Dally's Drivers' License 1929 Wien

Dally's Drivers License
Vienna 1929

Midwinter 1955

Paul Richter, [Big] Irene Richter, Joe Kohn, Ma
Shlomo, Hanna
Vineland 1942

1955, Dally and Ma were living in Lakewood, NJ. Opi and Omi, Ma's parents, lived with them. Hanni, was already married  and living in Williamsburg with her husband Duddy Fischer and their little Mamele (Irene). Shlomo was learning in Yeshiva. 

During that winter Ma went to spend some time with her cousins, the Richters, Paul and Irene, at their chicken farm in Vineland, NJ. 

Shlomo Stroh enjoying Vineland with his children
1965

Dally joined Ma for שבת in Vineland.  Omi and Opi remained in Lakewood to look after the  younger children, Judy and Dov.

Hanna and Judy
Vineland December 1944

Following is a letter penned by Opi in Lakewood to his daughter Ma in Vineland. The letter is written on the stationary of the family business, the Atlantic Bag Company.

A letter from Opi Kaufmann in Lakewood
to his daughter Ma in Vineland

English translation of the letter originally written in German. 

 

1/20/955

ב"ה

Unser Liebe Cillushkau עמ"ש

We received your letter of the 17^th. Didn't you leave the house to get some rest? Bottom line, it is obvious from your letters that your thoughts are here as if you are not  really in Vineland. The truth is ב"ה you really have no reason to be so concerned, the dear children as you know, and as I have written in my last card are really "gut und brav". I am using the same words as in my recent correspondence.  I can hardly tell you how attentive and "brav" Yudile [Yehudis Gestetner nee Stroh] is. You don't have to say a thing, she just does everything um mm to make sure that Dovile gets to bed on time, she is in bed with him by 7 o’clock.  The next day she is dressed by 7:15, that way she can help Dovile prepare his things before her bus arrives. Therefore dear Cillushkah you can relax.

I was at the doctor Monday evening he found me to be healthy ב"ה. I also feel well ב"ה. Dear Momma is also  feeling well ב"ה.

It’s a good thing you didn’t send any hens with Mrs. Beigeleisen. When dear Edwin will be by you for שבת he can bring them along, why bother others? The 15 [hens] that Dear Edwin brought were "herlich" nice and large. Dear Edwin was in New York yesterday he brought with the three largest hens and three dozen eggs. He can’t stop talking about how sweet Mamele [Irene Fischer-Steinmetz] is.

…

Dearest Cillushkah if you don’t receive any letters from me don’t be concerned, you know how it is often there is just nothing to write, you know we love you dearly, do I have to write it to you daily. 

Regards and Kisses to Dear Irene [Richter] שתחי' and Dear Paul [Richter] נר"ו and also to Family Fischer [of Vineland].

Kissing You Dear Cillushkah

אביך אליעזר

More Vineland Photos
More
More
More
More
More

Children of R' Yitzchok Nachman and Yenta Charna Kaufmann

We are in the process of compiling a complete list of the children and grandchildren of R' Yitzchok Nachman הי"ד (Ma's mother's father). Ma would refer to him as the Slotfina Grossvatter. The Slotfina grandchildren called him "Zeidy". If anyone can fill in the gaps or correct our list we would be very grateful. Many of the children and grandchildren were murdered in the holocaust השם ינקום דמם. 

This post is in memory of Ma's beloved cousin a true אשת חיל Mrs. Shari Schayowitz, יענטא טשארנא בת עטי' ע"ה, who passed away last Shabbos 
י' שבט (January 15th) יהא זכרה ברוך. Cousin Shari was also a grandchild of R' Yitzchok Nachman Kaufmann.

 

Sitting - Yitzchok Nachman, Yenta Charna, Omi
Standing - Uncle Benedikt, Opi

1) אליעזר - Lazar - Lajos (Opi) (Slotfina - Vienna - New York) married מלכה - Malvine nee Deutsch (Omi)

• סולקא - Cilla (Ma) (Vienna - New York) married Edwin Stroh
• חנה - Grete הי"ד (Vienna - Sombathely) married Erno Bauer (Vienna - Sombathely - New York)
• טויבא - Dita (Aunty) (Vienna - New York) married Sigfried (Fritz) Bauer

2) רבקה - Rifka הי"ד (Slotfina - Sapanta) 1880-1944 married מאיר חיים Katz 1873-1944 הי"ד

• בנימין - Benni Katz married his first cousin דינה - Grete Schwartz (Sapanta - Ramat Gan - Jerusalem)
• פרידה - Frida הי"ד (Sapanta) 1912-1944 married to אליהו Schimanowitz 1911-
• Bella הי"ד (Sapanta) 1913-1944 never married
• אברהם - Abraham הי"ד (Sapanta - Antwerpen) married to Yenta

3) חיה - Chaia הי"ד (Slotfina) 1870-1944 married to קלמן Isakowitz הי"ד 1864-1944

• אלטר יהודה - Alter Jehuda הי"ד married Bella (Slotfina)
• ליב - Ludwig 1916-1944 הי"ד
• מלטשי מלכה - Maltchi Malka הי"ד (Slotfina) 1908-1944 married  חיים - Heinrich Sicherman הי"ד   1904-1944
• סולקא - Cilly born 1919

4) בעלא (Tante Bella) (Slotfina-Vienna-New York) married Schwartz

• דינה Greteשתחי'י married her first cousin Benni Katz
• מרים married Yehuda (Goldstein) Giladi (Chust-Israel)
• משה
• מתתיהו
• Alisa married Pinchas Auerbach
• Etele
  

5) חוה Eva married Shayowitz

• Sydney married his first cousin Shari Kasierer

6) אברהם יהודא (Uncle Yidel) (Slotfina - Bronx) married Jenny

• Jack
• Benedict
• Seymor
• Adele married Werner (Flushing, NY)

7) ברוך בענדיט - Benedict was killed as a בחור in WWI, he was an army photographer - 28 Shvat

8) משה - Morris (Slotfina - Franklinville, NJ)

• Eli in Florida

Hersch Kaufmann, Srul Kasirer, Kalman Kaufmann

9) קלמן - Charles (Slotfina - New York) - 21 Teves

Theresa (Wiesel) Kaufmann

10) טישקיט - Theresa (Tishko Neiny) married Ephraim Wiesel [Mr. Weisel left Slotfina 1937 family followed in 1938]

• Frida married Jacob Zilinsky - Ramat Gan, Israel
• שאול - Tel Aviv, Israel
• זעלדא married Larry Simon - Euclid, Ohio
• Benny - Cleveland Heights, Ohio
• Sari married A. Kovensky- Cleveland Heights, Ohio
• פנינה married Sam Muskal - Cleveland, Ohio
• יהושע - Cleveland, Ohio

Therese (Wiesel) and Etal (Kasierer) Kaufman [Opi's sisters]
and their nieces Cilaska [Ma], Gretella הי"ד [Ma's sister]
and Etele Schwarz
1916 in Wien

11) עטיל - Etel הי"ד (Slotfina) 1900-1944 married ישראל - Isidor Kasierer הי"ד 1896-1944

• זנביל - Zanvi הי"ד (Slotfina) 1922-1944 never married
• דוד - Eugeneשיחי'ג (Slotfina - New York) married Evaשתחי'י
• Shari Charlotte (Slotfina - New York) -2011 married her first cousin Sydney Shayowitz
• ברוך בענדיט - Benni (Slotfina - Tel Aviv) 1949
• פסח ליב - Leiby הי"ד child
• בערל - Beiry הי"ד (Slotfina) 1937-1944 child
• רחל איטה - Deizy הי"ד (Slotfina) 1939-1944 child

12) הירש צבי -Zwi Hersch הי"ד (Slotfina) 1898-1944 was deaf - mute never married 

The Slotfiner Grossvatter
with children and grandchildren

הנחת אבן הפינה לבית הכנסת באייזנשטאט תקצ"ב

Shmuel Spitzer's son Asher Lemmel
Asher Lemmel was Dally's great grandfather
דוד שטראה בן דוב בן חנה בת אשר לעמיל בן שמואל הלוי שפיצער

R’ Shmuel HaLevy Spitzer (1778 – 1844) who owned a large leather tannery in Eisenstadt, was the Grandfather of Hanah Stroh nee Spitzer (Dally’s grandmother). Being a descendent of one of the founding families of the renewed[1] קהלה in Eisenstadt, R’ Shmuel was very active in the community. He was a member in many of the חברה'ס and a גבאי צדקה. For a number of years he served as ראש הקהל. In that capacity he corresponded with the חתם סופר, who referred to him as a ירא ה' מרבים.
 

The Shul in Eisenstadt in the early 1900's
The Shul was built in 1832 under the leadership of
HaKatzin R' Shmuel Spitzer
It was destroyed in 1938 during Krystalnacht

During his tenure as ראש הקהל in 1832, a large new בית הכנסת was erected to replace the older Shul which was no longer able to serve the needs of the growing community. The הנחת אבן הפינה was celebrated with much fanfare with the participation of many dignitaries including the Prince Nicolaus and his son Prince Paul of the noble Esterhazy family, the landowners of Eisenstadt and the other שבע קהלות. A special pamphlet was printed for the occasion detailing the proceedings. Following is a synopsis and some excerpts from the 11 page pamphlet.

For a number of decades the necessity for a new modern synagogue in our community has been evident … The ראש הקהל made many attempts to galvanize the community members to act; but by now the need has become obvious and it has become the topic of conversation amongst one and all.

The pamphlet then goes on to describe how the ראש הקהל obtained permission from his Royal Highness Prince Nicolas Esterhazy. They hired the services of the court architect (Karl Moreau) who agreed to complete the building according to his own plans. The קהלה invited Prince Paul Esterhazy to lay the corner stone in the presence of his father, our most gracious protector, Prince Nicolaus Esterhazy. 
 

The Shul circa 1910
The towers of the Esterhazy castle can be seen
in the background (straight passed the end of the street)
The Stroh's lived in the house directly opposite the Shul
(the house with the bay windows)

July 26 of this year [1832] a delegation traveled to Vienna to convey an invitation in writing and in person to obtain the grace of his Excellency’s participation.  His Excellency gracefully accepted our invitation which filled our hearts with immense delight… 

On the morning of August 6, the street where the construction site was located was spotlessly clean and neat. The two sides of the street were cleverly lined with trees; the gate which leads from the castle to the street was decorated with a beautiful arch of plants and flowers. A tent was set at the construction site elaborately ornamented with plants and flowers; inside it was bedecked with beautiful rugs.  ברוך הבא בשם ה' was written over the entrance in large lettering; and beneath that in German “Willkomen in Nahmen des Ewigen (Welcome in the Name of the Eternal).”

Inside the tent, a satin armchair in front of a desk was prepared for his Highness. Upon the desk two parchment documents which were to be placed in the cornerstone were lying. In addition to the festively clothed citizens, twenty four young lads and twenty four young girls stood on the two sides of the lane with baskets of flowers to be strewn before his highness…
 

The Esterhazy Palace in Eisenstadt
from where Prince Nicalous Esterhazy left to the הנחת אבן הפנה

At midday, twelve shots were fired from cannons that were set up in the nearby vineyards to signal that his Highness Prince Nicalous, had departed the castle. 
   

View Larger Map

Route from the Palace to the Judengasse

At the lower gate his Highness was humbly greeted by the “Gemiende Vorstand” (ראשי הקהלה) … With constant cheering of “viva” (long live), and firing cannons fused with the noise of lively music, the Prince was escorted to the tent. 
 

The תפילה recited by the Rav
in honor of the Esterhazy Family 

After Prince Paul laid the cornerstone with a special silver trowel, the Rav, הרה"ג ר' יצחק משה פערלס זצ"ל holding a ספר תורה and flanked by the Dayanim recited a תפילה for the Prince and his family. Afterwards, some of the children read special poems prepared for the occasion.

The interior of the Eisenstadt Shul

The building of the Shul proceeded at a rapid pace and by the following spring the building was nearly complete. The ראש הקהל and the בעלי בתים wished to finish construction as soon as possible.  A שאלה was sent by R’ Shmuel Spitzer as ראש הקהל to the חתם סופר whether it was permissible to have the גוים work on the building during שבת and פסח. The תשובה of the חתם סופר is printed in שאלות ותשובות חת"ס חלק ו' תשובה מ"ג. 

We will בעזהי"ת post a synopses of the תשובה in the future.

---

[1] The קהלה in Eisenstadt was destroyed about the time of the expulsion of the Jews from Vienna in 1670. Some years later a few בעלי בתים renewed the community. Prominent among them was R’ Avrohom HaLevi Spitz, R’ Shmuel’s great grandfather.

Opi Deutsch part II

part I

זאב יהודא בן יונתן דייטש
כ"ח אלול תרי"ג - א' דר"ח אדר ב' תרח"ץ
Ma's mother's father

Opi Deutsch (1853-1938), was known to have a good sense of humor. He would recount how, when he was already an older man many years after he moved to Vienna, he decided to visit his home town of Verbau in Slovakia.   When he came to town he met one of his old friends, he asked him if he would take him around to see all their חברים from years ago. His friend said no problem, and promptly led him to the בית החיים.

 

"Erna & Grete Breuer ne Kaufman
[Ma's sister and brother in law]
with Opa Deutsch and
Grete's baby Martika"

He enjoyed going to the photographer and there are quite a few professional portraits of him.

Title page of Mishnas Hatalmud
by R' Yeshaya Jungreis
Tiszaszaszfalu 1913

R' Jungreis thanks Opi Deutsch
and Opi Kaufmann for hosting him
during the time he spent in Vienna

Following, is a testimony to his מידה of הכנסת אורחים. HaRav Yeshaya Jungreis (1875-1944), the Rav of Zerind in Romania, writes in the introduction to his Seferמשנה  התלמוד  (Tiszaszaszfalu, 1913):

I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to הרבני היקר מו"ה וואלף ליב דייטש נ"י and his son in law היקר מו"ה אליעזר קויפמאן נ"י of Vienna for hosting me in their home בדרך כבוד when I was there for a period of eight days regarding the publication of my sefer. They also did me many favors regarding my sefer. May Hashem be with them and may they succeed in all their ways. May they be זוכה to fulfill the מצוה  of גמילת חסדים till one hundred and twenty years, with wealth and נחת in abundance.

Stroh House; Botei Ungarin 118 - current status report

part I

part II

Thanks to one of the Stroh grandchildren living in ארץ ישראל we bring you this post.

This picture is a map of Batei Ungarin. You'll see house number 118 listed under Binyan Yud Zayin 1st floor (one flight up) on Pumbedisa St.

These pictures are the front door, which was open (I did not disturb Mrs. Einhorn, it sounded like she was cooking for Shabbos!) 

These pictures are the block from a distance. On the higher level you'll see the apartment (door open). 

The reason why the plaque is not visible is because they apparently made an extension to the entire upstairs, extending all the houses onto the terrace (see the following picture, taken from the side of the building) therefore blocking all the plaques from the upstairs houses.

Much Hatzlochah.