On 3 September 1939, the Germans occupied Dąbrowa Górnicza. In the space of a few days, they began kidnapping Jewish men for forced labor or detention. At the end of September, the Jews were compelled to wear an armband bearing a Star of David. On 8 October 1939, the Zaglębie district, including the town of Dąbrowa Górnicza, was annexed to the German Reich as a regional administrative unit called "Eastern Upper Silesia." In November 1939, a Judenrat was established in the town, headed by the merchant Isaac Burstein, subordinate to the Sosnowiec regional Judenrat (Zentrale) headed by Moshe Merin.
![Jews conscripted for forced labor, Dąbrowa Górnicza. Right: Mendel Ostrovich.](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/1969_1.jpg?itok=r6ponha9)
Yad Vashem Photo Archives 1969/1
![Jews conscripted for forced labor, Dąbrowa Górnicza. Right: Mendel Ostrovich.](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/1969_1.jpg?itok=0qrCPhHG)
![Four Jewish youths and one young Jewish woman in Dąbrowa Górnicza during the war](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/7894_1.jpg?itok=Ha5Prdgq)
Stanislawa Riskolski, who submitted the photograph, used to play with the individuals appearing in the picture, whose parents owned the bakery and convenience store in the town.
Yad Vashem Photo Archive, 7894/1
![Four Jewish youths and one young Jewish woman in Dąbrowa Górnicza during the war](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/7894_1.jpg?itok=SgQGoo4s)
![Beria, a friend of Hala Zalotnik (née Grinbaum), Dąbrowa Górnicza, 11 August 1942](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/8920_1.jpg?itok=jRDk4K5F)
Yad Vashem Photo Archive, 8920/1
![Beria, a friend of Hala Zalotnik (née Grinbaum), Dąbrowa Górnicza, 11 August 1942](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/8920_1.jpg?itok=VyAHwco7)
![Avramke, the cousin of Hala Grinbaum-Zalotnik, Dąbrowa Górnicza](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/8920_6.jpg?itok=yE7e9ypD)
On the back of the photograph, the following is written (in Polish): "Born 23 August 1940. Avramek Grinbaum, 45 Kwerstn Street, Dąbrowa, photographed on 10 January 1942. To my dearest sister, Hala, from your brother Avramke Grinbaum". Avramke was murdered during the Holocaust.
Yad Vashem Photo Archive, 8920/6
![Avramke, the cousin of Hala Grinbaum-Zalotnik, Dąbrowa Górnicza](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/8920_6.jpg?itok=G_N4OTMl)