The South African Jewish Museum's archives (SAJM) Jewish Digital Archive Project is the digital component of the SAJM archive. It aims to maintain a record of Southern Africa's social, economic and political history. JDAP comprises personal narratives and special collections linked to organizations, local communities, and cultural events.
The Blieden Family Collection donated by Naomi Rapeport includes photographs and documents pertaining to generations of the Blieden family who originated from Žagarė (Zhager) Lithuania. Zundel and Nese Blieden had 9 children. Their son Julius (Yehuda) Blieden came to South Africa and several other of their children went to the USA.
Julius Blieden settled in the Transvaal Republic and was a produce and grain merchant in Randfontein. During the Anglo Boer War, he and his family went to the Cape Colony. After the War, he returned to the Transvaal and applied for compensation for losses incurred during the War. Three years later, he sustained a head injury in a cart accident and travelled for surgery to Berlin Germany where he succumbed. His eldest son Pesach Jacob Blieden was a Rand Pioneer. His other two sons, Max Blieden and John Blieden were successful farmers on the East Rand. Julius and Yocheved Blieden had twenty grandchildren. Most remained in South Africa, however numerous of their descendants emigrated from South Africa to Canada, USA, England, Israel and Australia.
Photograph of Julius (Yehuda) and Pesach Jacob Blieden, taken at James F. Goch Art Studio, Johannesburg, South African Gold Fields. This photograph was taken following their arrival in Johannesburg from Žagarė (Zhager) Lithuania.
The first and final liquidation and distribution account in the estate of Jochved Blieden (nee Gittelson), Johannesburg - page one. Source: National Archives of South Africa. Depot TAB Source MHG reference 54333. Blieden, Jochevedd. (Born Gittelson) 1924. Predeceased spouse Julius Blieden.
The first and final liquidation and distribution account in the estate of Jochved Blieden (nee Gittelson), Johannesburg - page two. Source: National Archives of South Africa. Depot TAB Source MHG reference 54333. Blieden, Jochevedd. (Born Gittelson) 1924. Predeceased spouse Julius Blieden.
The first and final liquidation and distribution account in the estate of Jochved Blieden (nee Gittelson), Johannesburg - page three. Source: National Archives of South Africa. Depot TAB Source MHG reference 54333. Blieden, Jochevedd. (Born Gittelson) 1924. Predeceased spouse Julius Blieden.
Photograph of four of the five sons of Zundel and Nese Blieden (nee Saganowsky) taken in Žagarė, Lithuania. Their sons were Benjamin (1835-1890), Abraham (1843-1939), Yankel (Jacob) (1846-1912), Julius (Yehuda) Blieden (1851-1904) (second from the left) and Marcus Blieden (1851-1913).
Entry for Bernard Blieden (1913-1997) in the book 'South African Jewry 1976-77'. He was the husband of Dora Blieden (nee Shapiro) and son of Pesach Jacob and Yetta Millie Blieden (nee Rubin) of Johannesburg.
Photograph of the three sons of Julius (Yehuda) and Yochved Blieden (nee Gittelson). Photographed from left to right: Pesach Jacob Blieden (1877-1955), John Blieden (1887-1950) and Max David Blieden (1882-1947).
Large group photograph of some of the Blieden grandchildren taken with the Isaacman children, Johannesburg. They were the offspring of John Blieden, Fanny Meyer (nee Blieden) and Nellie Lewis (nee Blieden). The parents of the Isaacman children were David (1890-1937) and Dora Isaacman (nee Krantz)(1893-1940). Photographed from left to right in the back row: Leonard Isaacman, Roma Blieden, Julian Meyer, Wilma Freinkel (nee Meyer) Middle row: Julian Blieden, Sonya Isaacman, Zelda Rapeport (nee Meyer), Helen Solow (nee Blieden), Myer Lewis. Front: Joyce Austoker (nee Lewis), Leslie Meyer.
Group photograph of the Blieden grandchildren, Johannesburg. They were the offspring of John and Bella Blieden (nee Goldberg) and Abraham Leopold and Fanny Meyer (nee Blieden). Photographed from left to right back row: Roma Blieden, Julian Meyer, Wilma Freinkel (nee Meyer) Front row: Zelda Rapeport (nee Meyer), Julian Blieden, Helen Solow (nee Blieden).
