An inscription as a memory to a Holocaust martyr

 The Nazis during the Holocaust systematically murdered millions of Jews, ending not just their lives but often erasing the entire memory of their existence. Many of the victims, those murdered, as well as those victims that survived, had their entire worldly processions disappear, often leaving no trace of their existence for future generation. It is thus always an emotional moment for me when I find a book that records the ownership of a victim of the Holocaust, the physical book often being the only remaining memory of the deceased.

One such book I recently came across is a 19th century edition of Ginat Veradim, with a lengthy, beautiful written inscription, dedicating the book to R. Shlomo David Frankel upon his wedding. Born in 1903, R. Frankel's father, R. Meshulam Feish Frankel was a Rav and Dayan in Debrecen, Hungary. R. Shlomo David Married Miriam Blum, the daughter of R. Ben Zion Blum, author of Shivat Zion and a granddaughter of R. Amram Blum, the author of Shu"t Bet Shearim. He assisted his father-in-law in the rabbinate until the war years, where he was taken to a slave camp and suffered terribly under forced labor. His health deteriorated rapidly, and by the time they were liberated by the Russians, he was critically ill and passed away shortly after.

The inscription in the book is from a Yisrael Eisenberg, gifted to R. Shlomo David Frankel upon his wedding on Rosh Hodesh Nissan, 1928. Following lavish praises on the Chatan, an acrostic poem featuring his full name appears, wishing blessings and good wishes for the newlyweds. Though R. Shlomo David Frankel died at the age of 42, his daughter survived and married R. Menashe Klein, the Ungvarer Rav, and author of numerous sefarim including Shu"t Mishneh Halachot.

Thankfully, I was able to get the sefer in to the hands of a descendant of Rabbi Frankel and back in to the family.