 of 7: page 9 and assembly
Assembly Instructions
To create a facsimile of this document, cut out all of the pages, then tape
pages 1-9 together from the back. Glue the cover onto the reverse of page
one. With the cover facing outward, fold the document in accordian fashion,
creating a small booklet. The original document had space for additional
visas (as on page 9) on the reverse.
You may wish to laminate the facsimile to protect it from wear.
16