Born on 20th September 1923 in Krakow, Halina Nelken, daughter of Emanuel and Regina, was a writer, art historian and a lecturer.  Imprisoned at the German concentration camps during WWII. Nelken came from an assimilated family of the Krakow Jews. She lived at Długosza street in Krakow. Her grandfather took part in the January Uprising, while her father fought for independence in the legions. Due to progressing anti-semitism, she was forced to change her school from the Adam Mickiewicz  Gymnasium to a private Hugon Kołłątaj Gymnasium. A member of  Sokół – the Polish Gymnastics Association. During the German occupation in Krakow she was moved to the ghetto.  Being on the verge of exhaustion, she tried to take her own life. Luckily however, her brother managed to save her…