NY Volunteer Reunited with Relatives Lost in Holocaust

Written by Marion Bergtholdt, special to RedCross.org

July 24, 2002 — Warren Zorek can count 58 family members who he believes died during World War II. The tremendous loss left him feeling like he would never discover the fate of any surviving relatives.

Zorek (left) met one of his only living relatives, George Freund, the son of his second cousin, in New York.

Years later, Zorek developed a dogged passion for helping other victims of war reconnect with loved ones – a job he has held for the past 12 years of his 45-year tenure as an American Red Cross volunteer for the Greater New York chapter in Manhattan. Although many such searches end in disappointment or linger for years, Zorek learned something from the many successful reunions he did orchestrate. For the first time since arriving in the United States in 1947, he found hope that perhaps, through the American Red Cross, he could find a surviving relative somewhere in the world.

Thus the search began that ended with an emotional reunion on a recent weekend in New York, where Zorek met George Freund, the 53-year-old son of his second cousin who lives in Brazil, and was in New York on business. Zorek also learned that Freund’s father, Zorek’s 89-year-old second cousin Werner, was alive and living in São Paulo, Brazil; and Zorek found another cousin living in Israel with his family.

“This is one of the most remarkable days of my life,” Zorek exclaimed in a telephone conversation with George. “After all these years to finally have answers and find family is a confirmation to me never to lose hope and that there is help available to anyone searching for information about their family.”

Fellow Red Cross volunteer Linda Greenman assisted Zorek in his search. A retired social worker with more than 20 years experience in community relations, she leads the volunteer staff in New York that connects loved ones lost in war. The volunteers submit requests for searches to the American Red Cross Holocaust and War Victims Tracing and Information Center in Baltimore, MD. The center accesses a vast archives through its network of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies and the Magen David Adom in Israel to track down information about missing relatives. The Greater New York Red Cross chapter is one of more than 1,000 located throughout the country that provide international tracing services to the community.

The volunteers may discover the date of a family member's death, provide certification for reparations or pensions to civilian survivors, and in some special cases, may even help facilitate reunite reunions among family members separated during war. The services are all provided free of charge.

“We are very pleased when our efforts find family members,” said Greenman, a member of the executive committee of the New York Jewish Genealogy Society.

Through his own work with the Red Cross, Zorek helps other families find vital information about their loved ones. Born in Germany, he has been an active member of the National Advisory Committee of the National Red Cross’ Holocaust and War Victims Tracing Center since 1990 and served as chair from 1999 to 2001. In June, Zorek received the Commemoration of Service Award for his long-standing commitment, service and leadership to the National Advisory Committee and to the many families he has helped along the way.

The American National Red Cross’ Holocaust and War Victims Tracing and Information Center is designed to help anyone find information on family members lost as a result of war. Since the national center opened, the Red Cross has located more than 1,000 people alive and thousands of others have found closure when the organization provided them with details about the fate of their loved ones.