Irene Frisch (born Irene Bienstock; May 3, 1931 – November 7, 2021) was an American writer who wrote many articles and stories about her childhood in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

, surviving the

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

, living in

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

and then in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Life and career

Irene Frisch was born in

Drohobycz Drohobych ( ; ; ) is a city in the south of Lviv Oblast, Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Drohobych Raion and hosts the administration of Drohobych urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. In 1939–1941 and 1944–1959 it was ...

, Poland (now

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

) and survived

the Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

in hiding. She was the daughter of Israel and Sarah Bienstock. She, her sister Pola and mother were hidden for two and a half years in the apartment of Frania Sobkowa, a woman who was the girls' nanny before the war. Irene's story ''"My Christmas Story"'' is about the night Ms. Sobkowa rescued her from the

Drohobycz Ghetto Drohobycz Ghetto or Drohobych Ghetto was a Nazi ghetto in the city of Drohobych in Western Ukraine during World War II. The ghetto was liquidated mainly between February and November 1942, when most Jews were deported to the Belzec extermination ...

in 1941. After liberation, Irene lived in Poland,

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, Israel and since 1960 the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area and sometimes referred to as Greater New York, is the List of cities by GDP, largest metropolitan economy in the world, with a List of U.S. metropolitan areas by GDP, gross metropo ...

. She attended high school in Poland and college at the

University of Heidelberg Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (; ), is a public university, public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is List ...

(Germany) and

Hebrew University The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. It is the second-ol ...

in Jerusalem. She also obtained a master's degree in Library Science from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

(New York). She was married for 50 years to the late Eugene Frisch and had two children and four grandchildren. Her stories were published in the book ''Give Me The Children'', co-written with her sister Pola Arbiser. Her stories were also published in newspapers and magazines including ''

The New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates three online sites: NYPost. ...

'', and the book '' Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul''.

References

External links

Anne Frank and Me

Anthology of stories by hidden children

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frisch, Irene 1931 births 2021 deaths 20th-century American Jews 20th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American Jews 21st-century American women American people of Polish-Jewish descent American women non-fiction writers American women short story writers Drohobych Ghetto inmates Jewish American non-fiction writers Jewish American short story writers Jewish women writers Jews from Galicia (Eastern Europe) People from Drohobych Polish emigrants to Israel