Bella Zicherman, a Holocaust survivor who lived a short distance from Elie Wiesel in Sighet, Romania as a child, passed away August 12, 2014. Rabbi Sara Gilbert officiated at the Aug. 15 graveside service at Mt. Nebo Cemetery. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.
In her later years, Bella devoted much time and effort to the perpetuation of Holocaust awareness, the family said. Though confronted with unspeakable serial tragedies, Bella bravely refused to bend, break or surrender.
Bella Strulovitz was born Feb. 5, 1926, in Sighet, Romania. She was the second oldest child.
In the spring of 1944, she was transported with the entire Jewish community of Sighet to Auschwitz. Separated from her parents, brother and younger sister upon arrival, she never saw them again.
Bella and her older sister worked in horrendous conditions. In the winter of 1944-1945, they were forced to go on the Death March to Bergen-Belsen. Liberated in April of 1945, Bellas sister died in her arms three days later.
Bella was placed in DP camps in Germany and later Italy, where she met her future husband Jerry Zicherman.
She was reaching for a book across Jerry, whom she didnt know and thought was asleep. He leaned up and kissed her.
The Zichermans were married in a civil service in Italy. Two years later, they had a Jewish ceremony in New York City.
The couple later moved to Denver for Jerrys health. He had contracted TB in the concentration camps.
Mr. Zicherman died of the disease in 1965, at the age of 41.
After his passing, Bella devoted herself to the children. With very little help, and despite the terrible losses she had endured, she raised them honorably and ushered them into adulthood.
Toward the end of her life, she grew very close to her cousin Renee Weinstein, whom she often said reminded her of her older sister.
Bella Zicherman is survived by her son Geno Marcovici, PhD, and daughter Shirley Rowe; and grandchildren David Marcovici, Annabelle Marcovici and January Rowe.
Copyright © 2014 by the Intermountain Jewish News
