Bergen-Belsen

The Nazis deported thousands of Jews from occupied countries to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. They wanted to exchange these Jewish hostages for Germans who were in enemy countries, or for ransom money. The Tal and Levenbach families were both deported to the Bergen-Belsen “exchange camp” and hoped to reach freedom from there. 

At that time, European Jews were already being systematically murdered. The Jewish hostages in Bergen-Belsen were also very much at risk. When they were of no further use to the SS, they were deported and murdered.