Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

David Stollar was sent by his father to a boarding school in Paris,
In the summer of 1940, while Romania declared itself a neutral country, Jacob Stollar brought his son back to Romania, since the war was at its height in France, and France collapsed.

On December 12, 1941, Struma Струма sailed from Constanţa. carrying 747 passenger.
Paul H. Silverstone's Aliyah Bet Project cites: On December 11, 1941, Struma Струма sailed from Constanţa. carrying 790 passenger.
Holocaust Forum Blogspot cites: Struma Струма carried approximately 790 passengers, apart from the crew.
The Foundation of the Advancement of Sepgatdic Studies and Culture cites: Struma Струма carried 769 passengers, who "had paid an exorbitant price for passage on this boat."
Abraham J. Edelheit and Hershel Edelheit cite: Struma Струма carried 769 passengers.
The Struma Project cites: Struma Струма carried 778 Romanian and Russian Jews.
Samuel Aroni cites: List of the Constanţa Port Police, was "prepared by the Constanţa Port Police at embarkation, December 8-11, 1941, it is numbered and contains 765 names."
Samuel Aroni cites: List of the American Consul General in Istanbul, Samuel W. Honaker, the American Consul General in Istanbul, prepared an "alphabetical list of 768 names."
Samuel Aroni cites: Romanian List of Serban Gheorghiu "presents, alphabetically, 767 names and ages."
Samuel Aroni cites: List of Struma Victims for the Holon Monument contains 801 names, without ages, again mistakenly including three names of people who disembarked in Istanbul."
Samuel Aroni cites: List of Efhraim Ofir "contains an alphabetical and numerical list of 767 names and ages, in addition to a separate list of the crew."
On the Black Sea, the engine gave out several times, and it took Struma Струма three days to make the short trip to Istanbul.
Our Jerusalem.com cites: "The voyage from Constanza to Istanbul, normally a matter of fourteen hours, took the Struma four days, during which it drifted most of the time because of repeated engine failures."

Grigor 'Grigoriy' Timofeev Gorbatenko Григор Тимофеев Горбатенко a Bulgarian, served as Captain aboard Struma Струма.

Lazar Ivanov Dikov Dikof Лазар Иванов Диков, a Bulgarian, served as Chief Mate aboard Struma Струма.

Golda Eger served as Crew aboard Struma Струма.

On December 12, 1941, Tea Hilsenrad sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa, and she served as Crew.

Osep Garabedov Осеп Пловдив, a Bulgarian, served as sailor aboard Struma Струма.

Tiberiu Komlos served as Crew aboard Struma Струма.

Damyan Stoyanov Дамян Стоянов served as Engineer aboard Struma Струма.

On December 12, 1941, Etl Abramovici sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Gisela Abramovici sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Jean Abramovici sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Josef Abramovici sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Moise Abramovici sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Gustav Adler, and his wife, Otelia Tilia, sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Simon Zeilig Agar sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Ben Zion Alter, his wife, Tony 'Tonne', and daughter, Ester, sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Jacob Alter, age 5 years, sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Jacques 'Zhak' Antonier sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Rosica Roza Antonier sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, H. Salomon Apfelberg sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Emanuel Appel sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Seigfried Aronescu sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Berthold Avner and his wife, Mesalina Davidovici, sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Benjamin Teodor Brettschneider sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Ilie Cahan sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Sofia Davidovici, sister of Mesalina Davidovici, sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Rosa Fuks, age 37 years, sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Emanuel Geffner sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Zelig Sigmund Katz sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Dr. Severin Lazarovici sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Gizela Pitaru sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Solomon Ziegelman sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, David Stoliar sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.
David's father, Jacob Stoliar realized that the only chance left for David was to emigrate to Palestine aboard Struma Струма, and he paid the high amount requested for passage.
Joel Ives cites David Stollar escaped from Bucuresti, with his fiancée, Lisa Lotringer, and his future in-laws.

On December 12, 1941, Itzhak Tercatin, a lawyer, and one of the organizers of the journey, sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.
On February 27, 1942, Yediot Aharonit cites: "Tinerii prezentau pe vapor Oneg Shabat, proceseliterare cu subiecte din literatura, organizate de un avocat cu numele Tercatin..."

On December 12, 1941, Eliezer Terkel sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Meyer Weingarten, his wife, Zipora 'Cilli', and children, Abraham Avramide Weingarten, Benjamin Weingarten, sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Hans Wolfshaut sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Marcu Zaharia sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Benzion Zaitz, his wife, Sara, and daughter, Riva, sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Szaul Zalmanowici sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Mayer Gustav Zeller sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Avram Godel Zissu sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

On December 12, 1941, Luis Zolciver sailed on Struma Струма from Constanţa.

David Stoliar survived the explosion aboard Struma Струма; thrown into the air by the blast, he landed in the water.
David Stoliar cites: " “The lower level was metallic and it sank immediately carrying hundreds of passengers. Hundreds of bodies were drifting on the sea, but Stoljar noticed a wooded beam that was a remnant of the deck. He clutched it and floated on it. A crew officer managed also to cling to the beam. We talked, sang and shouted until the small hours and we feared that if we would fall asleep our bodies would freeze. The officer could not handle the cold, and in the morning I found that he had died and I remained the only survivor.”

David Stoliar was transferred, under escort to a hospital, where he was attended to for two weeks.
In spite of his weak health, Turkish authorities imprisoned him in a small cell for two months.
Actions of the Jewish community in Istanbul, and the International community, resulted eventually to his release.

On April 23, 1942, David Stoliar was released from the Turkish prison, and he boarded the train to Syria سورية‎, and from there to Haifa חיפה, where he reported at the police station.