Henry Orenstein
| Henry Orenstein | |
|---|---|
| Residence | Verona, New Jersey, United States |
| Born | Henryk Orenstein Template:13th September 1923 (age 93–94) Hrubieszów, Poland |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | 1 |
| Money finish(es) | 4 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish |
8th, 1995 |
Henry Orenstein (born c. 1923) is a toymaker, poker player and entrepreneur who resides in Verona, New Jersey.
Henryk (Henry) Orenstein was born c. 1923 in Hrubieszów, Poland. Raised in the Jewish faith, he spent much of the end of World War II in five concentration camps. After the war, he emigrated to the United States.
Orenstein has explained during interviews how his family had built secret hiding spots between double walls in which to hide when the authorities came looked for them, but after a while and having exhausted food and water supplies, they eventually turned themselves in. After his parents were loaded onto trucks and taken to a cemetery to be shot, killed and buried, he was taken with his siblings to the Budzyń Prison Camp in southeastern Poland, which was eventually incorporated into the Majdanek concentration camp as a sub-camp. Orenstein and his brothers were held at Płaszów under the infamous Amon Goeth, who was portrayed in "Schindler's List". Orenstein, along with his brothers, were later moved to Ravensbrück concentration camp in Germany. While at Budzyń, Orenstein heard a call over the loudspeaker one day that any scientists should register with the office, and figuring this would be their best chance at survival, Orenstein signed himself and his brother up, even though they were not trained as scientists. By personal account, Orenstein explained that the Nazi German commanders figured out that a segment of those who had registered were not actual scientists, but went along with the ruse to permit them from remaining in so called "research positions" rather then being drafted themselves into the Nazi German infantry.
Orenstein survived the Holocaust with two brothers, Fred and Sam, losing his parents in 1942, a brother, Felix, and sister, Hanka, during their final days of captivity in separate concentration camps. He reached the United States aboard the USS Fletcher (DD-445), a destroyer being used to transport refugees. He joined their uncle on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Initially finding work with the Libby's canned food company, he came upon a bride doll in a department store window display for $29.95 (which he claimed would be equivalent to $200 in the early 21st century, and figured that he could make a similar doll much more affordable. He became a toymaker, and after seeing much success with these initial dolls, he earned his first million dollars and founded Topper Toys, which produced such famous toys as the Suzy Cute line of miniature dolls and the Johnny Lightning line of model cars.
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