Bordowski

David (wife Regina Tama), Mordchai and Meyer-Hirsch were cousins who survived the war and are pictured below among other survivors photographed in Laupheim, Germany (c. 1945). David and Regina settled in the Detroit area. Myer-Hirsh and Mordchai settled in New York. Click here to read the highlights of an interview by Donna Sklar of the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, MI of David Burdowski in August, 1990.

Referring to the Laupheim photograph, Allen Burdowski writes: "I was touched looking at this photo. I recognized my father Mark (Mordechai) Burdowski, my uncle Myer-Hirsh Burdowski, my cousin David Burdowski and his wife Regina. I also see family friends that I grew up knowing, the Nicinski family. There is even a picture of Henyik Opoczynski,who was instrumental in saving my father's life."

Michele Prince writes: "My father was David Burdowski. He was born in 1924 and was the youngest of six or seven siblings. He was a barber, and apprenticed under one of his brothers before the war. I recall that one older brother served in the army."

EMAIL FROM EVAN ZUCKER, GRANDSON OF MORDCHAI BURDOWSKI 8/8/07:

Judy, thank you very much for putting together this site as well as the stories on your tribute to klodawa website. My grandfather is mordechai burdowski (Mark). It is truly remarkable to see these photos and here such wonderful stories about him. It is nice to put faces to the many people and stories he talked about for so many years. One of the things that I was wondering about was, while he was a live, he briefly mentioned that prior to the war he was previously married and had a son. He never mentioned much of this family because he believed they died in Chelmno. I was wondering if anyone knew any information or stories about his family prior to the war. I was also wondering if anyone knew any stories or had any information about his sister Kyla Rosa. We know that she won a beauty contest in Klodawa and was married with children, we would love to have any documents, photos, or stories anyone has. Also do you have any information about his younger sister Yiskor. My grandfather has told me many stories about his experiences during the war and I would love to share that with anyone who is interested.

IN RESPONSE TO EVAN'S QUESTIONS ABOVE: Hello again Evan- I finally was able to visit with my Uncle yesterday. He is very frail these days, but his mind is still good.  I brought the note that you wrote with me so he could read.  His hearing is VERY bad, so it's much easier to communicate by writing.

To answer some of your questions:1) He did NOT recall Mordchai being married before the war.  I think my Uncle would have known this, as they were the same age and in the army together.  There is a chance it was so, and he didn't know about it.2) He did not remember anybody named "Yiskor".3) He definitely remembers Kyla Rosa.  He added that it was my own grandfather--Menesha Przedecki, Michael's brother, that insured that Kyla Rosa won this beauty pageant.  According to my Uncle, every Purim they would have a contest and choose a "queen".  This particular Purim my grandfather went around to all those who could vote and asked them to vote for Kyla Rosa.  Why he did this--I have no idea!  But, it definitely brought a smile to his face remembering the story. 4) We would both be very interested in hearing any of the stores that you have about Mordchai's experiences during the war.  I would also love to post whatever I can up on the website, if you were OK with sharing to the general public--or other Klodawa descendants who are interested.Thank you. Judy.

FROM MIETAL BURDOWSKI, GRANDDAUGHTER OF MYER-HERSCH BURDOWSKI: Dear Judy,
I want to start by thanking you for doing this wonderful work! I can not express how much it touched me to see this photo because this is now the only picture i have of members of my family from back then. I recognize in the photo my grandfather Myer-Hirsh Bordowski and his brother Mordechai Bordowski. After the war Myer-Hirsh came to Israel. I am the daughter of Ruven, Myer's youngest son.I am trying to find details about the bordowski family that lived in Klodawa.I have only pieces of information. My great-grandparents were Rivka and Elyahu Bordowski. I think they were neighbors of the Pizer family and possibly lived in a house that belonged to the Jaklinski family, I do not know the st. name. The Jaklinski granddaughter lives in Israel and i know her. Would you be able to ask your uncle if he remembers where my family lived or remembers somthing about them or about the Jaklinski family?

 

See Michael Pizer's recollections of the Bordowskis.

Click to enlarge the following pictures, to read full captions,
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David and Regina-Tama, parents of Michele Prince


Meyer-Hirsch


Mordchai

 

 

 

 

 
Michael Pizer's recollections of the Bordowski family as told to Judy:

He told me that he was in the Army with Mordchai Bordowski. That the Bordowski family were in fact his neighbors in Klodawa, and they did have these barrels with pickles and cabbage. He recalled his mother giving him 10 "cents" to go there and buy pickles to have with dinner. There were three brothers and two sister. Apparently, one of the sisters was tall, and as he put it a "knock-out". The mother's name was Rivka, and he couldn't recall the father's name.
He also told me specifically about this Mordchai that was in the army with him. He was "son-of-a-gun". He was a barber (as you mentioned) and did very well for himself in the Army - becoming a bit arrogant because he was so well-liked by the higher-ups/officers. He told me the story of a bunch of the army guys getting together and putting him under a blanket and each giving him a whack on the bottom. ( I guess some sort of customary joking around sort of thing). He laughed and tells me softly (as if 60+ years later someone will find out), that it was he (my Uncle) who organized this for Bordowski. He was in the army 1938 and 1939. He told me that he survived the war and went to New York City. My Uncle met him there after the war.

He also said, in Poland, the family would go from town to town to the town fairs with their pickles, and he can remember them chanting/singing/shouting - "Pickles 10 cents" (like a hot dog vendor at a ball game, I guess). He also spoke of either the other siblings or cousins who were also Bordowskis: two were shoemakers, another had an orchard and sold fruit, and others were tailors.

Morchai (left) and Myer-Hirsh (right) Burdowski. Israel, c. 1970.
Photo sent in by Meital Burdowski, granddaughter of Myer-Hirsch.