Hanna Meler-Faust was born in 1926 in Rădăuţi, Romania. In autumn 1941 she was deported to Transnistria, an area in south-west Ukraine, along with her mother Rebbeca Faust, twin sister Fritzi, and other relatives. Hanna lost most of the members of her family during the ensuing weeks, in which Romanian soldiers forced them to march under extremely difficult physical conditions. In winter 1941 Hanna, her mother, and sister were marched to the death stables at Sumilova, where her mother was murdered by a German soldier. In spring 1941 Hanna managed to reach Bersad, and later brought her sister there as well. From Bersad the two were transferred to an orphanage set up by the Jewish community in the Balta ghetto. Hanna was liberated in spring 1944, and then volunteered for the Red Army. In August 1945 she reached Bucharest, Romania, where she reunited with her father and older brother.
In 1946 Hanna immigrated to Israel on the "Hagana" immigrant ship. She married Meir (Milo) Meller, also from Rădăuţi, studied gardening, and remained in the profession for 28 years. Hanna has two boys, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
