Tonia and Morris Altman

Morris Altman was born Moniek Altman in 1903 in Sosnowiec, Poland. He was one of four children in his family. Tonia was born Freidel Korona in 1911 in Wodzislaw Slaski, Poland. Tonia had many siblings, some of whom were half siblings. Her siblings Abraham, Leo, Felek, Lonia, Dov, and Henia did not survive the Holocaust. Prior to the war, both Morris and Tonia were previously married with families. 

Morris survived Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. Morris’ first wife and daughter are presumed to have died, but the circumstances are unknown. Shortly before Morris’s liberation from Bergen-Belsen, a Nazi guard severely beat Morris and left him for dead at a garbage dump for the “crime” of stealing some bread so he could eat. Tonia also survived Auschwitz, where she endured until liberation in 1945.There, she was subjected to medical experiments. After liberation, Morris and Tonia met in a hospital, and they married in June 1948. Their son Wolf, was born in Germany. Morris and Tonia decided to settle in the United States with the sponsorship of Tonia’s brother, Leo Korona. 

When the Altman family arrived in the United States in 1949, they first lived in New York City. In 1952 the family moved to Carmel, New Jersey, where Morris started a chicken farm. Many of his customers were local bakers and retailers who bought eggs wholesale, and others were customers from Philadelphia. They were hard working individuals who never took a vacation day. The Altmans were also very active in their Jewish community, attending the orthodox synagogue regularly. After losing their families and enduring such trauma during the war, Morris and Tonia found strength and courage in their faith.

The Altman family operated their chicken farming business successfully until Morris fell ill. Diagnosed with terminal cancer, he spent his last years surrounded by family. Morris Altman passed away in Vineland in 1977. Tonia stayed on their family farm until about 1980, when she moved closer to her son in Columbus, Ohio. There, Tonia Altman lived out her last years in Ohio. She passed away in 1999.