ZOOM presentation Michael Tobias: DNA case study: Judith Auerbach – Theresienstadt Toddler

Michael Tobias

Judith was born on 20 April 1942 in Vienna and transported to Theresienstadt when just 5 months old. Her mother and siblings had been transported to Auschwitz 2 months previously and perished almost immediately. Miraculously Judith survived and she was one of the 300 Windermere children flown to the UK in Summer 1945. Research in Vienna helped by the Wiener Library in London suggested Judith’s mother’s husband Josef Auerbach was not Judith’s biological father. After seeing Jackie Young’s story on the UK TV show “DNA Family Secrets” Judith wondered if DNA could help her locate living family members and identity her biological father. Using traditional genealogical techniques along with DNA, by August 2023 after under 3 months research (including waiting 6 weeks for DNA results) a maternal 1st cousin in Israel and several maternal 2nd and 3rd cousins in the USA were located. It was also possible to identify Judith’s biological father and put her in touch with a paternal 1st cousin in Florida who believed he was the only surviving member of his father’s family.