Victoria Nurtman

Moshe Nurtman

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust

Mickey Nurtman

The Times Newspaper
Although Moishe Nurtman was one of 732 child Holocaust survivors given the chance of a new life in England in 1945, he was actually too old to qualify for the scheme by three years, having been born in 1924. Because of his diminutive stature and undernourishment the committee took pity and issued him with a false birth certificate stating that he was born in 1929.
He was one of five siblings who came from Warka, a town 60 kilometres south of Warsaw. His father, Israel, who had a grocery shop, used to buy wheat from the local farmers and sell it to the mill, while his mother, Sarah, looked after the shop. Nurtman was 14 when the Germans invaded. At first they rounded up Jews to do menial jobs such as road-sweeping and clearing snow and created a ghetto in the nearby town of Kozienice. Since Jews were permitted to live on the eastern side of the Vistula river, Nurtman’s father took the family to a village called Mniszew, where they rented rooms from an old lady in an isolated fisherman’s shack. Nurtman used to cross the river with his mother to get food from his father’s former customers in the Volksdeutsche villages. It was risky since if caught they would probably have been killed. After a while an order was given to remove Jews from this area as well. The authorities kept 300 men in Mniszew to dig trenches for drainage of the surrounding farmland, because in winter the Vistula flooded. Israel Nurtman was one of them, while Moishe accompanied his mother and siblings to the ghetto in Kozienice. His older brother Benjamin, 18, went into hiding rather than become a forced labourer, but was caught and killed. In September 1942 Nurtman escaped the ghetto and was hidden by a Polish family who later gave him a lift in a cart to where his father was living 40km away. There he heard that the ghetto had been emptied and all its inhabitants sent to Treblinka, where his mother, Sarah, 38, and his siblings Esther Brandel, 16, Samuel, 11, and Rose, 8, would all perish. Nurtman was taken to the nearby Skarzysko-Kamienna labour camp for two years, where he was a forced labourer at a munitions factory. He was there until 1944 when the Russians were advancing towards the area and, although separated from his father, considered himself lucky to be given a job as a van driver bringing food for the camp guards from a kitchen in Warka twice daily. Thus he was able to buy bread. As the Red Army advanced closer, he and the other Jews were sent by train to Buchenwald concentration camp, where Nurtman was billeted in the kinder block. At the camp he found his father, who by now was unable to walk. His kidneys had seized up and he died of starvation soon afterwards. The day before Buchenwald was liberated, Nurtman was part of a group sent to Theresienstadt. By morning the guards had departed and he walked out of the camp heading for the nearest town. “The first day we looked for bread, the next day for chocolate, the third day we looked for money,” he recalled. He began bartering and trading tinned meat, and sold a hat to a Russian soldier, flattering his customer to secure the sale. It was an approach that he would use years later when selling menswear to friends and acquaintances. Flown by Lancaster bombers from Prague to an airfield near Carlisle in August 1945, with a stopover in the Netherlands, Nurtman and a couple of hundred other children, mostly boys, were taken to a hostel by Windermere, where they were given a basic education and taught to speak English. After Windermere he was sent to a religious hostel in Stamford Hill and first went to work for a diamond-dealer. Short in stature and stout of build, he used to joke that he was too light for heavy work and too heavy for light work. Later he inherited two large houses in Salzburg from an uncle who had died intestate and was able to use the proceeds to enter the textile business as a manufacturer of women’s underwear. He kept an ad hoc office in the coffee shop at the Great Western Hotel in King’s Cross, north London, and grew the business to employ 135 people at his factories in Nottingham. He married a tall South African, Jessie Miller, whom he met while she was on holiday in the UK; she came from a Lithuanian immigrant family with a dairy farm outside Cape Town. By the late 1960s Nurtman and his growing family were living in Stanmore, northwest London, but several years later he became clinically depressed and was placed in a home for the mentally ill in Harrow. He was persuaded to sign over all his business assets, which he bitterly regretted. When he emerged in 1981 he went to Israel for nine years, living on the outskirts of Tel Aviv. Upon his return to London he gradually took up business again, this time as a casual trader without a premises. He had friends in the menswear business, and one wholesale business that specialised in formal menswear sold him overruns and misfits, which he would sell on to market traders. Next, he befriended a couple of Russian sailors, who brought in a steady supply of Havana cigars when their ships docked. These were much in demand in the UK, but even more so in America after the boycott of Cuba. Many of his customers were American diplomats, expatriates, and visitors, who would pay handsomely for the best Cuban cigars. One customer was “Mr President”, Michael Day, the Franciscan friar who ran the Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly for several years. Nurtman was also a regular attender at the Porchester Turkish Baths, near Queensway, where he would sell goods to fellow patrons on the quiet, ranging from garments to cigars and caviar. He lived in a flat in Maida Vale, west London, receiving money from the German government in war reparations, and earned an income from his cigar and clothing businesses. Later he was looked after by the Association of Jewish Refugees and Jewish Care, residing at a home in Golders Green, north London. If he went to a restaurant or was hosted for a meal, he would still surreptitiously pocket bread rolls from the table, a habit derived from his fear of going hungry during the war. The first time Nurtman returned to Poland was in 1996. In his native town his parents’ grocery store had been replaced by a flower stall. He found a property that had belonged to his grandfather but eight apartments had been built in its place and, even though he had the title deeds, he was advised not to pursue any claim for restitution. Nurtman is survived by his former wife and his three sons, Howard, Mickey, and Saul, who all took degrees at the University of Cape Town. Saul co-founded Calculus Solutions, a telecoms and event-based billing company, in 1998, selling out two years later; Howard is director of compliance for a life science investment in Los Angeles; and Mickey is a London-based banker with Investec, specialising in structured property finance. To the last Nurtman spoke in a Polish accent and enjoyed telling jokes. A favourite was one he told to an oral historian. A man offers up a prayer. “Please, God, help me win the lottery,” he asks. God replies: “Meet me halfway and buy a ticket.” Moishe Nurtman, Holocaust survivor and businessman, was born on December 26, 1924. He died in his sleep on December 17, 2020, aged 95

Page Settings

Enter location name

Full Name

We use cookies to improve your browsing experience and analyze site traffic.
<privacyLink>Privacy Policy</privacyLink>.

<firstParagraph>We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website, store your preferences, and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you. These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent.</firstParagraph><secondParagraph>You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience.</secondParagraph>

<firstParagraph>We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.</firstParagraph><secondParagraph>The cookies that are categorized as 'Necessary' are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site.</secondParagraph>

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

Analytics

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

Functional

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

Necessary

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

Performance

Customize Cookie Preferences

Black Friday Offering

Honor Their Memory

- Including QR Memorial Plaques, Memorial Trees and our Keeper Plus and Concierge Memorial Plans

Now offering KeeperQR Plaques

New Message

The following files could not be uploaded

Ways you can honor {memorialName}'s memory:

Donation Link

Upcoming Event

Featured Mementos

Title

A message title is required. Please update.

Welcome Message

Select an item to highlight

Add a highlighted item

Customize which items you’d like to highlight on the memorial

Create Account

Become a Keeper

As a free {brandName} user, you will only be able to make 5 photos and videos public.

As a free {brandName} user, only the first five (5) Mementos are visible to page visitors. You can change which Mementos are public by dragging and dropping a photo or video to one of the first five positions. Upgrading to {brandName} Plus will make all 10 Mementos selected visible to the public.

All Mementos

This option is only available to Keeper Plus users.

To allow yourself and the rest of the community to view all images and videos, and to enable everyone to download their own copy of these mementos, upgrade your account to Keeper Plus.

This memento is not visible to visitors

Your community has posted {itemCount} more pictures and videos that honor {firstName}'s memory. To view them all, and to enable everyone to download their own copy of each, this account will need to upgrade to Keeper Plus.

View all images and videos with Keeper Plus

Our Obituary Assistant helps you craft a meaningful life story in minutes. Review and edit every detail, and unlock more features with Keeper Plus.

Obituary Assistant

Spend as much time as you need working on your Memorial page before it is visible to the public, and much more, when you upgrade to Keeper Plus.

Save Page as Draft

Create unlimited event pages and unlock a suite of powerful features to help you seamlessly coordinate event details, invites, and more when you upgrade to Keeper Plus.

Event

Create a full picture of your loved one’s community and add unlimited family and friends to Loved Ones when you upgrade to Keeper Plus.

Loved One

Create unlimited Memorials — and unlock unlimited images and videos, event pages, and advanced privacy settings — to help you keep memories alive when you upgrade to Keeper Plus.

Memorial Page

Add unlimited Stories to highlight the all the things that made your loved one unique, from milestones, images, albums, documents, locations, and much more.

Highlight Stories

Upgrading to Keeper Plus means you can add additional Keepers to help you gather Mementos and tributes, approve content, build out a family tree, and tell {firstName}' story on Keeper.

Invite Keepers with Keeper Plus

Upload and display unlimited photos and videos, use unlimited Story templates to highlight key moments, and allow friends and family to download their own copies when you upgrade to Keeper Plus. 

Better Mementos with Keeper Plus

To access memorial related configurations that control the display of the banner upgrade to Keeper Plus.

This configuration  is not available on your current plan

Create a meaningful link path to add a personal touch to {firstName}'s memorial.

Custom Memorial link

Gift Messages

SENDING AS A GIFT?

Cart

MEMORIAL TREE PLANTED

BEES PROTECTED

PLASTIC RECYCLED

CLEAN WATER

This will permanently delete your account. The business account, and business page will not be deleted. To deactivate your account, there must be another admin user assigned to your organization.

Are you sure you want to deactivate this account?

Organization name

Your name

To permanently remove this item, select Remove. To keep this item, select Cancel.

You have selected to delete {count} items from the Mementos Library. In doing so, these items will be permanently deleted from your library.  Do you wish to continue?

Thank you for your submission. All submissions are reviewed and must be approved before they appear on the page.

Thank you for you submission.

Web URL

Create a full picture of your community by creating individual Memorial pages for your family members, friends, and more.

Highlight the important people in {name}'s life by adding them as a Loved One. You can add someone via their {brandName} Memorial or Living Memorial page, or add their information manually.

Enter this Loved One’s email to let them know you have added them.

Add Loved One

You can only add an image for your Loved one by upgrading to Keeper Plus or creating a Memorial page for a Loved One that has passed away.

This is where the descripton will appear.

Add up to 50 photos and/or videos to create an album of a specific moment in {firstName}’s life. You’ll be able to reorder files and add captions to each file after you save.

Enter an album title

This is the album title

How would you name this album?

Album title

Enter album title

Group title (optional)

Used to mention your loved one throughout the memorial.

To avoid losing the previously generated text, we recommend copying and pasting the text to a secure location. If you wish to save the text, close this window, and copy the text to a secure location. If you are ready to generate a new version of your text, select the ‘Generate Story’ button.

Your current text will be removed

With just a few details from you, our AI-powered writing tool can draft a personalized and meaningful life story in a click.

The Obituary Assistant will take all the content you add to craft the perfect obituary. For the best possible results, please make sure all sections are completely filled out before generating.

Not displayed - used for your notifications only.

Used to display your relationship to {firstName}

Name

Who is this memorial for?

Use our Story templates to highlight a memory or event by adding unique details and a special layout.

New Offering

Create a video slideshow in minutes

Introducing Tribute Videos

Transform your profile page into a Living Memorial to start preserving your own legacy with photos, videos, and more. You can choose to keep your Living Memorial hidden until you’re ready to publish. Have more questions?

Create a Document Story

Enter a document title

Edit a Document Story

Upload an important document that signifies a moment in {firstName}’s life. This will display on your Memorial, so please don’t upload a death certificate, Social Security card, or anything containing sensitive information.

Document Story

What does this document represent?

We're getting your Mementos ready for download in a secure .zip folder, but it may take some time depending on your internet speed and file sizes. You'll need to stay on the site while this happens, so please don't leave mykeeper.com! (You're welcome to navigate away from this page and do other things on the site, as long as it's on mykeeper.com.)

We're getting your Mementos ready for download in a secure .zip folder, but it may take some time depending on your internet speed and file sizes. You'll need to stay on the site while this happens, so please don't leave our website.

Preparing your download

Change the name of this album in the field below

Edit the album title

You are creating and/or updating an event in the past.  If this was done in error, cancel and review your changes. 

Event is in the Past

Create an event page to coordinate a gathering in honor of {username}

To permanently remove this event and all corresponding data, select Delete. This cannot be undone.

Do you want to remove this event?

Share a link for guests to access a Virtual or Live Streamed Event

Share the event location to provide guests with directions

Choose if anyone on the internet can see event settings and RSVP options.

Only those with this password can access the event

Event privacy

Event RSVP

Choose if anyone on the internet can see who has RSVP'd to the event.

Guestlist privacy

Describe the event, including dress code, requests, or other important details

Enter important personal and family events like the birth of a child, a marriage, and more.

Select the <star>star icon</star> on a photo or video to display it in the Featured Mementos Section on the Memorial page. You can feature between 3 and 10 items.

Why are you flagging this?

By clicking subscribe below, you will receive emails containing information on any updates or additions that are made to this memorial page.

By clicking unsubscribe below, you will no longer receive emails containing information on any updates or additions that are made to this memorial page.

By clicking subscribe below, you will receive email reminders for upcoming events containing the event details - 72hrs prior to the event occurring for {username}’s Memorial.

By clicking unsubscribe below, you will no longer receive email reminders for upcoming events containing the event details - 72hrs prior to the event occurring for {username}’s Memorial.

By clicking subscribe below, you will receive emails containing information on the most recent memorials added to {brandName}.

By clicking unsubscribe below, you will no longer receive emails containing information on the most recent memorials added to {brandName}.

Welcome back, {name}

Welcome to {name}

Add a special touch to a memorial by including a beautiful emblem.

Story Title

What would you like to call this storyline?

Need examples? Try "{firstName}'s Life at University" or "A Lifelong Learner."

Add Interests or Milestones

Tell us about {name}'s life

Highlight the important people in {firstName}’s life by adding family members, friends, and more as Loved Ones. To get started, simply add existing {brandName} users and Memorial pages as Loved Ones, or add them manually by entering some basic information.

Section title

Add a map

Add markers to significant places, landmarks, cities, and other locations to create a personalized map that tells part of {firstName}’s life story.

Add a Map Story

What would you like to call this map?

Map Story

Enter a map title

Need ideas? Try something like “Places {firstName} Called Home” or “Favorite Vacation Spots”

Add a memento story

Add up to 100 photos and videos at once to your Memorial. You'll be able to add details, or feature as Stories later, if you like.

Add Mementos

Add Title or Text Story

Mementos are uploaded photos and videos that other users can like and comment on. If you'd like to highlight one of these and tell its story, you can transform them into Stories.

A consolidated view of all the ways someone can honor the memory of your loved one (send flowers, donations, etc.).

Banner

This option allows users to customize the visual appearance of the memorial page by removing the existing Keeper logo from the memorial page. This is particularly useful for those who prefer a more personalized look for the page.

Remove Keeper Logo

Memorial Page Configurations

Allows visitors to the memorial page to purchase a tree in honor of your loved one’s memory.

Purchase a Tree

Allows you to show or hide the “Send Gift Basket” button in the memorial page banner, letting you choose how others can honor your loved one’s memory

Send Gift Basket

Allows visitors to the memorial page to send flowers or make donations in honor of your loved one’s memory.

Send Flowers

Sympathy Gifts

This option allows admin/editors the ability to customize the visual appearance of the memorial page by showing or hiding the display of  “Sympathy Gift Ideas” on the memorial page. This is particularly useful in assisting families who prefer a more personalized look for the page.

Memorial Configurations

Only you can see this page and all its content.

Memorial Keepers

This page and all its content is now visible according to your privacy settings.

If added as a Keeper, you'll be able to manage and edit {keeped}’s profile

Request Keeper Access

Send a message to {name}

Check your inbox

The information you have entered will be lost if you close this window.

Are you sure you want to close this window?

Select ‘Submit Obituary’ to complete and publish this obituary, or select ‘Keep Editing’ to include additional information in the obituary.

Moshe Nurtman

Tell us about Moshe Nurtman's life

Add Mementos

Tell us about Moshe Nurtman's life

Add Mementos