Konkurovich family

alternate spellings: Konkurowich, Konkorovich

Outside the Konkurovich house, early 1930s  (enlarge)                         (another view of the Konkurovich house)

The earliest known family member is Moshe Konkurovich. His two known children were Chaim Sholem (Shlomo) Konkurovich (born ~1860) and Sora Feyga Konkurovich (born ~1862). More is not known about Sora Feyga.

Chaim Sholem Konkurovich married Chaya Sora Levinson, born 20 March 1867, daughter of Moshe Rafael Levinson and Chana. In 1912 Chaim went to South Africa, where he changed his surname to Cohen. Over a period of years, he sent for four of the family's ten children. Two others emigrated to the United States, and the remaining four continued to live in Trashkun with Chaya Sora. Chaya Sora and her daughters were all teachers. Berl Glezer wrote of them in his memoir, “They had a very large house where weddings were held and where traveling preachers could rent a room. You could always hear laughter coming from their house.” Chaya Sora was killed in Payost (Pajuoste) on 23 August 1941, along with the rest of the Jews from Trashkun and nearby towns.

The ten children of Chaim Sholem Konkurovich (Cohen) and Chaya Sora Levinson:

I.  Avraham Yehuda (Yudel) Konkurovich (later Julius Konkorowitz) was born in Trashkun on 18 August 1888. He emigrated to the United States in 1907-1910. He married there and lived with his wife in Brooklyn, New York, where he was a businessman. Julius died in Brooklyn in 1944.
DOCUMENT Julius Konkorowitz' Declaration of Intention to become a US citizen (New York, 1911)

II.  Ester Bluma Konkurovich (later Esther) was born in Trashkun on 6 December 1893, and migrated to the United States around 1907. On 27 December 1914 in Manhattan, New York, she married Samuel Lampert, who was born in Vilna in ~1892 and migrated to the U.S. in 1906. Esther died in Brooklyn, New York, on 23 February 1947.

• The three children of Ester Bluma Konkurovich and Sam Lampert:
• Henry (Hank) Lampert, born ~1916 in New York
• William (Zev) Lampert was born in Brooklyn, New York, on 25 February 1918. He died in Manhattan on 20 November 1963.
• Herman (Chaim Shalom) Lampert, born ~1927 in New York

III.  Cile (Tzili, Rochel Tzirel) Konkurovich was born in Trashkun in 1895. She married Jakov "Yasha" Hartsman, who was born in Vilna (Vilnius) in ~1889. Yasha migrated to South Africa in the late 1920s and settled in Pretoria. Cile and their two children joined him in 1933, and a third child was born in Pretoria. Cile died in 1959, and Yasha died in 1963, both in Pretoria, South Africa.
PHOTO Cila Hartsman with children Rafael and Freda (1931)
PHOTO Yasha Hartsman, Tzila's husband

• The three children of Cile Konkurovich and Yasha Hartsman:
• Rafael Hartsman (later Ralph Hartsman) was born in Trashkun on 8 February 1922. He emigrated to South Africa in 1933 at age 11. He married Emily Isaacson, who was born in 1922 in Johannesburg, South Africa, daughter of Azriel Isaacson and Chaya Smilg. Ralph moved to Israel in 2006. He died in Herzliya in May 2020.
  PHOTO Rafael Hartsman with Trashkun branch of Hashomer Hatzair (1930)
  PHOTO Rafael Hartsman with his mother Cile and sister Freda (1931)
  PHOTO Rafael Hartsman as a child with group front of Konkurovich house
  PHOTO Rafael Hartsman and his sister Freda with Hashomer Hatzair (1933)
• The child of Ralph Hartsman and Emily Isaacson:
• Ivan Hartsman, born 12 May 1954 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

• Freda Hartsman was born in Trashkun 15 January 1924. She emigrated to South Africa in 1933. Freda married Louis Jacob Back (born in 1925) in Pretoria, South Africa. Louis died on 23 July 1963, and Freda died on 29 December 1998, both in Johannesburg, South Africa.
  PHOTO Freda Hartsman with her mother Cile and brother Rafael (1931)
  PHOTO Freda Hartsman as a child with group front of Konkurovich house
  PHOTO Freda Hartsman and her brother Rafael with Hashomer Hatzair (1933)
  PHOTO Wedding photo of Freda Hartsman and Louis Back
• The six children of Frieda Hartsman and Louis Jacob Back:
• Ann "Channi" Reva Back was born in South Africa on 26 January 1950. In Pretoria, South Africa, on 28 November 1970 she married Bernard Solly Hurwitz, who was born in Pretoria on 18 April 1948, son of Nathan "Natie" Hurwitz (1920-1998) and Irene Eisenstadt (1927-2018). They had two children. Channi died on 14 November 2019.
• Edna Back
• Joel Back married Adele and they had four children—one daughter and three sons.
• Sylvia Back was born on 4 March 1952. She married Alan Ginsberg and they had one son. Sylvia died in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 4 March 2017.
• Arnold Back was born in 1956 and died in Johannesburg on 16 April 1982.
• Harold Back
• Issie Hartsman was born in South Africa in 1935. He married Annette Druin. The three children of Issie Hartsman and Annette Druin:
• Clive Hartsman, who married Jane Levinson (daughter of Ralph Levinson)
• Karen Hartsman
• Wendy Hartsman

IV.  Chana Rivka Konkurovich was born in Trashkun in 1897. On 26 March 1926 in Trashkun she married Idel Hurwitz (also Gurwich), who was born on 12 June 1888 in Rakeshik (Rokiškis), son of Yisrael Zalman Hurwitz (1858-1920) and Raisa Luria (1860-1939). Idel had tuberculosis, so after unsuccessful treatment in Switzerland, he moved to South Africa in 1932 with his mother. Chana Rivka and their daughter remained in Trashkun and moved into Chaya Sora's (Chana Rivka's mother's) house. Idel died in Johannesburg, South Africa, in ~1935. Chana and her daughter were killed at Payost (Pajuoste) on 23 August 1941.
PHOTO Chana Rivka with her husband Idel Hurwitz and his sister and mother (1926-1932)

• The only child of Chana Rivka Konkurovich and Idel Hurwitz:
• Sheyna (Sheynele) Hurwitz was born on 4 January 1928 in Ponevezh (Panevėžys). She was killed at Payost on 23 August 1941, at the age of 13.

V.  Gita (Freda Gitl) Konkurovich was born in Trashkun in 1899. On 20 March 1928 in Trashkun she married Mortchel (Mordechai) Chait, who was born ~1886 in Birzh (Biržai), son of Avram Chait and Ita Pesa Abramson. Gita and Mortchel Chait lived in Birzh and had three sons, whose names are not known. The entire family was killed in the Astrava forest, outside of Birzh, on 8 August 1941.  (World War II in Birzh)

VI.  Berl Konkurovich (later Barney Cohen) was born in Trashkun in 1901 and emigrated to South Africa in 1921. He was a businessman and lived in Pretoria. He died in 1972 in Tel-Aviv, Israel.
PHOTO Berl Konkurovich (1920)
DOCUMENT Berl Konkurovich application for internal passport (1920)
PHOTO Berl visiting his brother Itzik and friends in Vilnius (1961)

VII.  Luba Konkurovich was born in Trashkun in ~1904. She emigrated to South Africa in 1924-1925 and took the surname Cohen, the adopted surname of her father. Luba married Nathan Gordon, and they lived in Pretoria.
PHOTO Luba Konkurovich (1921)
PHOTO Luba Konkurovich with unidentified (1922)

• The two children of Luba Cohen and Nathan Gordon:
• Chaim-Sholem (Hymie, Hilton) Gordon was born in 1937. He married Myra Becker, and they had five children.
• Feyga (Fay) Gordon was born in South Africa on 21 June 1940. She married Nachum Borok, who was born in South Africa on 11 July 1930. The two children of Fay Gordon and Nachum Borok:
• Larry Borok, born in South Africa on 19 March 1975
• Tali Borok, born in Israel on 24 April 1979

VIII.  Etel (Etta, Etka) Konkurovich was born in Trashkun on 22 April 1905. On 7 February 1936 in Trashkun she married Josef (Josel) Brazg, who was born in 1908 in Kurkl (Kurkliai), son of Sholem Brazg (born 1874) and Hena Charn. Etta, Josel, and their children lived in Trashkun during the war, and the entire family was killed at Payost on 23 August 1941.
PHOTO Etel (Etka) with three Trashkun friends (1930)
PHOTO Etel (Etka) with group of Trashkuner youth (1930s)
PHOTO Etel Konkurovich (1930)
DOCUMENT Etel Konkurovich application for internal passport (1930)

• The three children of Etel Konkurovich and Josef Brazg:
• Batia Brazg, born in 1936, killed at Payost in 1941.
• Chaim Sholem Brazg, born in Trashkun on 6 January 1937, killed at Payost in 1941.
• Rachel Brazg, born in 1939, killed at Payost in 1941.

IX.  Jean Konkurovich was born in 1910. She migrated to South Africa in 1937. She married Chaim (Hymie) Pulerewitz, who was born in Yanishok (Joniškis), Lithuania. The family lived in Johannesburg. Jean died on 26 July 1983, and Hymie died on 25 September 1983, both in Johannesburg, South Africa.

• The two children of Jean Konkurovich and Hymie Pulerewitz:
• Leah Pulerewitz, married and had three sons.
• Chaya-Sora Pulerewitz, married and had three children.

X.  Itzhak Eliezer (Itzik) Konkurovich was born in Trashkun on 22 February 1912. After attending cheder (Jewish primary school) in Trashkun, he attended a secular gymnasium (equivalent of high school) in Ponevezh [Panevezys]. He was at university in Kovno, studying chemical engineering, when World War II broke out. Caught in the Kovno ghetto, he managed to escape and then joined the 16th Lithuanian Division of the Soviet Army. After the war he settled in Vilnius, and in 1952 he married Bluma Sondak, who was born 17 February 1918 in Zarasai, Lithuania, daughter of Kopel Sondak (born 1876) and Sara (born 1881). In 1972 the family moved to Israel and settled in Kiryat-Ono. Bluma died in 1978, and Itzik died on 12 October 1990.
TESTIMONY  “Trashkun,” Holocaust testimony in Yahadut Lita (1984)
LETTER  “Reb Avraham Elye ‘der Got’” (Itzik writes about Avram Puner and the shtetl of Trashkun, 1988)
PHOTO Itzhak Leizer Konkurovich at age 9 (1921)
PHOTO Itzik Konkurovich visits his family's house in Trashkun after the war (1947)
PHOTO Itzik Konkurovich playing accordion in Vilnius (1948)
PHOTO Itzik Konkurovich with his friend Chanka Kushner in Vilnius (1948)
PHOTO Itzik Konkurovich near Vilnius (1951)
PHOTO Itzik Konkurovich visits the Glezer family near Vilnius (1951)
PHOTO Itzik Konkurovich with his friend Shmuel Kovnovich in Vilnius (1957)
PHOTO Itzik Konkurovich with his friend Shmuel Kovnovich at Pajuoste (1957)
PHOTO Itzik Konkurovich with other Trashkuner survivors at Pajuoste (1959 and 1961)
PHOTO Itzik with Trashkun survivors (Vilnius, 1962)
PHOTO Itzik with Trashkun survivors and their families (Vilnius, 1962)
PHOTO Konkurovich family with friend Luba Shepshelevich (Vilnius, 1969)
PHOTO Itzik with Trashkun survivors in Israel (Tel-Aviv, 1987)
PHOTO Gravestone of Itzhak Eliezer Konkurovich

• The child of Itzik Konkurovich and Bluma Sondak:
• Chana Konkurowich (later Anna Konkurowich-Netsah) was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 13 February 1955. On 27 July 1989 in Mishmar HaShiv'a, Israel, she married Elisha Netsah, who was born in Mishmar HaShiv'a on 11 December 1955, son of Mordechai Pomerantz Netsah and Miriam Dreyfus. They had three sons. Elisha died in 2010, and Anna died on 21 September 2021, both in the UK.
  PHOTO Chana Konkurovich with parents and family friend Luba Shepshelevich (Vilnius, 1969)

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• Compiled by Johanna Kovitz with research by Jules Feldman
• © 2019 Jules Feldman & Johanna Kovitz
• Updated June 2024