Marcus, known to his family as Moniek, was one of three children born to a Jewish family in the Polish town of Ulanow. His father worked as a tailor. Ulanow's Jewish community had many of its own organizations and maintained a large library. From the age of 3, Moniek attended a religious school. He started public school when he was 7.

1933-39: In 1935 Moniek's father left for America to find a job so that his family could later join him. He sent money to them while they waited for their emigration papers. Moniek's mother worked as a seamstress to help support the family. At age 14, Moniek graduated from secondary school. In September of the same year, the family was about to complete the paperwork for emigration when Germany invaded Poland.

1940-43: After Ulanow was occupied, Moniek was forced to work as a laborer for the German army. In 1942 the Nazis ordered a roundup of all Ulanow's Jews. Fearing deportation, Moniek went into hiding with a friend. For over a year they managed to elude the Germans by hiding in the forests and fields near Ulanow. But during a German search for partisans, Moniek and his friend were trapped in a rye field. Sweeping the field inch by inch with their dogs, the Germans finally capturedthe pair.

After being seized outside Ulanow in 1943, Moniek and his friend were never heard from again.

Marcus Fass