Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
Notes
Matches 3,951 to 4,000 of 7,522
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| 3951 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Ancestry.com: database "1663942"; 13 Apr. 2002, contact BURIAL: 1. Per tombstone list on file prepared by Brett T. Dunham, Manager of the Winters Cemetery District, 415 Cemetery Drive, P.O. Box 402, Winters, CA, 95694, phone 530-795-2475, email wcd415@sbcglobal.net. The following are buried in Sect. 6, Lot 117, Wilgus Plot, both surnamed Wilgus: -Edward E., Dec 21, 1871-May 20, 1943. -John H., Mar 28, 1844-Feb 15, 1918. -Lottie E., Mar 12, 1878-Aug 23, 1878, dau. of J.H. & L.E. -Luella E., Feb 7, 1849-Jan 24, 1928. -Susie B., Sept. 24, 1870-Feb 20, 1947. [Wife of Edward E.] -Veva Bell, June 21, 1902-July 16, 1912, dau. of E.E. & S.B. 2. Per photos of tombstone inscriptions provided to me by Rea Jenkins 19 Jan 2011: -"Eula D. Cooper, Jan. 26, 1875 - Feb. 7, 1959." -"John F. Baker, Died Feb. 28, 1890, aged 49 yrs. 7 mos. 8 ds. Native of Mass. Susan Jane, wife of J.F. Baker, died Feb. 14, 1903, aged 55 yrs., 11 mos. 8 days. Native of Illinois. At Rest." [Tombstone clearly gives John's death as 28 Feb, which then makes his birth date 20 Jul 1840, both of which are at variance to what dates I have been using.] -Military tombstone: "William Elmer Baker, California, ___ Am. Service, August 30, 1932." -"George D. Cooper, Oct. 11, 1862-Nov. 12, 1958." -"Ida May, Wife of G.D. Cooper died Oct. 28, 1888, aged 22 Yrs. 1 Mo. 27 Ds. [Includes a poem that is illegible in photo.]" -"Mary Cooper, 1863-1938." [Wife of Charles C. Cooper.] -"Egbert H. Son of H. & A.M. Cooper, died Jan 26, 1869. Aged 18? ys 10 ms. 16 ds." [This gives a different birth date of 10 Mar 1851 compared to what we have used of 16 Oct 1851.] -"Charles C. Cooper, 1860-1943." -"In memory of Wealthy A. Cooper who died March 23, 1865, aged 71 years. [Includes photo of illegible poem.]" -"Ann M. wife of H. Cooper born Dec. 9, 1820, died Dec. 16, 1891." -"Henry Cooper, born, Mar. 4, 1816, died Dec. 7, 1901." -Unmarked stone by Ann and Henry with some design by no words that I can make out in the photo. -"Lottie E. daughter of J.H. & L.E. Wilgus, born March 12, 1878, died August 23, 1878." -"Veva Bell daughter of E.E. & S.B. Wilgus, June 21, 1902 - July 16, 1912. [Poem]." -"Wilgus, Edward, b. Dec. 21, 1871, d. May 20, 1943; Susie B. Sept. 24, 1870-Feb. 20, 1947." -"Luella E. Wilgus, Feb. 7, 1849-Jan. 24, 1928." -"John H. Wilgus, Mar. 28, 1844 - Feb. 15, 1918" | Wilgus, John Hart (I3323)
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| 3952 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Ancestry.com: database "1663942"; 13 Apr. 2002, contact MARRIAGE: 1. The FHL book 977.344-V2m "Marriages of Adams County, IL," vol. 1, compiled by the Great River Genealogical Society, 1979, p. 45: "Thomas Wiley and Mary Ann Cooper, 12 Jan 1843, by E.M. King." Marriages extracted from Adams County Courthouse in Quincy, IL. | Wiley, Thomas (I3366)
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| 3953 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Ancestry.com: database "1663942"; 13 Apr. 2002, contact MARRIAGE: 1. The FHL book 977.344-V2m "Marriages of Adams County, IL," vol. 1, compiled by the Great River Genealogical Society, 1979, p. 45: "Thomas Wiley and Mary Ann Cooper, 12 Jan 1843, by E.M. King." Marriages extracted from Adams County Courthouse in Quincy, IL. | Cooper, Mary Ann (I3310)
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| 3954 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Ancestry.com: database "1663942"; 13 Apr. 2002, contact MARRIAGE: 1. The FHL book 977.344-V2m "Marriages of Adams County, IL," vol. 1, compiled by the Great River Genealogical Society, 1979, p. 45: "Wendell B. Cooper and Lucy A. Hendricks, 25 Oct 1849, by John G. Humphrey, Justice of the Peace." Marriages extracted from Adams County Courthouse in Quincy, IL. | Hendricks, Lucy A. (I3365)
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| 3955 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Ancestry.com: database "1663942"; 13 Apr. 2002, contact | Cooper, Arthur Butler (I3331)
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| 3956 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Ancestry.com: database "1663942"; 13 Apr. 2002, contact | Cooper, Harry (I3322)
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| 3957 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Ancestry.com: database "1663942"; 13 Apr. 2002, contact | Cooper, Cecelia Ann (I3332)
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| 3958 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Ancestry.com: database "Ranger001"; 13 Apr. 2002. 2. FHL book 929.273 W462c "History and Genealogy of the Wells Family," comp. by John L. Cobb, 1999, pp. 74-75: "William Wells, a son of Edmund and Welthia Ann (Goodrich) W. of Cambridge, NY, born calc. 1777; was a farmer; he married 13 or 15 Dec. 1804, by the Rev. John Dunlap, Prot. Presby. Church, Cambridge; Wash. Co., NY, of which he was a member from 3 Feb. 1806 and a trustee: 1810-11, to Wealthy Gilbert, daughter of John and Milicent (Goodrich) G. of Hebron, CT, born 22 Feb. 1772, Hebron, Tolland Co., CT; family lived next north of Sidney Wells's place in Cambridge; she also, was a member of the Rev. Dunlap's church, from 28 Aug. 1806; and died ___; he died 15 May 1829 in 52nd year of age and was buried in the cemetery on the Turnpike south of Cambridge village. (Did this man have a 2nd wife Margaret____?). Children: [Lists four children b. 1805-1810.] Refer: "Cem. Inscrip. Cambridge. NY: Wells Fam. et. al.," copied P.L. and L.B. Cobb 1913; I.G.I.: NY also, CT for Wells and Gilbert (as of Mar. 1992); Dr. A. Fitch's Notes: Hist.: Wash. Co., NY (30 Jan. 1850): 839; "Sleeper News," Nov. 1996: 4: 4: 2; J.G. Hunt: "Bradford Gen." by Hall: 131 etc." BURIAL: 1. The book "Cemetery Records, the Town of Cambridge, Washington Co., NY," 2003, comp. by Historical Data Services, 14 Clark St., Glen Falls, NY, 12804, www. hdsgenealogy.com, copy available in the Cambridge public library. For Old Turnpike Cemetery, with over 50 Wells including: William Wells, d. 15 May 1829, Sec. A, row 11, in his 52nd y. | Wells, William A. (I3375)
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| 3959 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Ancestry.com: database "Ranger001"; 13 Apr. 2002. 2. Ordinance Index reports parents as John Gilbert and Millicent Goodrich. 3. FHL book 929.273 W462c "History and Genealogy of the Wells Family," comp. by John L. Cobb, 1999, pp. 74-75: "William Wells, a son of Edmund and Welthia Ann (Goodrich) W. of Cambridge, NY, born calc. 1777; was a farmer; he married 13 or 15 Dec. 1804, by the Rev. John Dunlap, Prot. Presby. Church, Cambridge; Wash. Co., NY, of which he was a member from 3 Feb. 1806 and a trustee: 1810-11, to Wealthy Gilbert, daughter of John and Milicent (Goodrich) G. of Hebron, CT, born 22 Feb. 1772, Hebron, Tolland Co., CT; family lived next north of Sidney Wells's place in Cambridge; she also, was a member of the Rev. Dunlap's church, from 28 Aug. 1806; and died ___; he died 15 May 1829 in 52nd year of age and was buried in the cemetery on the Turnpike south of Cambridge village. (Did this man have a 2nd wife Margaret ___?). Children: [Lists four children b. 1805-1810.] References: "Cem. Inscrip. Cambridge. NY: Wells Fam. et. al.," copied P.L. and L.B. Cobb 1913; I.G.I.: NY also, CT for Wells and Gilbert (as of Mar. 1992); Dr. A. Fitch's Notes: Hist.: Wash. Co., NY (30 Jan. 1850): 839; "Sleeper News," Nov. 1996: 4: 4: 2; J.G. Hunt: "Bradford Gen." by Hall: 131 etc." | Gilbert, Wealthy Ann (I3376)
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| 3960 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per book "New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial," comp. William Richard Cutter, Reprinted for Clearfield Co by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, Maryland, 1994, p. 1936: "Daniel, son of Henry and Elizabeth Smith, was born in 1648. He removed to Greenwich, CT, and died there, 3 Mar 1740. He married Hannah, dau. of Joshua and Hannah (Close) Knapp, b. 26 Mar 1660, died 29 Mar 1721. They had twelve children..." 2. Per the book "The Story of the Early Settlers of Stamford, Connecticut, 1641 - 1700," by Jeanne Majdalany (including genealogies comp. with Edith M. Wicks), p191: "Daniel Smith - b1648, d1740, m1677 Hannah Knap (b1660, d1721, d/o Joshua). Greenwich." Hannah is niece to John Caleb Knapp who married Hannah Smith, the sister to Daniel Smith. 3. "Nicholas Knapp Genealogy," compiled by Alfred Averill Knapp, M.D. "This Genealogy of the Descendants of Nicholas Knapp, first found mentioned at Watertown, Massachusetts in 1630, is the result of the work and research of many individuals. The four principal collectors of data were Charles Ruggles Knapp, Henry Eno Knapp, Ezra Fred Knapp and the author, Alfred Averill Knapp, but they were assisted through correspondence by a large number of individuals who furnished much valuable family and local information...": "Hanna, b. 3-26-1660, Stamford, Conn. d. 3-29-1721, Greenwich, Conn. m Daniel Smith in 1679. He b. 1648. d. 3-3-1740, Greenwich, son of Henry Smith, bro. of Hannah, wife of Caleb Knapp. They had a son Ezra, b. 11-24-1705. m. 1st Mary Weed. 2nd Mary Bellamy. Hannah was 25 at the death of her father. Possibly she had 13 children." Concerning the father: "Joshua Knapp moved to Stamford, Conn., with his father in 1646, m. there and lived there for some time. In 1663 he moved to Greenwich, Conn. where he was admitted Freeman in 1669, making his home there until his death in 1684. He was one of two persons who made the bargain with the Indians when Bedford Parish was bought from them. The agreement between the Indians and Stamford Colony was witnessed by Joshua Knapp and David Waterbury and signed by seven Indian Chiefs dated 12-23-1680. He bought land in Rye in 1681. His inventory is dated 10-27-1684 and is spoken of as a good estate. He mentions the children named above, except Jonathan, saying that the sons shall receive their share at the age of 21 and the daus. at the age of 18. The will is signed by the widow Knapp, John Bowers and Moses Knapp, all of Stamford, Conn., and also by John Reynolds. Joshua was made Proprietor at Greenwich 2-5-1664. He gave a deed in Stamford 1-14-1657. He was probably a weaver by trade as his father willed him "the other half of the gears" to his loom. Inventory of his estate in 1684 places its value at 54 pounds. He was one of the Committee of Sixteen to confer about the dividing line between Greenwich and Rye. John Bowers was made Proprietor at Greenwich 2-5-1664, was called 43 years old in 1681 and d. in 1694. No children." 4. The book "History of Stamford, Connecticut, 1641-1868…," by Rev. E. B. Huntington (A Corrected Reprint of the 1868 Edition, 1979), p. 56: "Knapp, Joshua, son of Nicholas, was married here in 1657 to Hannah Close. He had one child recorded here -- Hannah, born March 26, 1660. He lived later in Greenwich, having had then seven children, Joshua, Joseph, Ruth, Timothy, Benjamin, Caleb, and Jonathan. His inventory bears date Oct. 27, 1684." 5. The periodical "Connecticut Ancestry," vol. 45, no. 1 (Aug. 2002), "The Smith Families of Stamford, Connecticut," by Robert Louer, E-mail: vwrjl@att.net "Daniel2 Smith (Henry1), b. about 1648 probably at Stamford,[39] d. 3 Mar 1739/40 at Greenwich, aged 92 years.[40] He m. say 1679 Hannah Knapp,[41] daughter of Joshua and Hannah (Close) Knapp; b. 26 Mar 1660 at Stamford,[42] d. 29 Mar 1721 at Greenwich.[43] Daniel was residing in Greenwich by 19 Jan 1681.[44] His estate distributed 8 Oct 1740.[45] Children of Daniel and Hannah (Knapp) Smith: -[probably] Joshua3 Smith, b. say 1679[46] -Daniel Smith, b. say 1680 -Sarah Smith, b. say 1683 probably at Greenwich, d. 12 Mar 1736/7 at Stamford.[47] She m1) 15 Dec 1705 at Stamford,[48] Jonas Hait, son of Benjamin and Hannah (Weed) Hait; b. say 1680, d. 3 Dec 1711 at Stamford.[49] She m2) 17 Feb 1714 at Stamford,[50] Thomas June, son of Peter and Sarah (___) June; b. 23 Jul 1690 at Stamford,[51] d. before 1 Dec 1767.[52] Thomas m2) say 1714 Tamar ___,[53] and had Tamar, William, and Rachel. Administration of Thomas' estate granted to his son Thomas on 1 Dec 1767.[54] Issue: Her first marriage Daniel, Sarah, Jemima, and Jonas. Her second marriage Hannah, Mary, Jemima, Thomas, Ezra, Abner, and Jacob. -Joseph Smith, b. say 1686 -Jabez Smith, b. say 1689 -Caleb Smith, b. say 1691 -Nathan Smith, b. say 1693 -Benjamin Smith, b. say 1695 -Mary Smith, b. say 1697, d. 28 May 1741 at Stamford.[55] She m1) 23 May 1723 at Stamford,[56] Charles Webb, son of Samuel and Hannah (Jagger) Webb; b. 12 Mar 1696/7 at Stamford,[57] d. 19 Apr 1730 at Stamford.[58] She m2) 5 Apr 1734 at Stamford,[59] Daniel Lockwood Jr., son of Daniel and Charity (Clemence) Lockwood; b. 13 Dec 1703 at Stamford,[60] d. before 1 Oct 1776. Daniel m2) say 1775 probably at Stamford,[61] Sarah (Palmer) (Stockdill) Steward, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Hubbard) Palmer, widow of Robert Stockdill, and later James Steward; b. 3 Jul 1734.[62] Daniel's will dated 17 Aug 1775 was probated 1 Oct 1776.[63] Issue: Her first marriage Charles, Hannah, Mary, and Samuel. Her second marriage Daniel, Deborah, Sarah, and Isaac. -Hannah Smith, b. say 1700 probably at Stamford, d. before 8 Oct 1740. Called deceased 8 Oct 1740 in distribution of her father's estate.[64] Her share distributed to her unnamed children.[65] She might be the Hannah who m. 1 Mar 1730/1 at Stamford,[66] Enos Bishop, son of John and Mary (Talmage) Bishop, b. 21 Apr 1707 at Stamford.[67] -(Deacon) Moses Smith, b. 12 Jan 1702/3 -(Lt.) Ezra Smith, b. 24 Nov 1705 -Ruth Smith, b. say 1708, d. after Feb 1761 at Stamford.[68] She m. 22 May 1729,[69] James June, son of Peter and Sarah (___) June; b. 29 Jun 1687 at Stamford,[70] d. about Feb 1761 at Stamford.[71] He had by a previous marriage Ruth, Deborah, Mercy, James, and Zabud. His will dated 16 Feb 1761 was probated 3 Mar 1761.[72] Issue: Joshua, and Hannah. -[possibly] Reuben Smith, b.[73] 39. Stamford LR, A:101. 40. Stamford VR, 1:41. 41. Marriage calculated from Hannah's birth date. 42. Stamford VR, 1:98. 43. Stamford VR, 1:138. 44. Stamford LR, A:101. As an original proprietor he may have been there as early as 1672. 45. Stamford Probate Record Miscellaneous Papers, 1:338, as cited in Spencer P. Mead, "Abstracts of Probate Records for the District of Stamford, Fairfield Co., State of CT, 1919-1924," hereafter Stamford PR Misc. 46. Stamford TM, 176. Many secondary sources give him a son Joshua who died 19 Dec 1706. While there is a record in Stamford recording a Joshua Smith dying in "Horseneck" on 19 Dec [ ], no year is given. It appears the year is assumed because the entry is found among the 1706 records. No evidence was found connecting him to this family, placement is assumed because it was the only Smith family in Greenwich at this time. 47. Stamford VR, 1:33. 48. Stamford VIZ, 1:128. 49. Stamford VR, 1:131. 50. Stamford VR, 1:106. 51. Stamford VR, 1:107. 52. Stamford Probate Record, 3:282, as cited in Spencer P. Mead, "Abstracts of Probate Records for the District of Stamford, Fairfield Co., State of CT, 1919-1924," hereafter Stamford PR. 53. Stamford PR, 3:299. 54. Stamford PR, 3:282. 55. Stamford VR, 1:47. 56. Stamford VR, 1:0. 57. Stamford VR, 1:13. 58. Stamford VR, 1:15; Stamford PR, 1:4. 59. Stamford VR, 1:25. (Frederic A. Holden and E. Dunbar Lockwood, "Colonial and Revolutionary History of The Lockwood Family in America From A. D. 1630," (Philadelphia: 1889), 83, hereafter Lockwood Genealogy. Erroneously states that Daniel married Mary Webb, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Hait) Webb). 60. Stamford VR, 1:127. 61. Stamford PR, 5:429; Edith M. Wicks and Virginia H. Olson, "Stamford's Soldiers - Genealogical Biographies of Revolutionary War Patriots from Stamford Connecticut" (Stamford, 1976), 274, hereafter Stamford's Soldiers. 62. Stamford's Soldiers, 274. 63. Stamford PR, 5:429. 64. Stamford PR Misc., 1:338. 65. A number of secondary sources erroneously claim she married Isaac Weed (See #124). If in fact she did marry a Weed perhaps she was the unknown first wife of Samuel Weed, of Norwalk. His will dated 31 Oct 1748 was probated 9 Feb 1756 mentions a first wife. 66. Stamford VR, 1:18. 67. Stamford VR, 1:144. 68. Ruth is mentioned in her husband's will. 69. Stamford PR Misc, 1:338. She is called wife of James June in distribution of her father's estate. No marriage record found, date is taken from Spencer P. Mead, "Ye Historie of the Town of Greenwich County of Fairfield and state of Connecticut" (Cambden, ME: Picton Press, 1992), 657, hereafter Ye Historie. 70. Stamford VR, 1:107. 71. Stamford PR, 5:112. 72. Stamford PR, 5:114. An inventory was taken on 28 Apr 1761 by her brother Caleb Smith and James Nichols. 73. Isaac Hunting, "History of Little Nine Partners of North East Precinct, and Pine Plains, New York, Dutchess County" (Amenia, NY: Charles Walsh & Company, 1897), 380, hereafter Pine Plains. Claims without evidence that Daniel had a son Reuben. This account of the family contains a number of errors." BIRTH: 1. The book "Stamford Town Records, Vol. 1, 1641-1723," transcribed and annotated by Paul R. Finch, NEHGS (Boston, 2011), p. 105: "Page 116 [1:98] Hana, daughter to Joshua Knap, born the 26th March, Anno 1660." DEATH: 1. The book "Stamford Town Records, Vol. 1, 1641-1723," transcribed and annotated by Paul R. Finch, NEHGS (Boston, 2011), p. 180; author's notes in ( ): "Page 182 [1:138] ([Death]) Hannah Smith, wife of Daniel Smith, Sr.* dyed, March the 29th day, 1721. *According to Mead ("Historie of Greenwich," 595), Hannah3 (Knapp) Smith was the daughter of Joshua2 (Nicholas1) and Hannah (Close) Knapp. She was born on 26 March 1660 (STR 1:98)." SOURCES_MISC: 1. FHL book 929.273-K727kf: "Knapp's N' Kin, The Ancestral Lines of Frederick H Knapp and Others," compiled by: Frederick H Knapp, Rt. #2, Box 438C, AB Hwy, Richland, Missouri, 65556; 1987; Revised/Updated 1991. The author has prepared a family group sheet on which he notes the following miscellaneous sources: -NK Gen (1953). -NK Gen Suppl (1956). -Hist. of Stamford, by Huntington. -Hist. of Greenwich, by Mead. -Fairfield Probate Rec., v. 1665-1675, p. 55. -Stamford Registration. -Stamford Colony Rec. -Rye, NY (CT) Land Rec. 1681. -Greenwich Vital Rec. -Inventory of Estate dtd. 27 Oct 1684. -Proprietor Rec., 5. Feb 1664. -Fam. of Old Fairfield, by Jacobus. | Knapp, Hannah (I863)
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| 3961 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per book below: "He was doubtless a bachelor. See his will, dated March 16th, 1753,; probated April 30th, 1753. He died between these dates. Eliphalet Lockwood's will: 'In the name of GOD. Amen - I Eliphalet Lockwood of Greenwich, in Fairfield County, and Government of Connecticut, being in perfect mind, memory and understanding, blessed be GOD for the same, But considering ye certainty of death and ye uncertainty thereof, Do make this my last Will and Testament in manner following, that is to say: First and principally I commit my Soul into ye hands of Almighty GOD, hoping thro' ye Merritts, Death and passion of my Saviour Jesus Christ, to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins, and to Inherrit everlasting life, and my Body I commit to ye Earth to be buried. And as touching such temporal estate as it hath pleased Almighty GOD to bestow upon me, I give and dispose thereof as followeth - First: I will that all my just debts be fully paid and satisfied. Item: I give and devise all my lands and movables to my two brothers Daniel Lockwood and Joseph Lockwood, they paying out of ye value of said lands to my sister Sarah Mead, ye sum of ₤20, current money of New York. Item: I give to Nathaniel Adams and John Adams, children of my sister Abigail ye sum of ₤10 each when they shall arrive at ye age of 21 years, to be paid out of the value of my lands and moveables, ye same to be current money of New York. Item: I give to my Sister Hannah's fist child Nattie which she had before she Married Titus Palmer, ye sum of ₤20, York money, when he shall arrive at ye age of 21 years to be paid out of my lands and movables. Also I give to Netus Son of my Sister Elizabeth ye sum of ₤10 when he shall arrive at ye age of 21 years to be paid out of my lands and movables ye same to be York money. And all ye rest and residue of my estate both real and personal, I give to my two brothers Daniel and Joseph, and do hereby appoint them full and sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament - In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this 16th March AD 1753. Eliphalet Lockwood (Seal) Signed Sealed published and declared in presence of us John Ham Strong, Seth Mead, Richard Budd." MARRIAGE: 1. Unmarried. SOURCES_MISC: 1. The book: "Genealogy of the Lockwood Family 1630-1888 - Descendants of Robert Lockwood, Colonial and Revolutionary History of the Lockwood Family in America from A.D. 1630," compiled by Frederic A. Holden and E. Dunbar Lockwood, printed privately by the family, 1889, Philadelphia. | Lockwood, Eliphalet (I1453)
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| 3962 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Carole Nixon 24 Jun 2025. DNA discovered an unknown daughter to Randy, which makes her Carole's granddaughter. Goes by the name of Talyssa Divina on Facebook. | Green, Talyssa (I8139)
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| 3963 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per citation below by Samuel Newton Adair, Joseph Adair was Samuel Jefferson Adair's cousin. 2. Ordinance index also shows sealings of Rebecca Mangum to James Mitchell Mangum in Aug 1859, Thomas Adair in abt. 1858, Gabriel Reynolds Coley in Apr 1858. I do not know what this is yet about. Also Ancestral File shows Rebecca Frances Mangum as a wife married abt 1857 to James Richey with no bio data on Rebecca nor connection to so far known Mangums. She does not appear with any bio info nor parents listed; the entry seems quite vague. There is no ordinance contemporaneous activity in the Ordinance Index which is unusual considering James Richey is clearly listed with temple marriages in the 1850's with his other two wives. It is very unlikely that James' Rebecca is the dau. of John Mangum, the only Rebecca Frances Mangum we know, because she is noted in Richey's autobiography as his sister-in-law married to Joseph Adair. Joseph Adair does not die until 1858. Rebecca shows up by 1880 census married Wesley Adair. None of the censuses with this Rebecca show her married to James Richey. 3. Per "California DAR Ancestry Guide" by the California State Society of the National Society of the DAR, 1976: Daughter of John Mangum, Revolutionary War private from South Carolina: "Rebecca, b. Aug 10, 1814; m. John Wesley Adair." 4. Pioneer Emigration: A. Per LDS Journal of History, 21 Jun 1847, listed in the pioneer company of James S. Holman, Capt., in Charles C. Rich's Guard organized 17 Jun 1847 and arrived in SLC 2 Oct 1847. In same company are several Adairs with ages and birth dates/places: Joseph, 41, 17 Apr 1806, Lawraceville, Lawrance, S.C. [probable cousin; Laurens Co.] Rebecca, 32, 10 Aug 1815, Giles Co., Tenn. [Rebecca Mangum, wife of Joseph.] Lucinda J., 6, 22 Oct 1841, Itewamly, Miss. [dau. of Joseph and Rebecca; Itawamba Co.] Geo. W., 29, 18 Mar 1818, Tennessee. Miriam, 20, 31 Jan 1827, Tennessee [wife of Geo.] Emaline R., inf., 1 Mar 1847, Mt. Pisgah, Iowa [dau. of Geo. and Miriam.] Also two Mangums: James, 27, 6 Jan 1820, Sinclair, Ala. Eliza Jane, 20, 11 Aug 1827, Greene, Ala. B. 18 Feb 2006 unpublished manuscript of Norma Ricketts on a book she is working on about the 1847 pioneer crossings: "The Charles C. Rich Company was the smallest company to leave from Winters Quarters during 1847. His company had three tens, a total of 126 people with 25 wagons. This company brought a cannon as well as artillery and ammunition, 25 kegs of black powder, the Nauvoo Temple bell, and a boat. The ammunition was ferried across the river. They left the outfitting post on the Elkhorn River June 21, and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley October 2, 1847. Sarah DeArmon Pea Rich wrote of the death of Jacob Weatherby, a member of the Abraham O. Smoot Company. Weatherby was wounded by a Pawnee Indian at the Platte River on June 19 two days before they left the Platte River. He was taken to the nearest tent, which belonged to the Rich Company and died the next morning. Weatherby was buried near the Elkhorn River at Camp Liberty on June 20. "We fixed him a bed and did all we could to ease his pain. He suffered awful pain through the night and the next morning about nine o'clock his suffering ended in death." Promptly at 6 o'clock on the morning of June 21, the Rich Company fired a six-pound cannon, and the wagons started out following the first hundred. As the company left Fishing Slough June 25, Captain Rich's oxen became frightened and "partly fell on my son Joseph and hurt him considerably and came nigh killing him." The Spencer Company (Eldredge fifty) passed the Rich Company on June 28. A large party of Indians was following the companies, so Captain Rich fired the cannon twice. He noted in his journal that "all things were safe." They reached the Platte River on June 29 and waited for some time. There were many wagons in line to cross. On July 2 they found the "Sow" cannon carried by Captain Hunter's company, abandoned on the trail with its carriage broken and tongue gone. The cannon's traveling gear was repaired and the cannon was brought along. A broken wagon axle delayed the company further. On July 9 the Rich Company overtook the Spencer and Hunter companies. When the company arrived in buffalo country, Captain Rich shot three and the pioneers were glad to add the meat to their meager food supply. Sarah Rich wrote it was "very dangerous traveling through this country, but we were preserved from serious accident. It was a grand sight to see these herds of wild animals, thousands in a group, racing across the prairies. The fear was that they might attack us in their flight." The company passed Chimney Rock, Nebraska, on August 1 and reached Fort Laramie, Wyoming, August 5. They traded some horses for oxen and cows. Travel was difficult because of the heat and dust. Mary Rich, who drove a wagon with another woman, wrote: "We did so well that we had our teams ready for travel at the appointed hour every day after that until we arrived in the Valley, as regularly as the men did. We did not grieve or mourn over it, we had some very nice times when the roads were not so bad. We could make the mountains ring with our songs… we rejoiced that we were going to the Rocky Mountains where we would be free to practice our religion." They traveled through the Black Hills with steep slopes and a shortage of water and stopped on August 13 to dig for water in a dry river bed. On August 21, the company reached the Upper Ferry of the Platte River. Their teams were very weak and an occasional ox died as the company crossed the alkali flats. On August 26, when four oxen died, Captain Rich left behind the two boats and a wagon, stripping the wagon of its iron parts. John Taylor visited their camp and asked for extra oxen. His company had experienced the death of many oxen. Captain Rich gave him one yoke of oxen. On an alkali desert, the Rich Company cut blocks of bicarbonate of soda from Saleratus Lake. Later in Salt Lake Valley this soda was used in making bread. They began ascending the South Pass and reached the Continental Divide on August 31. The company noted wind, rain, and snow over the 7,000 foot pass. On the west side of the mountain there was plenty of grass and water. On. September 2 they met a small group, including eight apostles, returning to Winter Quarters from Salt Lake Valley. Several nearby companies halted and joined in a meeting with the apostles. The officers for the Salt Lake Stake were chosen, with Captain Rich as a counselor in the stake presidency, to be ordained later. On the west side of the mountain grass and water were plentiful and the teams grew stronger. They stopped a couple of days for the birth of John President Porter on September 4. At the Big Sandy, the company lost another ox, but made steady progress to Fort Bridger, arriving September 16. The company was slowed by several wagons with broken axles: one in Echo Canyon September 24, another in East Canyon and another a day later. They crossed Big Mountain on September 30. Captain Cherry of the first ten upset a wagon. The company became spread out as it traveled down the canyons. Captain Rich's mother, Nancy O'Neal Rich, became seriously ill. After passing Little Mountain, the Rich Company resumed the proper order and arrived in Salt Lake Valley, October 2. Nancy O'Neal Rich, mother of Captain Rich, died October 5 in Salt Lake Valley and was buried beside the wife of Jedediah Grant, who had died on Big Mountain a few days earlier. Two babies, Catherine Frost (Sept. 16) and William Harker (Sept. 26) were born in Echo Canyon, Utah. The number after each name indicates age at time of departure from Winter Quarter. Charles C. Rich Company, Captain. [Adair family in the company:] Adair, Emaline Rebecca, infant Born: March 1, 1847 Adair, George Washington, 27 Adair, Joseph, 41 Adair, Lucinda Jane, 6 Adair, Miriam Jane Billingsly, 20 Adair, Rebecca Mangum, 32 Mangum, Eliza Jane Clark, 19 Mangum, James Mitchell, 27 C. Per 21 Feb 2002 website Adair, Rebecca Mangum Born: 10 August 1815 in Giles Co., Tennessee Daughter of John Mangum, Jr. and Rebecca Candice Knowles Married to Joseph Adair Died: 1894" 5. Censuses: 1830 US: Pickens Co., Alabama, pages 111-112. The first three related families are all on the same page, the next four related families are on the next page, and James Adair (with son Joseph) is on p. 129: Thos. Peeks, males 0-5:1; 5-10:1; 20-30:1; females 0-5:1; 5-10:1; 10-15:1; 30-40:1. John Mangum, males 5-10:1; 10-15:2; 15-20:1; 60-70:1; females 0-5:1; 5-10:1; 10-15:1; 30-40:1. Cyrus Mangum, males 20-30:1; females 0-5:1; 15-20:1. Saml. Carson, males 20-30:1; females 20-30:1; 80-90:1. Saml. Adair, males 20-30:1; females 20-30:1. Thos. Adair, males 5-10:1; 10-15:1; 15-20:1; 50-60:1; females 0-5:1; 5-10:1; 10-15:1; 40-50:1. Daniel Clark (next door), males 0-5:1; 30-40:1; females 0-5:1; 20-30:1. James Adair, males 0-5:2; 15-20:1; 20-30:2 (Joseph b. 1806); 60-70:1; females 15-20:1; 20-30:2; 60-7-:1; no slaves. 1840 US: Northern District, Itawamba Co., Mississippi, related families from full survey of county census: P. 136a: Samuel Adair, males 0-5:2; 5-10:2; 30-40:1; females 0-5:1; 30-40:1. No slaves listed. P. 144a: John Mangum, males 15-20:1; 70-80:1; females 10-15:1; 15-20:1; 50-60:1. No slaves listed. P. 150a: Joseph Adair, males 30-40:1; females 20-30:1. No slaves listed. P. 156a: Thomas Adair, males 20-30: 1; females 0-5: 1; 15-20:1. No slaves listed. P. 157a: William Mangum, Jr., males 5-10:1; 20-30:1; females 0-5:1; 5-10:1; 20-30:1. No slaves listed. 1850 US: Utah County, Utah, Roll M432_919, p. 135: Joseph Adair, 44, M, Farmer, SC. Rebecca, 35, F, Tenn. Lucinda J., 9, F, Miss. Thomas, 3, M, Iowa. Margaret W., 1, F, Deseret. Mary Adair, 23, F, Tenn. Lorenzo Allen, 44, M, Laborer, Georgia 1856 Utah: Territorial Census was taken because Utah was trying to get statehood to avoid some of the problems that later came. As a result they wanted as many people as possible and frequently included names of everyone in a family without regard to whether they were living or dead. As a result, some of the people listed with the family may not actually have been in the household in 1856. The Adair and Mangums listed included the following heads of households in the Provo and Payson City area: George W. Adair, James Mangum, Joseph Adair (wife Rebecca), Samuel Adair, and Thomas Adair. Source for the following entry is FHL film # 505,913 (index in FHL book 979.2X22u); Ms d 2929 fd. 33, Payson City, p. 8: Payson City, p. 6: Joseph Adair Rebecca " Lucinda I. " Rebecca F. " Joseph N. " Margaret I. " 1860 US: Washington, Washington, Utah, enumerated 27 Jul 1860, page 1035 indicates house #1285 and family #1110 (Samuel Adair, Thomas Adair, Wesley Adair, James Richey, Geo. W. Adair, James Mangum, John Mangum, Valentine Carson, John Price, William Mangum, Cyrus Mangum, Samuel N. Adair are all listed as neighbors): Wesley Adair, 39, farmer, $150 real estate, $175 personal property, AL. Rebecca, 44, TN. Frances, 8, UT. 1870 US: Washington, Washington, Utah, enum. 6 Jul 1870, Roll 1613 Book 1, p. 412a, household 45, family 45 (neighbors include relatives: John Wesley Adair, John Milton Adair, Valentine Carson, John Milton Adair, William Mangum, and Samuel J. Adair): John W. Adair, 47, farmer, $500 real estate, $300 personal property, Alabama. Rebecca, 55, keeping house, TN. Next door neighbor is Rebecca's daughter; entry 46: Jeremiah Stayner, 25, farm laborer, $250 real estate, $200 personal property, IL. Frances, 18, keeping house, UT. Catherine, 1, UT. 1880 US: National Archives film T9-0036, p. 28D for St. John Village, Apache, Arizona: Wesley Adair, Farmer, Self M M W 59 AL Fa:unk Mo:unk Rebeca Adair, House keeping, Wife F M W 65 TN Fa:VA Mo:PA Note: Several Adairs listed as a neighbors in Apache county. 6. From Don and Carolyn Smith from one of three part writings of Samuel Newton Adair. [When asked who has the original of this, Carolyn referred me to Becky Hamblin [bhamblin79@hotmail.com] to try to locate the original of this; Becky in turn believes Collins Chapman in Mesa may have it since Collins' mother is the granddaughter who hand wrote it for Samuel. It has not yet been located by Becky. The following is one of the three parts [see Samuel Newton Adair's notes for full quotation]: "Luna, New Mexico, October 7, 1919. I, Samuel Newton Adair, will write what I know about my mother's folks. My grandfather's name was John Mangum and he married Rebecca Noles, so my grandmother's name was Rebecca Mangrum, my grandfather Mangum was a revolutionary soldier with General Morgan (one of his minute men.) He was taken prisoner with a lot of other men by the british soldiers and they set them on a log and split their heads open, all but my grandfather's and he had some kind of varmint skin cap on and that and the skull stopped the force of the sword and it glanced off and cut his ear nearly off and they turned him lose. He married after the war was over as stated above. Their children are: Cyrus Mangrum, Joseph Mangrum, John Mangrum, William Mangrum and James Mangrum. The daughter's names were: Jeney Mangrum, Gemima Mangrum, Rebecca Mangrum, and Lucinda Mangum. They were all my uncles and aunts. Joseph Mangrum married Emiline Hanner, William married Aunt Sally Adair, John married Aunt Mary Ann Adair, James Mangrum married Jane Clark, my father's niece. I don't know who uncle Cyrus Mangum married. Jeney Mangrum married George Crawford, Gemima Mangrum married Samuel Jefferson Adair, my father. Rebecca Mangrum married Joseph Adair, my father's cousin. Lucinda Mangrum married James Richey, my father's nephew." 7. Joseph and Rebecca had several children including a daughter named Rebecca Francis Adair born in Utah in 1852. Many other researchers incorrectly confuse this daughter with the daughter of Samuel Jefferson Adair who was born in Alabama in 1836 and died a year later. These incorrect reports show a marriage to Jeremiah Stayner but some also show a death date of 1848 which would make her married before she died at age 13 which seems unlikely. Also incorrectly shown are other ordinance entries showing unreasonably dated marriages in Alabama years after the family moved to Nauvoo and to the West in 1846. Jeremiah Stayner did in fact marry Rebecca Francis Adair, but she was the daughter of Joseph Adair and Rebecca Francis Mangum. When Joseph died in 1858, his wife Rebecca soon married John Wesley Adair, the Mormon Battalion veteran. Rebecca, the daughter, followed her mother and stepfather and always lived nearby. For this conclusion, consider the following: Ordinance index does report a marriage sealing at the St. George temple on 28 Nov 1877 per film 170579, 431 which is troubling in that the sealing would have been done contemporaneously to her living siblings who would have had first hand knowledge of their sister. There does not appear to be a record of Rebecca in Utah nor a record of an Iowa death with her siblings. If she had not died young in Alabama, she would have been too young to have remained there and not have gone to Nauvoo with her family. a. See citation above for 1856 Utah census showing Rebecca as a daughter in James' family. b. Note her marriage is reported per website c. The Washington, Washington, Utah census for 1870, entry 46, does report the following family living next door to John W. and Rebecca Adair (ages 47 and 55 respectively: Jeremiah Stayner, 25, farm laborer, $250 real estate, $200 personal property, IL. Frances, 18, keeping house, UT. Catherine, 1, UT. d. Per Online Ordinance Index: 28 Nov 1877 marriage sealing at SGEOR between Jeremiah Stayner, b. 09 Jun 1845 Davis, Stephenson, Illinois, and Rebecca Frances Adair, b. 10 Apr 1852 Provo, Utah, Utah, per FHL film 170579, p. 431. e. Per Online Ordinance Index: 28 Nov 1877 child sealing of Jeremiah Wesley Stayner, b. 30 Apr 1876 Washington, Washington, Utah and died 05 Jan 1877, to his parents Jeremiah Stayner and Rebecca Frances Adair Stayner with proxy of Joseph Jesse Stayner for deceased son per FHL film 170583, p. 46. Note middle name of Wesley. f. The St. Johns Village, Apache, AZ 1880 census, pg. 28D, shows living next door to Wesley and Rebecca Adair (born AL and TN): Jeremiah Staynor, 32, IL, Unk, Unk Frances, 28, UT, AL, TN. Catherine, 11, UT, IL, UT. Joseph, 7, UT, IL, UT. g. Per one entry in Online Ordinance Index, Frances may have died 20 Mar 1908 at Clifton, Greenlee, Arizona. 8. Excerpt of letter copy received from Email from Rowland Hinton [hinton12@isp.com] 1 Jan 2006: "30 Jan 1972, Dear Mr. Price... "...I have record of five children for Joseph Adair and Rebecca Mangum. Lucinda Jane born 24 Oct 1841 at Itawamba, Miss. Married before March 1859 to Benjamin Brown Crow, then deserted her husband and family and church and joined the "wicked at a gentile camp". Her husband was called on the carpet for putting her in the way of temptation and he later came before the meeting of the church and confessed his sins and asked forgiveness which he received. Joseph Adair had a son Thomas, born about 1847 in Iowa who shows up in the 1850 census in Utah, but not in the 1860 census. Possible someone found his grave and assumed that it was Thomas Adair who married Rebecca Brown, thence the death date of 1856??? Joseph Newton was born 4 Aug 1849 in Salt Lake City to Joseph Adair and he died 23 May 1851. Next a Margaret W. born about 1850 in Utah, and last Rebecca Frances born 10 Apr 1852 at Provo and died 20 Mar 1906, married 8 Mar 1868 to Jeremiah Stayner. After Joseph Adair died, Rebecca Mangum Adair married (2) John Wesley Adair, son of our Thomas and Rebecca (Brown) Adair as his second wife. As near as I can find out, John Wesley Adair had no children by either of his two marriages. I find the same given names cropping up time and time again. These may give a lead to the ancestry of our Thomas Adair. On the following sheet I am going to try to list some of these names & their parents & see if I can get a pattern. [No accompanying sheet with the copy given me. KP.]" 9. Email 2 Aug 2006 from Kathy Petersen, a descendant of Joseph and Rebecca Here's my line (in a nutshell.) Lucinda Jane Adair married Benjamin Brown Crow in 1858 (presumably in Southern Utah.) They had five children but the middle three died in Clover Valley NV in a plague of some type around 1865-1866. My ancestor Lucinda Jane (Jane) Crow was born in 1867 in Hebron, Utah and then Lucinda left BB Crow for a lumber merchant named O.P. Sherwood. He had brothers who, I think, married Adair women later on. BB Crow took the baby from Lucinda and OP and took her to be raised in California by his relatives. She had very little contact with her mother after that, but did visit her in California at least once. I know that her sister Rebecca Frances (Frances) married Jeremiah Stayner in 1868 or 1869 in Hebron. They all left Hebron together that spring or summer (against counsel) and headed back towards Clover Valley. Wesley and Becky went too. Lucinda was excommunicated that summer for leaving her husband and BB disfellowshipped for "taking his family to live among the Gentiles and exposing them to temptation." (This info is in the Hebron Ward Records which are handwritten and VERY hard to read.) Lucinda lived in Pioche with OP and had several children with him, then married (?) a guy named William Throp and moved to California around 1879 - first Monterey county then Fresno. They had at least two daughters together. I can surmise that Joseph had a good relationship with his daughters because they both named their first sons after him." 10. Information per the "George Addison Mangum Collection," FHL film 2056024, concerning Jeremiah Stayner from a family group sheet prepared by Cecil Curtis Stayner, 320 W. Whittier, Tracy, CA, from the records of Joseph Jesse Stayner: Father: Jeremiah Stayner, b. 9 Jun 1845 to Jesse Stayner and Sarah Catherine Greenhall or Greens, d. 2 Aug 1918 at Nutrioso, Apache, Arizona., bapt. in the church, end. 28 Nov 1877. Mother: Rebecca Francis Adair, b. Apr 1852 at Provo, Utah, d. 20 Mar 1908 at Clifton, Gral., Arizona, parents Joseph Adair and Rebecca Mangum. Children: Rebecca Catherine (Kate), b. 18 Nov 1868 at Washington, Utah, d. Oct 1931, m. Frank Bates. Joseph Jesse, b. 5 Jun 1872 at Washington, Utah, d. 24 Nov 1929, m. Lemira May Maxwell 24 Aug 1899. George Franklin, b. 1874 at Washington, Utah, d. Jul 1959, m. Sarah Olive Mangum. Jeremiah Wesley, b. 30 Apr 1876 at Washington, UT. Benjamin, b. 20 Jan 1885 at Nutrioso, AZ, m. Rosie Cook. Isabel, b. 1887 at Nutrioso, d. 28 Feb 1937, m. Charley Higgins. References: a. 027435 Washington, Utah Ward Records/Members #761. b. 1870 Utah Census. c. St John's Arizona Ward Record. BIOGRAPHY: 1. Major autobiography with lots of references to Mangums, Richeys, and Adairs and their history by James Richey [see his notes for transcription] speaks of his relatives: "I left the crop that I had planted with my Father's family, there were only two of us, my wife and myself. Some of my relatives had come on from Pisgah in the company of Charles F. Rich and family on their way to the west. The names of our relatives are as follows: Joseph Adair and wife, Rebecca, sister of my wife; [Note: this is our Aunt Rebecca Mangum who married Joseph Adair and also Thomas Adair, according to Mangum book.) James Mangum and wife; George Adair and wife; [George Adair the brother of Samuel Jefferson Adair] and a lad by the name of Harvey Cla**(?) and also my sister Emily. We left Winter Quarters and went out into a river called the Horn and where people were organized into companies of hundreds and fifties and tens." 2. Biographical info on this individual's father per the book "John Mangum, American Revolutionary War Soldier and Descendants," 1986, p. 7-16, by Delta Ivie Mangum Hale: "John's second wife died, and he was again left a widower. Following her death he moved to Warren County, Ohio, later changed to Clinton County. It was here that he met his third wife, Rebecca Knowles. The were married Jan. 19, 1809 at Lebanon, Warren County, Ohio. (Marriage Licenses of Warren County, No. 1 and 2, p. 30.) Eight children were born to John and Rebecca. In later life he appeared in court to claim his veteran's pension and gave the following statement regarding his places of residence: 'I was born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia on the 19th of Jan 1763, informed by my mother when I was eleven years old, I had it in a book from the time I entered the service. Until 1805 I resided in Newberry District, So. Carolina. In 1805 I moved to Warren County, afterwards Clinton County, Ohio where I resided until 1811. In 1811 I removed to Giles County, Tennessee where I stayed until 1815. In 1815 I came to St. Claire County, Alabama where I stayed until about 1823 or 1824. Then I removed to Pickens County, Alabama where I have lived ever since and now live.' (Package 370, Vol. 3, Veterans Bureau, National Archives, Washington, D.C.) While living at Warren Co., Ohio, John and Rebecca had a daughter, Gemima, born on Sep. 14, 1809. Two children were born after they moved to Tennessee. These were William on Christmas Day 1811 at Murray or Maury, Tennessee, and Rebecca on Aug. 10, 1814 at Giles, Tennessee. Another two children were born at St. Clair, Alabama. These were John, Jr., born June 10, 1817 and James Mitchell, born Jan. 6, 1820. Another son, Joseph, was born about 1822. The record of his birth date, place and picture are not available to date. A daughter, Jane was born July 14, 1824 at Maury, Tennessee, and their last daughter, Lucinda, was born July 20, 1826 at Carlton, Pickens County, Alabama..." BIRTH: 1. FHL film 392631 LDS "Patriarchal Blessings Index", three blessings: A. Rebecah Mangum Adair, b. 10 Aug 1814 at Giles County, Tenn., parents John and Rebecah Mangum. Blessing date 2 Jan 1848 at Salt Lake City, Utah. Lineage: Joseph. Patriarch: John Smith. Vol. 10, p. 342. B. Rebecca Mangum Adair, b. 10 Aug 1814 at Giles County, Tenn., parents John and Rebecca Mangum. Blessing date 27 Apr 1854 at Payson, Utah. Lineage: Jacob. Patriarch: Isaac Morley. Vol. 18, p. 75. C. Rebecca Mangham Adair, b. 10 Aug 1814 at Giles Co., Tenn., parents John and Rebecca Mangham. Blessing date 18 Feb 1856 at Payson, Utah. Patriarch: John Young. Vol. 25, p. 93. 2. FHL film 0183374 "Sealings and Adoptions of the Living; Index 1846-1857," p. 693, states: Rebecca Mangum b. 10 Aug 1814 at Giles Co., Tennessee. Also confirmed per Nutrioso LDS Ward Record quoted above. 3. FHL Film 2456: "Early LDS Church Membership Records for Nutrioso, Arizona": Record of the Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Nutrioso Ward, St. Johns Stake of Zion. Page 20 entries: No numbering but this group together: John Wesley Adair; father: Thomas Adair; mother Rebecca Brown; b. 18 Feb 1821 at Green Co., Alabama; first baptized Dec 1844 by James Richey; first confirmed Dec 1844 by J. Richey; ordained to 26 Quorum of Seventies Sep 1845 by William McBride; rebaptized Mar 1857 by Bp. Covington; reconfirmed 1857 by Harrison Pierce. Rebecca, father: John Mangum; mother: Rebecca Knowles; b. 10 Aug 1814 at Giles Co., Tennessee; first baptized Nov. 1845 by R? Mathews; first confirmed Nov 1845 by Gibson; rebaptized Dec 1847; reconfirmed Dec. 1847. James Mitchell Mangum; father: John Mangum; mother: Rebecca Knowles; b. 6 Jan 1820 at Springville, St. Clair, Alabama; first baptized 1844 by A. ?undin; first confirmed by Bryant Knowlin; ordained 3 May 1885 by Joseph Young into 17 Quorum Seventies; rebaptized 1848; reconfirmed 1848 by A. Covington. Rebecca Frances Mangum; father: John Mangum; mother: Mary Ann Adair; b. 10 Oct 1843 at Ettawamba, Mississippi; first baptized 14 Feb 1851; first confirmed 14 Feb 1851 by J.J. Bigler; rebaptized Jan 1876 by J. Hamblin; reconfirmed Jan 1876 by L. ?. Nuttall. Orson B. Arnold; father: Thomas Arnold; mother Hannah Brewin; b. 10 Feb 1857 at Sheephead,, England; first confirmed 6 Sep 1888 by Hyrum Chapman. MARRIAGE: 1. Wesley Adair's Mexican War Pension Application quoted in Wesley Adair's notes indicates marriage between himself and Rebecca Adair Sept. 1858 in Washington City, Utah. DEATH: 1. "The Women's Exponent 1890-08-15, vol. 19, no. 6, p. 48, Aug. 15, 1890, available digitally from BYU Harold B. Lee Library: "A Pioneer Woman. Editor Exponent: Thinking the readers of the "Exponent" would be interested in learning of the death of one of the early settlers of Salt lake Valley we send you the notice of the death of Rebecca Hangum [Mangum] Adair, aged 76 years one of the pioneer women that arrived in Salt lake City, July 1847 shortly after the entrance of the first pioneers. She was the wife of Brother Adair since deceased; she afterwards married Brother Wesley Adair a cousin of her fist husband. She was a resident of Washington, Utah Ter., she was among the first settlers of St. John's, Arizona in the year 1878; her home recently was in Luna Valley, New Mexico. She was at the time of her death on a visit, (accompanied by her husband) to her daughter Mrs. Stayner of Bisbee, Arizona. Her body was brought here (St. David) for burial July 18, 1890, as this was the nearest Mormon settlement, and it was her greatest desire to be buried among the Saints. The above information was received from her husband and daughter. Maria Mc'Rae, Pres. R.S. Cyrena Merill, Stake Coun. R. S. St. David, Arizona." SOURCES_MISC: 1. FHL film 2056023-2056026, especially film 5 which contains Mangum-Adair materials. Title is "George Addison Mangum's Genealogical Collection" which is his lifetime work donated to library in 1998; he was born in Utah in 1922, of Blackfoot, ID and is perhaps a brother to Ivey Mangum Hale. Brief summary includes: 2056023, item 1, book of remembrance; item 2, surname index of changes and volumes; item 3, Person materials; 2056024, items 3 thru 6 and 2056026, Mangum/Adair materials. Included are many family group sheets of sidelines and downlines, many of them unconnected. 2. FHL Film 1697868 and book "The Mangums of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Utah, and Adjoining States," by John T. Palmer, Ph.D. Santa Rosa, CA 95409, 1993, 3rd ed. 3. Nauvoo LDS Land and Records Office research file (copy in my possession as of 2 Jun 2007 and also partially viewable at www.earlylds.com). Includes family group sheet from Ancestral File and copy of Susan Easton Black's book on LDS Members. 4. FHL book 979.2 W2p: "Pioneers of 1847, A Sesquicentennial Remembrance," by Susan Ward Easton. List of pioneer company participants; information is similar to content I already have. 5. FHL film 34803 "Heart Throbs of the West," comp. by Kate B. Carter, v. 8, p. 447. List of pioneer company participants; information is similar to content I already have. | Mangum, Rebecca (I1427)
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| 3964 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per daughter Patti in letter dated 27 Sep 2010: "As far as my Dad my memories are vague. He died when he was 58 the day after Thanksgiving, I believe I was 14. Mom told me he was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He was in the Service. What Branch I don't know and was dishonorably discharged. Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary in Salt Lake City handled the services. I know he was in prison at the Point of the Mountain, but I don't know the years. You know I don't even know my grandmother and grandfather. Dad's whole name was George Eugene Hatten. Mom just didn't talk much about them." 2. Ancestry.com's: U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946: Name: George E. Hatten Birth Year: 1915 Race: White, Citizen (White) Nativity State or Country: Iowa Residence: Los Angeles, California Enlistment Date: 28 Sep 1940 in California Enlistment City: Fort Macarthur San Pedro Branch: Ordnance Department Grade: Private Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the Philippine Department Component: Regular Army Education: 2 years of college Civil Occupation: Salespersons Marital Status: Single, without dependents Height: 68 Weight: 189 3. From Ancestry.com: A. California Death Index: Thurston Bennett Hatten, ssn #557201402, b. 26 Aug 1885 in Missouri, d. 30 Sep 1941 in Los Angeles, father's surname was Hatten and mother's maiden name was Bennett. B. Missouri Birth Records: Thurston Bennett Hatten, b. 26 Aug 1885 in Vernon Co. MO; father D.B. Hatten age 26, farmer, born in Coral County, MO; mother E.E. Hatten, age 19, maiden name Bennett. C. 1900 US Census for Ozark, Barton, Missouri gives us the grandparents of George Eugene Hatten: Thurston B. Hatten, 41, b. Jan 1859, md. 17years, MO VA VA, farmer. Emma Hatten, 33, b. Oct 1866, IL VA IN, 2 children total with both living. Thurston B. Hatten, 14, b. Aug 1885, MO, MO, MO. Clyde A. Hatten, 9, b. Apr 1891, MO MO MO. C. George's father Thurston appears to have married Gwendolen Buchanan about 1910 and was living in Center Township, Vernon Co., MO in the 1910 census with no children. The same couple is then in San Antonio, Los Angeles County, California in the 1920 census with no children. George was then probably born out-of-wedlock and probably brought up by his mother. D. Several generations back to 1628 and addtional information can be found at Rootsweb.com Worldconnect on the Internet by searching the names of George's grandparents Thomas Bascomb Hatten and Emma Bennett. We find that George's father Thomas Bennett Hatten md. Gwendolen Buchanan were married 29 Jul 1909. BIRTH: 1. Social Security Death Index: George Hatten, b. 4 Feb 1914, d. Nov 1973 Salt Lake City, Utah. MARRIAGE: 1. Familysearch's "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952": George Eugene Hattan, 41, son of Thruston B. Hatten and Blance DeArmond, m. 6 Dec 1956 at Los Angeles co., Calif., Melba Hales Trump, dau. of Charles Henry Hales, and Sarah C. Stoker, age 35. DEATH: 1. Death Certificate on file with me issed by the State of Utah: George Eugene (Gene) Hatten, d. 23 Nov, 1973 in Salt Lake County, residing outside of city limits, dead on arrival at St. Marks Hospital, death caused by Arteriosclerotic heart disease and acute myocardial infection, born 4 Feb 1915 in Iowa, US citizen, married to Helen Clark, ssn #562-09-2329, retired salesman of office machines, parents are Thurston Bennett Hatten and Blanche D'Arman, reported by Mrs. Helen C. Hatten of 558 Emerson Ave, SLC, UT, bur. 27 Nov 1973 Elysian Burial Gardens of Salt Lake Co., funeral home was Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary at 4760 So. State, Murray, Utah, 84107. 2. Obituary (copy in my possession with no newspaper name or date given): "George E. Hatten. George Eugene "Gene" Hatten, 58, 558 Emerson Ave., died Nov. 23 of a heart attack. Born Feb. 4, 1915, Des Moines, Iowa, to Thurston Bennett and Blanche D'Arman Hatten. Married Melba Hales December, 1950; divorced. Married Helen Clark Hunn May 3, 1969, Reno, Nev. Retired salesman, Aztec Business Machins; veteran WW II, U.S. Army; former member Masonic Lodge in Los Angeles, Calif. Survivors: widow; son, daughter, Woodrow, U.S. Army, Italy; Patricia Hatten, Brigham City; 11 grandchildren. Graveside services Tuesday, 11 a.m., Elysian Burial Gardens." | Hatten, George Eugene (I668)
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| 3965 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at < B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. She had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals witht he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic physician and her husband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter " - daughter Eleonora Kosman, born on April 15 of 1911 in Moscow. Her husband Wilhelm (Wolfram), son of Eduard Gottlieb, born on June 6 of 1907 in Riga (see his photo from the Latvian passport for 1925). His occupation - journalist. They were registered as living in Riga at Dzernavu Street 64, apt. 4 since July 20 till August 12 of 1935 when they arrived from London to visit their relatives. Wilhelm's father was the candidate of commerce Israel/Eduards, son of Shanis Gottlieb was born on January 16 of 1870 in Riga. His wife Haja Sara (Sora), daughter of Mowscha.Mosus Kaschdan, a watch-maker from Borisov, and his wife Lina, was born on January 27 (Julian calendar, February 7 - Gregorian calendar) of 1880 in Riga (see her photo from the Latvian passport for 1924). Their marriage was registered in 1906 in Riga (entry No. 2 in the marriage records of the Jewish community in Riga for 1906. They had also daughter Herta Gottlieb, born on November 1 (Julian calendar, 14 November - Gregorian calendar) of 1909 in Riga. In 1924 the family of Israel/Eduard Gottlieb lived in Riga at Dzernavu Street 66, apt. 52. Before the Second World War they lived in Riga at Brivibas Street 33 (unfortunately, the house registers for the time period before October of 1939 have not survived, therefore we cannot trace fate of Haja and Herta. The museum "Jews of Latvia" keeps the lists of Central prison's inmates, set up on August 4 of 1941, where Eduards, son of Zhanis Gottlieb was registered under Nr. 67." BIOGRAPHY: 1. Mentioned in detail in biography provided by Irene Gottlieb. See her notes for full biography. 2. I received the following letter from Irene Slatter, 29 Somali Road, London, England, NW2 3RN, dated 10 Jan 2009: Dear Kerry, I am writing to you as Michael Brenson sent me a copy of your email to him. We are also related as Ruth Kossman was my grandmother. Clara (I am named after her by my mother - my middle name is Claire as my mother adored her) was my great grandmother. Ruth had 2 children - Leonid, whose children were Nina Kossman and Michael (Mika) Kossman, and my mother Elenora (Nora). She married my father Wolfram Gottlieb and they left Riga in 1934 and settled in England - so surviving the rest of the family. My mother died who died in 1982 had 2 children - me - Irene born in 1942 and my sister Vera born in 1945. She died in 2005 and was a famous Checkhov specialist. She is probably on the Internet - Prof. Vera Gottlieb. I married John Slatter in 1966 and have 2 sons Stephen 30 and Paul 27. both John and I have taught Russian at Durham University in the north of England for all our working lives... I remember meeting distant relatives in Copenhagen in 1956 - we stood in their garden and watched the Russian Sputnik and there was a connextion to a well known newpaper - thats all I remember... John has an email John.slatter@hotmail.co.uk... I hope to hear from you soon. Best wishes, Irene John and Irene Slatter Tel. 0207 435 4696 BIRTH: 1. Per correspondence from daughter in London dated 4 Mar 2009. "Chistye Prudy" was the old (pre-revolutionary) name of a street in Moscow where she was born; it has a different name now. DEATH: 1. Per correspondence from daughter in London dated 4 Mar 2009. | Kossman, Elenora (Nora) (I4620)
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| 3966 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: YL 014 notes Isadore Brewsohn, d. Riga, with four children: Ruth, md. Stephen Horsaie; Ellen, md. ___ Meltzer; Robert, Theo. 3. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter " - son Robert, born on February 27 (Julian calendar) of 1889 in Mitau. His occupation - correspondent. On February 23 of 1924 in Riga he married to Elli Olga, daughter of Gustav nee Donbergs, born on December 25 of 1903 in Riga, she was German (when Robert married to Elli Olga, he was written down as a divorced). Robert had children: - son Erik, born on December 18 of 1917 in Moscow. - son Enar-Theodor, born on October 17 of 1926 in Riga. Since May of 1928 they lived in Riga at Dzirnavu Street 64, apt. 1. Elli Olga was struck off the house register on November 1 of 1933 where not stated. Robert and Elli Olga were divorced and in 1934 she married to Rosenthal (name not stated). On June 27 of 1936 in Riga Robert married to Benita-Mathilde-Elisabeth Brensohn, nee Isakowsky (Izakowsky), born on March 27 of 1913 in Riga, she was German. They were divorced on April 19 of 1939 in Riga.Beneta-Mathilde-Elisabeth was struck off the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 on January 18 of 1939 as moved to Elizabetes Street 8. She left for Germany on December 5 of 1939. There is a note in the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 that Robert and his son Enar 'have taken away' on July 12 of 1941, Erik 'have taken away' on July 25 of 1941. The museum "Jews in Latvia" keeps the lists of Central prison's inmates, set up on August 4 of 1941 (during Nazi occupation), where Erik, son of Robert Brenson registered under Nr. 196." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome." DEATH: 1. I'm sending the Pages of Testimony which we, i.e. my father and I, filled out and sent to Yad Vashem a couple of years ago. They are for Klara Herzenberg's children and their families. (They are all Herzenbergs even if their last names are different. The family name was not passed on, as they descended from the Herzenbergs through the maternal line.) The genealogy for Klara Herzenberg is Robert, Yosef, Lemchen, and Joseph. Unfortunately, when filling out the forms, I did not put their professions: Ellen was an orthopedic physician; her husband Yakov was a piano teacher; Robert worked in a law firm, Ruth was a cosmetologist. I'm sending these so that the names of these family members, and what happened to them, would be part of the family history, as a way of preserving their memory. I had stones with their names installed at the site of the mass murder in the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) forest in Riga, as I did for Sophie Herzenberg, her daughters Yevgenia and Flora, and the daughters' husbands, Nikolai and Leo. A lot of info about the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) memorial is here: Brenson, Ruth; Father: Isidor Brenson; Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Gender: Female; Date of Birth: 9/4/1885; Age: 56; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Widow; Spouse's First Name: Stephan Kossman; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga,Ghetto; Wartime Address: Ludzia 3; Place of Death: Rumbuli, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Granddaughter; Registration date: 16/04/2005. Brenson, Robert; Father's First Name Isidor; Mother's First Name Klara; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Killing; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid. Relationship to victim: Nephew. Registration date: 16/01/2004. Brenson, Ellen; Father: Isidor Brenson: Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Date of Birth: 1890; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Married; Spouse: Yakov Melzer; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Ghetto; Place of Death: Riga, Ghetto; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Perpetrator: Nazis; Submitter: Kossman, Nina: Relationship to victim, Great-Niece. Registration date: 17/04/2005. Brenson, Erik; Father: Robert Brenson; Date of Birth: 18/12/1917; Age: 24; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Single; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Profession: Worker; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Wartime Address: 64 Dzirnavu Iela, apt. 4; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 7/1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Family; Registration date: 17/08/2006. Melzer, Anatol; Father: Yakov; Mother: Ellen Brenson; Gender: Male; Date of Birth: 1938; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Marital Status: Child; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid; Relationship to victim: Relative; Registration date: 16/01/2004. Nina's note: I also sent a page of testimony for Enar Brenson (Robert's second son), who was 17 yrs. old when he was killed in 1941, but for some reason only his name is listed on the Yad Vashem website, without the POT (page of testimony). I have pictures of all of them, except for Erik and Enar, at Website above notes: "Robby Brenson (189?-1941). Robby Brenson graduated from law school and worked in Riga for a law firm. He was married several times. One wife was Swedish and their son, Einer, age 17, was working as a cleaning man in the offices of Tsinia, the Latvian Marxist newspaper, while Leonid Kossman was a drama critic there. Another wife was German and the child of this marriage, Erik Shlezinger, was 23 and serving in the Latvian army. Robby and Einer and Erik were all taken to the woods and killed by local collaborators during the first month of the Nazi takeover." | Brenson, Enar or Einer-Theodor (I4386)
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| 3967 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: YL 014 notes Isadore Brewsohn, d. Riga, with four children: Ruth, md. Stephen Horsaie; Ellen, md. ___ Meltzer; Robert, Theo. 3. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter " - daughter Ellen-Benita, born on December 23 of 1895 (Julian calendar, Gregorian calendar - January 4 of 1896) in Mitau. She was a doctor. Her 1st husband Aron Patursky (their marriage was registered on December 19 of 1922 in Riga, see her photo from the Latvian passports for 1922, 1927, 1931). They had no children, their marriage was divorced in 1931 in Riga. Her second husband Jacob Melzer was born on May 5 of 1891 in Minsk. Their marriage was registered on September 8 of 1931 in Riga. His occupation - musician. Their son Anatol Melzer was born on June 26 of 1933 in Riga. Before the Second World War they lived in Riga at Brivibas Street 23, apt. 6. They were struck off the house register on September 30 of 1941 as moved to ghetto. Their address in ghetto - Lazdonas Street 11, apt. 1." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome." DEATH: 1. I'm sending the Pages of Testimony which we, i.e. my father and I, filled out and sent to Yad Vashem a couple of years ago. They are for Klara Herzenberg's children and their families. (They are all Herzenbergs even if their last names are different. The family name was not passed on, as they descended from the Herzenbergs through the maternal line.) The genealogy for Klara Herzenberg is Robert, Yosef, Lemchen, and Joseph. Unfortunately, when filling out the forms, I did not put their professions: Ellen was an orthopedic physician; her husband Yakov was a piano teacher; Robert worked in a law firm, Ruth was a cosmetologist. I'm sending these so that the names of these family members, and what happened to them, would be part of the family history, as a way of preserving their memory. I had stones with their names installed at the site of the mass murder in the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) forest in Riga, as I did for Sophie Herzenberg, her daughters Yevgenia and Flora, and the daughters' husbands, Nikolai and Leo. A lot of info about the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) memorial is here: Brenson, Ruth; Father: Isidor Brenson; Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Gender: Female; Date of Birth: 9/4/1885; Age: 56; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Widow; Spouse's First Name: Stephan Kossman; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga,Ghetto; Wartime Address: Ludzia 3; Place of Death: Rumbuli, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Granddaughter; Registration date: 16/04/2005. Brenson, Robert; Father's First Name Isidor; Mother's First Name Klara; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Killing; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid. Relationship to victim: Nephew. Registration date: 16/01/2004. Brenson, Ellen; Father: Isidor Brenson: Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Date of Birth: 1890; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Married; Spouse: Yakov Melzer; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Ghetto; Place of Death: Riga, Ghetto; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Perpetrator: Nazis; Submitter: Kossman, Nina: Relationship to victim, Great-Niece. Registration date: 17/04/2005. Brenson, Erik; Father: Robert Brenson; Date of Birth: 18/12/1917; Age: 24; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Single; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Profession: Worker; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Wartime Address: 64 Dzirnavu Iela, apt. 4; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 7/1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Family; Registration date: 17/08/2006. Melzer, Anatol; Father: Yakov; Mother: Ellen Brenson; Gender: Male; Date of Birth: 1938; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Marital Status: Child; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid; Relationship to victim: Relative; Registration date: 16/01/2004. Nina's note: I also sent a page of testimony for Enar Brenson (Robert's second son), who was 17 yrs. old when he was killed in 1941, but for some reason only his name is listed on the Yad Vashem website, without the POT (page of testimony). I have pictures of all of them, except for Erik and Enar, at Website notes: Ellen Brenson (188?-1941). Ruth's sister Ellen, an orthopedic physician; her husband, Yakov Meltzer, a pianist; and their son Anatol (6 yrs. old). All three were killed by the Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia." | Melzer, Anatol (I4385)
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| 3968 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: YL 014 notes Isadore Brewsohn, d. Riga, with four children: Ruth, md. Stephen Horsaie; Ellen, md. ___ Meltzer; Robert, Theo. 3. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter " - daughter Ellen-Benita, born on December 23 of 1895 (Julian calendar, Gregorian calendar - January 4 of 1896) in Mitau. She was a doctor. Her 1st husband Aron Patursky (their marriage was registered on December 19 of 1922 in Riga, see her photo from the Latvian passports for 1922, 1927, 1931). They had no children, their marriage was divorced in 1931 in Riga. Her second husband Jacob Melzer was born on May 5 of 1891 in Minsk. Their marriage was registered on September 8 of 1931 in Riga. His occupation - musician. Their son Anatol Melzer was born on June 26 of 1933 in Riga. Before the Second World War they lived in Riga at Brivibas Street 23, apt. 6. They were struck off the house register on September 30 of 1941 as moved to ghetto. Their address in ghetto - Lazdonas Street 11, apt. 1." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome." DEATH: 1. I'm sending the Pages of Testimony which we, i.e. my father and I, filled out and sent to Yad Vashem a couple of years ago. They are for Klara Herzenberg's children and their families. (They are all Herzenbergs even if their last names are different. The family name was not passed on, as they descended from the Herzenbergs through the maternal line.) The genealogy for Klara Herzenberg is Robert, Yosef, Lemchen, and Joseph. Unfortunately, when filling out the forms, I did not put their professions: Ellen was an orthopedic physician; her husband Yakov was a piano teacher; Robert worked in a law firm, Ruth was a cosmetologist. I'm sending these so that the names of these family members, and what happened to them, would be part of the family history, as a way of preserving their memory. I had stones with their names installed at the site of the mass murder in the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) forest in Riga, as I did for Sophie Herzenberg, her daughters Yevgenia and Flora, and the daughters' husbands, Nikolai and Leo. A lot of info about the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) memorial is here: Brenson, Ruth; Father: Isidor Brenson; Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Gender: Female; Date of Birth: 9/4/1885; Age: 56; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Widow; Spouse's First Name: Stephan Kossman; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga,Ghetto; Wartime Address: Ludzia 3; Place of Death: Rumbuli, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Granddaughter; Registration date: 16/04/2005. Brenson, Robert; Father's First Name Isidor; Mother's First Name Klara; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Killing; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid. Relationship to victim: Nephew. Registration date: 16/01/2004. Brenson, Ellen; Father: Isidor Brenson: Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Date of Birth: 1890; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Married; Spouse: Yakov Melzer; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Ghetto; Place of Death: Riga, Ghetto; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Perpetrator: Nazis; Submitter: Kossman, Nina: Relationship to victim, Great-Niece. Registration date: 17/04/2005. Brenson, Erik; Father: Robert Brenson; Date of Birth: 18/12/1917; Age: 24; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Single; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Profession: Worker; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Wartime Address: 64 Dzirnavu Iela, apt. 4; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 7/1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Family; Registration date: 17/08/2006. Melzer, Anatol; Father: Yakov; Mother: Ellen Brenson; Gender: Male; Date of Birth: 1938; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Marital Status: Child; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid; Relationship to victim: Relative; Registration date: 16/01/2004. Nina's note: I also sent a page of testimony for Enar Brenson (Robert's second son), who was 17 yrs. old when he was killed in 1941, but for some reason only his name is listed on the Yad Vashem website, without the POT (page of testimony). I have pictures of all of them, except for Erik and Enar, at Website notes: Ellen Brenson (188?-1941). Ruth's sister Ellen, an orthopedic physician; her husband, Yakov Meltzer, a pianist; and their son Anatol (6 yrs. old). All three were killed by the Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia." | Melzer, Jacob or Yakov (I4384)
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| 3969 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: YL 014 notes Isadore Brewsohn, d. Riga, with four children: Ruth, md. Stephen Horsaie; Ellen, md. ___ Meltzer; Robert, Theo. 3. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter " - son Robert, born on February 27 (Julian calendar) of 1889 in Mitau. His occupation - correspondent. On February 23 of 1924 in Riga he married to Elli Olga, daughter of Gustav nee Donbergs, born on December 25 of 1903 in Riga, she was German (when Robert married to Elli Olga, he was written down as a divorced). Robert had children: - son Erik, born on December 18 of 1917 in Moscow. - son Enar-Theodor, born on October 17 of 1926 in Riga. Since May of 1928 they lived in Riga at Dzirnavu Street 64, apt. 1. Elli Olga was struck off the house register on November 1 of 1933 where not stated. Robert and Elli Olga were divorced and in 1934 she married to Rosenthal (name not stated). On June 27 of 1936 in Riga Robert married to Benita-Mathilde-Elisabeth Brensohn, nee Isakowsky (Izakowsky), born on March 27 of 1913 in Riga, she was German. They were divorced on April 19 of 1939 in Riga.Beneta-Mathilde-Elisabeth was struck off the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 on January 18 of 1939 as moved to Elizabetes Street 8. She left for Germany on December 5 of 1939. There is a note in the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 that Robert and his son Enar 'have taken away' on July 12 of 1941, Erik 'have taken away' on July 25 of 1941. The museum "Jews in Latvia" keeps the lists of Central prison's inmates, set up on August 4 of 1941 (during Nazi occupation), where Erik, son of Robert Brenson registered under Nr. 196." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome." DEATH: 1. I'm sending the Pages of Testimony which we, i.e. my father and I, filled out and sent to Yad Vashem a couple of years ago. They are for Klara Herzenberg's children and their families. (They are all Herzenbergs even if their last names are different. The family name was not passed on, as they descended from the Herzenbergs through the maternal line.) The genealogy for Klara Herzenberg is Robert, Yosef, Lemchen, and Joseph. Unfortunately, when filling out the forms, I did not put their professions: Ellen was an orthopedic physician; her husband Yakov was a piano teacher; Robert worked in a law firm, Ruth was a cosmetologist. I'm sending these so that the names of these family members, and what happened to them, would be part of the family history, as a way of preserving their memory. I had stones with their names installed at the site of the mass murder in the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) forest in Riga, as I did for Sophie Herzenberg, her daughters Yevgenia and Flora, and the daughters' husbands, Nikolai and Leo. A lot of info about the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) memorial is here: Brenson, Ruth; Father: Isidor Brenson; Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Gender: Female; Date of Birth: 9/4/1885; Age: 56; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Widow; Spouse's First Name: Stephan Kossman; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga,Ghetto; Wartime Address: Ludzia 3; Place of Death: Rumbuli, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Granddaughter; Registration date: 16/04/2005. Brenson, Robert; Father's First Name Isidor; Mother's First Name Klara; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Killing; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid. Relationship to victim: Nephew. Registration date: 16/01/2004. Brenson, Ellen; Father: Isidor Brenson: Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Date of Birth: 1890; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Married; Spouse: Yakov Melzer; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Ghetto; Place of Death: Riga, Ghetto; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Perpetrator: Nazis; Submitter: Kossman, Nina: Relationship to victim, Great-Niece. Registration date: 17/04/2005. Brenson, Erik; Father: Robert Brenson; Date of Birth: 18/12/1917; Age: 24; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Single; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Profession: Worker; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Wartime Address: 64 Dzirnavu Iela, apt. 4; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 7/1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Family; Registration date: 17/08/2006. Melzer, Anatol; Father: Yakov; Mother: Ellen Brenson; Gender: Male; Date of Birth: 1938; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Marital Status: Child; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid; Relationship to victim: Relative; Registration date: 16/01/2004. Nina's note: I also sent a page of testimony for Enar Brenson (Robert's second son), who was 17 yrs. old when he was killed in 1941, but for some reason only his name is listed on the Yad Vashem website, without the POT (page of testimony). I have pictures of all of them, except for Erik and Enar, at Website above notes: "Robby Brenson (189?-1941). Robby Brenson graduated from law school and worked in Riga for a law firm. He was married several times. One wife was Swedish and their son, Einer, age 17, was working as a cleaning man in the offices of Tsinia, the Latvian Marxist newspaper, while Leonid Kossman was a drama critic there. Another wife was German and the child of this marriage, Erik Shlezinger, was 23 and serving in the Latvian army. Robby and Einer and Erik were all taken to the woods and killed by local collaborators during the first month of the Nazi takeover." | Brenson, Erik Shlezinger (I4383)
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| 3970 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: YL 014 notes Isadore Brewsohn, d. Riga, with four children: Ruth, md. Stephen Horsaie; Ellen, md. ___ Meltzer; Robert, Theo. 3. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter "- daughter Ellen-Benita, born on December 23 of 1895 (Julian calendar, Gregorian calendar - January 4 of 1896) in Mitau. She was a doctor. Her 1st husband Aron Patursky (their marriage was registered on December 19 of 1922 in Riga, see her photo from the Latvian passports for 1922, 1927, 1931). They had no children, their marriage was divorced in 1931 in Riga. Her second husband Jacob Melzer was born on May 5 of 1891 in Minsk. Their marriage was registered on September 8 of 1931 in Riga. His occupation - musician. Their son Anatol Melzer was born on June 26 of 1933 in Riga. Before the Second World War they lived in Riga at Brivibas Street 23, apt. 6. They were struck off the house register on September 30 of 1941 as moved to ghetto. Their address in ghetto - Lazdonas Street 11, apt. 1." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome." DEATH: 1. I'm sending the Pages of Testimony which we, i.e. my father and I, filled out and sent to Yad Vashem a couple of years ago. They are for Klara Herzenberg's children and their families. (They are all Herzenbergs even if their last names are different. The family name was not passed on, as they descended from the Herzenbergs through the maternal line.) The genealogy for Klara Herzenberg is Robert, Yosef, Lemchen, and Joseph. Unfortunately, when filling out the forms, I did not put their professions: Ellen was an orthopedic physician; her husband Yakov was a piano teacher; Robert worked in a law firm, Ruth was a cosmetologist. I'm sending these so that the names of these family members, and what happened to them, would be part of the family history, as a way of preserving their memory. I had stones with their names installed at the site of the mass murder in the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) forest in Riga, as I did for Sophie Herzenberg, her daughters Yevgenia and Flora, and the daughters' husbands, Nikolai and Leo. A lot of info about the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) memorial is here: Brenson, Ruth; Father: Isidor Brenson; Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Gender: Female; Date of Birth: 9/4/1885; Age: 56; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Widow; Spouse's First Name: Stephan Kossman; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga,Ghetto; Wartime Address: Ludzia 3; Place of Death: Rumbuli, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Granddaughter; Registration date: 16/04/2005. Brenson, Robert; Father's First Name Isidor; Mother's First Name Klara; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Killing; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid. Relationship to victim: Nephew. Registration date: 16/01/2004. Brenson, Ellen; Father: Isidor Brenson: Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Date of Birth: 1890; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Married; Spouse: Yakov Melzer; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Ghetto; Place of Death: Riga, Ghetto; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Perpetrator: Nazis; Submitter: Kossman, Nina: Relationship to victim, Great-Niece. Registration date: 17/04/2005. Brenson, Erik; Father: Robert Brenson; Date of Birth: 18/12/1917; Age: 24; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Single; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Profession: Worker; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Wartime Address: 64 Dzirnavu Iela, apt. 4; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 7/1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Family; Registration date: 17/08/2006. Melzer, Anatol; Father: Yakov; Mother: Ellen Brenson; Gender: Male; Date of Birth: 1938; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Marital Status: Child; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid; Relationship to victim: Relative; Registration date: 16/01/2004. Nina's note: I also sent a page of testimony for Enar Brenson (Robert's second son), who was 17 yrs. old when he was killed in 1941, but for some reason only his name is listed on the Yad Vashem website, without the POT (page of testimony). I have pictures of all of them, except for Erik and Enar, at Website notes: Ellen Brenson (188?-1941). Ruth's sister Ellen, an orthopedic physician; her husband, Yakov Meltzer, a pianist; and their son Anatol (6 yrs. old). All three were killed by the Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia." | Brenson, Ellen-Benita (I4382)
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| 3971 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: YL 014 notes Isadore Brewsohn, d. Riga, with four children: Ruth, md. Stephen Horsaie; Ellen, md. ___ Meltzer; Robert, Theo. 3. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter " - son Robert, born on February 27 (Julian calendar) of 1889 in Mitau. His occupation - correspondent. On February 23 of 1924 in Riga he married to Elli Olga, daughter of Gustav nee Donbergs, born on December 25 of 1903 in Riga, she was German (when Robert married to Elli Olga, he was written down as a divorced). Robert had children: - son Erik, born on December 18 of 1917 in Moscow. - son Enar-Theodor, born on October 17 of 1926 in Riga. Since May of 1928 they lived in Riga at Dzirnavu Street 64, apt. 1. Elli Olga was struck off the house register on November 1 of 1933 where not stated. Robert and Elli Olga were divorced and in 1934 she married to Rosenthal (name not stated). On June 27 of 1936 in Riga Robert married to Benita-Mathilde-Elisabeth Brensohn, nee Isakowsky (Izakowsky), born on March 27 of 1913 in Riga, she was German. They were divorced on April 19 of 1939 in Riga.Beneta-Mathilde-Elisabeth was struck off the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 on January 18 of 1939 as moved to Elizabetes Street 8. She left for Germany on December 5 of 1939. There is a note in the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 that Robert and his son Enar 'have taken away' on July 12 of 1941, Erik 'have taken away' on July 25 of 1941. The museum "Jews in Latvia" keeps the lists of Central prison's inmates, set up on August 4 of 1941 (during Nazi occupation), where Erik, son of Robert Brenson registered under Nr. 196." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome." DEATH: 1. I'm sending the Pages of Testimony which we, i.e. my father and I, filled out and sent to Yad Vashem a couple of years ago. They are for Klara Herzenberg's children and their families. (They are all Herzenbergs even if their last names are different. The family name was not passed on, as they descended from the Herzenbergs through the maternal line.) The genealogy for Klara Herzenberg is Robert, Yosef, Lemchen, and Joseph. Unfortunately, when filling out the forms, I did not put their professions: Ellen was an orthopedic physician; her husband Yakov was a piano teacher; Robert worked in a law firm, Ruth was a cosmetologist. I'm sending these so that the names of these family members, and what happened to them, would be part of the family history, as a way of preserving their memory. I had stones with their names installed at the site of the mass murder in the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) forest in Riga, as I did for Sophie Herzenberg, her daughters Yevgenia and Flora, and the daughters' husbands, Nikolai and Leo. A lot of info about the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) memorial is here: Brenson, Ruth; Father: Isidor Brenson; Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Gender: Female; Date of Birth: 9/4/1885; Age: 56; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Widow; Spouse's First Name: Stephan Kossman; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga,Ghetto; Wartime Address: Ludzia 3; Place of Death: Rumbuli, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Granddaughter; Registration date: 16/04/2005. Brenson, Robert; Father's First Name Isidor; Mother's First Name Klara; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Killing; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid. Relationship to victim: Nephew. Registration date: 16/01/2004. Brenson, Ellen; Father: Isidor Brenson: Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Date of Birth: 1890; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Married; Spouse: Yakov Melzer; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Ghetto; Place of Death: Riga, Ghetto; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Perpetrator: Nazis; Submitter: Kossman, Nina: Relationship to victim, Great-Niece. Registration date: 17/04/2005. Brenson, Erik; Father: Robert Brenson; Date of Birth: 18/12/1917; Age: 24; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Single; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Profession: Worker; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Wartime Address: 64 Dzirnavu Iela, apt. 4; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 7/1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Family; Registration date: 17/08/2006. Melzer, Anatol; Father: Yakov; Mother: Ellen Brenson; Gender: Male; Date of Birth: 1938; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Marital Status: Child; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid; Relationship to victim: Relative; Registration date: 16/01/2004. Nina's note: I also sent a page of testimony for Enar Brenson (Robert's second son), who was 17 yrs. old when he was killed in 1941, but for some reason only his name is listed on the Yad Vashem website, without the POT (page of testimony). I have pictures of all of them, except for Erik and Enar, at Website above notes: "Robby Brenson (189?-1941). Robby Brenson graduated from law school and worked in Riga for a law firm. He was married several times. One wife was Swedish and their son, Einer, age 17, was working as a cleaning man in the offices of Tsinia, the Latvian Marxist newspaper, while Leonid Kossman was a drama critic there. Another wife was German and the child of this marriage, Erik Shlezinger, was 23 and serving in the Latvian army. Robby and Einer and Erik were all taken to the woods and killed by local collaborators during the first month of the Nazi takeover." | Brenson, Robert (I4381)
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| 3972 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: YL 014 notes Isadore Brewsohn, d. Riga, with four children: Ruth, md. Stephen Horsaie; Ellen, md. ___ Meltzer; Robert, Theo. 3. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter " - daughter Ruth Paulina, born on March 28 (Julian calendar) of 1885 in Mitau (however later in the house register her date of birth - April 9 (Gregorian calendar of 1886 in Mitau). In 1909 in "Riga she married to Schebsel Kosman (entry No. 59 in the marriage records of the Jewish community in Riga). Their children: - son Leonid Kosman, born on September 24 of 1915 in Moscow. His wife Tereza, nee Yacoby (daughter of Johan/Janis, son of Adolph Yacoby and Jenni, nee Heiman) was born on July 5 of 1918 in Moscow (see her photo form the Latvian passport for 1935). Since September 14 of 1935 a widow Ruth Kosman and Leonid lived in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 1. Leonid was struck off the house register on June 30 of 1940 as moved to Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 1. Tereza was struck off the house register of Elizabetes Street 27 on August 14 of 1941 as moved to Maskavas Sttreet 171, apt. 4 together with her parents and two sisters. Obviously later they were sent to ghetto. According to the records of the Soviet Extraordinary State Commission for 945 Jenny, Tereza and Ruth Yacoby, living in Riga at Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 1 were killed in 1941. - daughter Eleonora Kosman, born on April 15 of 1911 in Moscow. Her husband Wilhelm (Wolfram), son of Eduard Gottlieb, born on June 6 of 1907 in Riga (see his photo from the Latvian passport for 1925). His occupation - journalist. They were registered as living in Riga at Dzernavu Street 64, apt. 4 since July 20 till August 12 of 1935 when they arrived from London to visit their relatives. Wilhelm's father was the candidate of commerce Israel/Eduards, son of Shanis Gottlieb was born on January 16 of 1870 in Riga. His wife Haja Sara (Sora), daughter of Mowscha. Mosus Kaschdan, a watch-maker from Borisov, and his wife Lina, was born on January 27 (Julian calendar, February 7 - Gregorian calendar) of 1880 in Riga (see her photo from the Latvian passport for 1924). Their marriage was registered in 1906 in Riga (entry No. 2 in the marriage records of the Jewish community in Riga for 1906. They had also daughter Herta Gottlieb, born on November 1 (Julian calendar, 14 November - Gregorian calendar) of 1909 in Riga. In 1924 the family of Israel/Eduard Gottlieb lived in Riga at Dzernavu Street 66, apt. 52. Before the Second World War they lived in Riga at Brivibas Street 33 (unfortunately, the house registers for the time period before October of 1939 have not survived, therefore we cannot trace fate of Haja and Herta. The museum "Jews of Latvia" keeps the lists of Central prison's inmates, set up on August 4 of 1941, where Eduards, son of Zhanis Gottlieb was registered under Nr. 67." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome." 2. Provided 8 May 2012 by Nina Kossman from writings of her father Leonid Kossman concerning his recollections of his parents: "Recollections My Parents I remember my father before 1924 when he became blind. He was a slender elegant man. He spoke fluently three languages - Russian, German, and English. In his youth he spent many years in London. It was my paternal grandfather who had left Russia with his big family for England. Father attended school in London. As a young man, father went to Leipzig which was a center of fur business. There he got experience in it. Finally he settled in Moscow. He had customers in London who ordered Russian furs. My father bought them wholesale from the Tartars and exported them to England. He was a "merchant of the first guild" and was therefore permitted to reside in Moscow though being Jewish. In prerevolutionary Moscow, my family led a sumptuous life. My mother had three servants - a cook, a housemaid, and a governess. The family had a big apartment. My maternal uncle Theo lived in our apartment for a long time while he studied architecture in Moscow. My father had several brothers and sisters whom he assisted financially. In 1918, after the Bolshevik Revolution, father and his family left Russia for Latvia, my mother's native country. My parents rented a five-room apartment in the center of Riga. Father tried to go on with his fur business. He used to do business by meeting his trade partners in a coffee house. In Riga he also succeeded in earning rather good money. I was happy when my father took me, a boy of seven years, to the old town of Riga where we went to a stamp store. He bought an album and numerous stamps for me. In 1924 our family went to the cinema. I was sitting beside my father. When the lights went on again, he said to me, "I can't see anything." That was the beginning of my father's blindness. My parents went to Berlin and Moscow for consultations with famous eye specialists. The German doctor concluded that the reason for my father's blindness was his smoking habit - he used to smoke about 50 cigarettes per day. According to the Moscow specialist, the reason for the blindness was a brain tumor (at that time there was no way to discover a tumor.) My mother accompanied father on his trip to Germany and went with him to the Latvian border station near Russia. Father's brother Vladimir expected him on the Russian side and went with him to Moscow. My father used to do business with other traders at Reiner, a coffee house in the old part of Riga. But now he was rejected by his colleagues. "Go to your doctor. We don't need you here." That was too much for my father's self esteem. He couldn't overcome this blow. Before his blindness, he was very vivacious and active. But after his colleagues stopped accepting him, he became taciturn and was very sad. My mother was brave after this calamity had occurred. Now she had to earn money to support the family. She went to Paris to attend a beautician's school. After receiving a French diploma, she opened a beautician's salon in Riga. She had also learned how to prepare various skin creams which she sold to her customers. For our family, hard times had begun. My sister Nora was invited by our paternal grandfather to live with him and grandmother. Because of a fever, there was a suspicion of TB. Since grandfather was a doctor, it made sense for Nora to live in his house. She moved to our grandparents' and stayed there for several years. Grandfather paid for all private tutors Nora needed for graduating from high school. Luckily the suspicion of TB was unfounded. When mother needed money for the trip to Paris, she asked her father for it, but his condition for lending it was her diamond ring as deposit. I used to read to my father the German daily "Rigasche Rundshau." I spent a lot of time with my father. Once I witnessed a tragic scene when my father's old friend Krupnikov visited him. When Krupnikov touched in his conversation on father's blindness, he started laughing while father was crying. Krupnikov couldn't stop his nervous fit. In January 1930 father passed away. He was buried according to the Jewish tradition. After his death, I went to a shul to say kaddish for him. For a month I went there daily. Between the prayers, people discussed their business. Praying was a sheer formality. I told my mother about it and stopped going to shul." [KP note: death date is in error and was probably just an inaccurate memory considering Leonid wrote his recollections late in life.] The writings at this point become about Leonid himself and Nina Kossman should be contacted in case more information is desired. MARRIAGE: 1. Ancestry.com's "Latvia, Riga, Jewish Marriages, 1854-1921" in association with JewishGen: Schebsel Kosmann and Ruth Paulina Brenson, 1909." DEATH: 1. I'm sending the Pages of Testimony which we, i.e. my father and I, filled out and sent to Yad Vashem a couple of years ago. They are for Klara Herzenberg's children and their families. (They are all Herzenbergs even if their last names are different. The family name was not passed on, as they descended from the Herzenbergs through the maternal line.) The genealogy for Klara Herzenberg is Robert, Yosef, Lemchen, and Joseph. Unfortunately, when filling out the forms, I did not put their professions: Ellen was an orthopedic physician; her husband Yakov was a piano teacher; Robert worked in a law firm, Ruth was a cosmetologist. I'm sending these so that the names of these family members, and what happened to them, would be part of the family history, as a way of preserving their memory. I had stones with their names installed at the site of the mass murder in the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) forest in Riga, as I did for Sophie Herzenberg, her daughters Yevgenia and Flora, and the daughters' husbands, Nikolai and Leo. A lot of info about the Rumbuli (or, Rumbula) memorial is here: Brenson, Ruth; Father: Isidor Brenson; Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Gender: Female; Date of Birth: 9/4/1885; Age: 56; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Widow; Spouse's First Name: Stephan Kossman; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga,Ghetto; Wartime Address: Ludzia 3; Place of Death: Rumbuli, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Granddaughter; Registration date: 16/04/2005. Brenson, Robert; Father's First Name Isidor; Mother's First Name Klara; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Killing; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid. Relationship to victim: Nephew. Registration date: 16/01/2004. Brenson, Ellen; Father: Isidor Brenson: Mother: Klara Hertzenberg; Date of Birth: 1890; Place of Birth: Yelgava, Jelgavas, Zemgale, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Married; Spouse: Yakov Melzer; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Ghetto; Place of Death: Riga, Ghetto; Date of Death: 1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Perpetrator: Nazis; Submitter: Kossman, Nina: Relationship to victim, Great-Niece. Registration date: 17/04/2005. Brenson, Erik; Father: Robert Brenson; Date of Birth: 18/12/1917; Age: 24; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Citizenship: Latvia; Marital Status: Single; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Profession: Worker; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Wartime Address: 64 Dzirnavu Iela, apt. 4; Place of Death: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 7/1941; Cause of Death: Shot; Submitter: Kossman, Nina; Relationship to victim: Family; Registration date: 17/08/2006. Melzer, Anatol; Father: Yakov; Mother: Ellen Brenson; Gender: Male; Date of Birth: 1938; Place of Birth: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Marital Status: Child; Permanent residence: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Place during the war: Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia; Date of Death: 1941; Submitter: Kossman, Leonid; Relationship to victim: Relative; Registration date: 16/01/2004. Nina's note: I also sent a page of testimony for Enar Brenson (Robert's second son), who was 17 yrs. old when he was killed in 1941, but for some reason only his name is listed on the Yad Vashem website, without the POT (page of testimony). I have pictures of all of them, except for Erik and Enar, at 2. Death mentioned in detail in biography provided by Irene Gottlieb. See her notes for full biography. Irene notes that Ruth committed suicide rather than accept her life and death being controlled by the Nazis. Other family members contest this statement and are not so sure of death by suicide considering the times and circumstances of life in the Riga ghetto. Nina Kossman, another grand-daughter of Ruth Brenson, questions whether Ruth actually ever committed suicide even though she evidently contemplated it. Nina recounts: "My father talked about his meeting, right after the war, of a woman who used to work for his family. This woman, whose name was Lena, told him that the last time she saw Ruth (my father's mother) was when Lena came to the fence/wall of the ghetto and Ruth was there. Lena asked: "Is there anything you'd like me to bring you?" Ruth said she wanted Lena to bring her poison. That's all we have as far as what was said." | Brenson, Ruth Paulina (I4380)
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| 3973 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the First Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic physician and her husband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: YL 014 notes Isadore Brewsohn, d. Riga, with four children: Ruth, md. Stephen Horsaie; Ellen, md. ___ Meltzer; Robert, Theo. 3. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter "The records of the archival fonds "Collection of Passports of Riga Prefecture," "Riga City House Registers," the birth records of the Jewish community in Mitau for 1854-1855, 1857-1858, 1862, 1864-1883,1886-1889, 1892, 1895, 1900, 1902-1904, the marriage records of the same community for 1854, 1856-1868, 1872-1873, 1875, 1884, 1886-1887, 1889-1891, 1893, 1895-1897, as available at our archives (the birth marriage and death records for other years have not survived), the birth marriage and death records of the Jewish communities in Riga for 1854-1905, the revision lists of the Jewish families belonging to Mitau for 1834, 1858, 1887, the recruits' enlistment register of the Jewish families belonging to Mitau for 1845, 1875, for Pilten for 1848 contain the following information: Doctor of medicine, the Hereditary Honourable Citizen Isidor (Isak-Aisik, Itzig), son of Isak (Itzig) Brenson (Brennsohn in German) was born on September 27 (Gregorian calendar) of 1854 in Mitau (see Appendix No. 1 and his photo from the Latvian passport for 1927). His father Isak-Aisik Juda (or son of Juda) Brenson, obviously Isidor's father died before his son was born (Isidor was the only child of his parents). His mother Beile-Dore, daughter of Peisah (Peisak) Kretzer, born in ca 1833 (aged 1 in 1834, aged 42 in 1875). Her father was Peisah, son of Hirsch Kretzer, born in ca 1788 or 1794 (aged 23 in 1811, however in the revision lists for 1834 he was registered as 38 years old, see Appendix No. 2), he was registered in the Jewish community in Mitau at least since 1811. Peisach died on September 24 of 1863 in Mitau, aged 80 (we would like to draw your attention to the fact that very often the age of person was determined by their outward appearance and was stated in some documents rather approximately. Beile's mother Gutte (maiden name is not stated) was born in ca 1805 (aged 29 in 1834). We did not manage to find any information that Peisach and Gutte have children besides Beile. Isidor's wife Klara, daughter of Robert Herzenberg was born on December 4 of 1859 in Mitau (this date of birth was stated in her Latvian passports and in the house register, unfortunately, the birth records for 1859 have not survived, se her photo from Latvian passport for 1927. Their marriage was registered on May 12 of 1883 in Mitau. The family of Isidor Brenson lived in Mitau and then moved to Riga, where they lived in their own (since 1910) houses at Dzirnavu Street 64. [Irene adds note: "This is the house where my great grandparents lived. My sister and I went there.] Isidor Brenson died on December 31 of 1928 in Riga. Klara died June 17 of 1939 in Riga. Isidor and Klara had children. - son Robert, born on February 27 (Julian calendar) of 1889 in Mitau. His occupation - correspondent. On February 23 of 1924 in Riga he married to Elli Olga, daughter of Gustav nee Donbergs, born on December 25 of 1903 in Riga, she was German (when Robert married to Elli Olga, he was written down as a divorced). Robert had children: - son Erik, born on December 18 of 1917 in Moscow. - son Enar-Theodor, born on October 17 of 1926 in Riga. Since May of 1928 they lived in Riga at Dzirnavu Street 64, apt. 1. Elli Olga was struck off the house register on November 1 of 1933 where not stated. Robert and Elli Olga were divorced and in 1934 she married to Rosenthal (name not stated). On June 27 of 1936 in Riga Robert married to Benita-Mathilde-Elisabeth Brensohn, nee Isakowsky (Izakowsky), born on March 27 of 1913 in Riga,she was German. They were divorced on April 19 of 1939 in Riga.Beneta-Mathilde-Elisabeth was struck off the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 on January 18 of 1939 as moved to Elizabetes Street 8. She left for Germany on December 5 of 1939. There is a note in the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 that Robert and his son Enar 'have taken away' on July 12 of 1941, Erik 'have taken away' on July 25 of 1941. The museum "Jews in Latvia" keeps the lists of Central prison's inmates, set up on August 4 of 1941 (during Nazi occupation), where Erik, son of Robert Brenson registered under Nr. 196. - son Theodor (Feodor)-Wilhelm, born on November 15 (Julian calendar, 27 November - Gregorian calendar) of 1892 in Mitau (see his photo from the Latvian passports for 1920, 1939). His occupation - engineer architect. On July 30 of 1932 in Paris he married to Wally Marie Georgia Grell (she was a widow, according to the marriage certificate Theodor was a widower and divorced, born on August 11 of 1903 in Riga, according to the house register her occupation - actor. In 1936 they were registered as living at Dzernavu Street 64, apt. 4, on September 21 of 1936 they left for Paris. In 1939 Theodor arrived to Riga and was registered as living at Dzernavu Street 64, apt. 4, he struck off the house register on August 28 of 1939 as moved to Paris. - daughter Ellen-Benita, born on December 23 of 1895 (Julian calendar, Gregorian calendar - January 4 of 1896) in Mitau. She was a doctor. Her 1st husband Aron Patursky (their marriage was registered on December 19 of 1922 in Riga, see her photo from the Latvian passports for 1922, 1927, 1931). They had no children, their marriage was divorced in 1931 in Riga. Her second husband Jacob Melzer was born on May 5 of 1891 in Minsk. Their marriage was registered on September 8 of 1931 in Riga. His occupation - musician. Their son Anatol Melzer was born on June 26 of 1933 in Riga. Before the Second World War they lived in Riga at Brivibas Street 23, apt. 6. They were struck off the house register on September 30 of 1941 as moved to ghetto. Their address in ghetto - Lazdonas Street 11, apt. 1. - son Otton-Osip, born in 1897, died on August 9 of 1897 in Dubbeln, buried at the Jewish cemetery in Mitau, aged 3 weeks, cause of death - inflammation of the lungs (see Appendix No. 3). - daughter Ruth Paulina, born on March 28 (Julian calendar) of 1885 in Mitau (however later in the house register her date of birth - April 9 (Gregorian calendar of 1886 in Mitau). In 1909 in "Riga she married to Schebsel Kosman (entry No. 59 in teh marriage records of the Jewish community in Riga). Their children: - son Leonid Kosman, born on September 24 of 1915 in Moscow. His wife Tereza, nee Yacoby (daughter of Johan/Janis, son of Adolph Yacoby and Jenni, nee Heiman) was born on July 5 of 1918 in Moscow (see her photo form the Latvian passport for 1935). Since September 14 of 1935 a widow Ruth Kosman and Leonid lived in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 1. Leonid was struck off the house register on June 30 of 1940 as moved to Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 1. Tereza was struck off the house register of Elizabetes Street 27 on August 14 of 1941 as moved to Maskavas Sttreet 171, apt. 4 together with her parents and two sisters. Obviously later they were sent to ghetto. According to the records of the Soviet Extraordinary State Commission for 945 Jenny, Tereza and Ruth Yacoby, living in Riga at Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 1 were killed in 1941. - daughter Eleonora Kosman, born on April 15 of 1911 in Moscow. Her husband Wilhelm (Wolfram), son of Eduard Gottlieb, born on June 6 of 1907 in Riga (see his photo from the Latvian passport for 1925). His occupation - journalist. They were registered as living in Riga at Dzernavu Street 64, apt. 4 since July 20 till August 12 of 1935 when they arrived from London to visit their relatives. Wilhelm's father was the candidate of commerce Israel/Eduards, son of Shanis Gottlieb was born on January 16 of 1870 in Riga. His wife Haja Sara (Sora), daughter of Mowscha.Mosus Kaschdan, a watch-maker from Borisov, and his wife Lina, was born on January 27 (Julian calendar, February 7 - Gregorian calendar) of 1880 in Riga (see her photo from the Latvian passport for 1924). Their marriage was registered in 1906 in Riga (entry No. 2 in the marriage records of the Jewish community in Riga for 1906. They had also daughter Herta Gottlieb, born on November 1 (Julian calendar, 14 November - Gregorian calendar) of 1909 in Riga. In 1924 the family of Israel/Eduard Gottlieb lived in Riga at Dzernavu Street 66, apt. 52. Before the Second World War they lived in Riga at Brivibas Street 33 (unfortunately, the house registers for the time period before October of 1939 have not survived, therefore we cannot trace fate of Haja and Herta. The museum "Jews of Latvia" keeps the lists of Central prison's inmates, set up on August 4 of 1941, where Eduards, son of Zhanis Gottlieb was registered under Nr. 67. We suppose that Klara's father was Robert (Ruben), son of Joseph (Jossel) Herzenberg a merchant from Pilten, born in ca 1826 (aged 22 in 1848, see Appendix No. 4) and mother Emilie (Amalie), daughter of David Kahn, born in ca 1830, died in 1903. Robert Herzenberg lived in Mitau and had his firm 'Robert Herzenberg,' he died before 1887 (the death records of the Jewish community in Mitau, as available at our archives do not contain information on his death). Ruben had at least two brothers Laser and Jacob (unfortunately, females (daughters) were not registered in the recruits' enlistment registers of Pilten). His parents: father Joseph (Jossel), son of Lemchen Herzenberg was born in ca 1809 (aged 39 in 1848), mother Zippe (the age is not stated). His grandparents: Lemchen, son of Joseph Herzenberg, born ca 1780, died in 1840. He belonged to the Jewish community in Pilten at least since 1834, his wife Schore (the age is not stated). Klara had brothers and sisters: - sister Rosete, born on April 14 of 1854 in Mitau. Rosa Herzenberg died on November 2 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 8-1/2, cause of death - measles. We suppose that Rosete and Rosa was one and the same person. - sister Feige/Fanny, born on July 26 of 1857 in Mitau, died on October 31 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 5, cause of death - measles. - sister Seba, died in 1859 in Mitau, aged 3. - brother, David, son of Robert Herzenberg, born on July 17 of 1864 in Mitau, 2nd guild merchant, since 1915 - 1st guild merchant, the Hereditary Honourable Citizen. His wife Sophia, daughter of Abram Herzenberg was born on August 20 (Gregorian calendar) of 1869 in Mitau. According to the birth records Klara Herzenberg was born on August 8 (Julian calendar) of 1869 in Mitau, her father was Abram Herzenberg and mother Teresa, daughter of Joseph, nee Herzenberg. We suppose that Sophia and Klara might be one and the same person. The marriage of David and Sophia was registered on January 7 of 1890 in Mitau. They had children: - son Robert, born on December 13 of 1892 in Mitau. - daughter Jenny (Eugenia), born on October 18 of 1896 in Mitau. - daughter Flora, born on February 8 of 1898 in Mitau. Since 1935 a widow Sophia and her daughters Eugenia and Flora lived in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 11. In 1939 Robert Herzenberg, a correspondent by profession, his wife Beila and son David-Harry were registered as living in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 11. They left for Sweden in August - September of 1939. Eugenia married to Lev Wolozhinski, born on January 15 of 1891 in Riga. Sophia, Eugenia, Lev were struck off the house register of Lacplesa Street 9 in July 19-21 of 1941 (during Nazi occupation), obviously they were sent to ghetto. Lev Wolozhinsky was killed in July of 1941. Flora married to Nechemy/Nikolay Friedlender, born on December 21 of 1880 in Mitau. They lived at Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 2 and were struck off the house register on August 14 of 1941 a moved to Maskavas Street 171, apt. 4. According to the records of the Soviet Extraordinary State Commission for 1945, Nechemy and Flora were killed in 1941. - brother Alexander, born on April 16 of 1866 in Mitau. He was registered as a merchant of top guild of Mitau. Since January 12 of 1899 he was registered as a Moscow merchant of top guild. - brother Leonhard, born on July 24 of 1868 in Mitau. All dates are stated according to the Julian calendar. For the better clearness the composition of the Herzenberg family is prepared also in the form of the genealogical table. In case only age of a person for a concrete year is indicated in the documents, his/her date of birth is stated approximately. The place of birth (marriage, death) is given only in a case if it is specified in the document. In a case we will find any additional information, tables can be corrected and supplemented. Reference: fond 5024, inventory 2, files 331, 351, 375, inventory 1, file 88. fond 2942, inventory 1, files 4109, 2130. fond 630, inventory 2, files 220, 221. fond 4349, inventory 2, file 6. fond 445, inventory 1, files 2035, 2038. fond 2996, inventory 9, file 520, inventory 12, field 14498, inventory 7, files 25343, 25280, inventory 2, files 41162, 41163, 41164, 41171, 41175, 41185, 41186, inventory 15, file 4449, fond 472, inventory 5, files 628, 826, 1574. Enclosure: genealogical table - 1 table, copies of the documents - 26 sheets. Director: N. Rizovs, Head of Department: I. Veinberga., Researcher: J. Polovceva." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome. Helene was married to Jeannot Taube, with children Harry, Alice and Erna. Harry Taube I still knew as a student." 2. Email from: "Nina Kossman" Yes, I know of that family [David and Sophie Herzenberg]. In fact, I had stones installed in the Rumbuli forest in memory of Sophie Herzenberg and her two daughters, Yevgenia and Flora, as well as in memory of the daughters' husbands. In the latest installment (part 3) of the translation of my g.gfather's memoir there is a mention of a historical "Herzenberg" house (Herzenbergsche Haus) in Jelgava and, a few pages later, of his meeting, in the summer of 1872, a thirteen year girl, Clara Herzenberg (his future wife), in the home of her parents where he accepted a position as a tutor. But so far there isn't much detail about the Herzenbergs; only that years before 1872, as a seven and eight year old boy, he had played with Clara's little sisters, Rosa and Fanny, until his visits to the house were discontinued due to their illness (and subsequent death). There is a paragraph that describes the historical meaning of the Herzenberg House, yet it doesn't seem that the events that took place there in 1726 have anything to do with the Herzenbergs per se. Later email: "Here's the translation of the passage from my g.g.father's memoir which mentions the "Herzenberg House": "Among the oldest buildings of the city which have historical importance is the Herzenberg House (Herzenbergsche Haus) on the corner of Catholic St. and Big St. This house is a historical landmark building because it was there that in 1726 Moritz Saksonski was hiding from the Poles. He was freed by the life guards of the duchess Anna Ioanovna. Moritz Saksonsky was invited to the palace, but due to his thoughtlessness, he lost the good will of his benefactors and had to flee, disguised as a coachman, from his last place of refuge on the Usmas island, which, by that time, was surrounded by the Russians." I couldn't find anything on Google about Moritz Saksonsky. Usmas is a camping site in present-day Latvia. I'll keep you posted if I find anything else that gives clues to the past of the Herzenbergs." 3. Nina Kossman [nina@ninakossman.com] August 28, 2007: "Prof. Viksna, a Latvian scholar who researched Isidor Brennsohn's contribution to the history of medicine in the Baltics, sent Nina Kossman a copy of I. Brennsohn's memoirs in the original German. Nina had it translated into English. Riga's Museum of the History of Medicine had been planning to publish a bilingual (German / Latvian) edition of Isidor Brennsohn's memoirs, but due to the financial crisis in Latvia, the plans had to be put on hold. The memoirs describe Isidor's growing up in Jelgava, becoming a student at the University of Dorpat (now Tartu, Estonia), and marrying Klara Herzenberg. Klara and Isidor had six children: two died in Childhood, four (Ruth, Helen, Robert, Theodor) lived to adulthood. Of these four only one (Theodor) survived the Holocaust, as he was not living in Latvia at the time (he lived in Paris, then in New York). Their daughters Ruth and Ellen (Ellen Benita), their son Robert, Ellen's husband Yakov Melzer and their son Anatol, and Robert's sons Enar and Erik, were all killed in Riga in 1941. To see photos of Isidor, Klara and their offspring, see The website referenced above is the following: "Medicina (Kaunas) 2004; 40 (9): 912-916 150th birth anniversary of Izidor Brennsohn, Latvian historian of medicine and researcher of Lithuanian anthropology Aurimas Andriušis, Arnis Viksna1 Department of Medical History and Ethics, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Lithuania, Faculty of Medicine, Latvian University, Latvia Key words: history of medicine, anthropology, international relations. Summary. This publication is dedicated to the 150th birth anniversary of a famous German-writing Latvian physician, historian of medicine, and anthropologist of Jewish descent Izidor Brennsohn, and to his ties with Lithuania. I. Brennsohn's works on physicians and the development of health care in Kurland, Livland, and Estland laid the foundations for the contemporary historiography of medicine in Latvia and Estonia. To a certain extent, these works could also be viewed as a digest of the sources of Lithuanian history of medicine, especially in regard to the regions on the boarder with Latvia, as well as to various personalities. However, Brennsohn's most important link with Lithuania was his doctoral thesis "On Lithuanian anthropology" ("Zur Anthropologie der Litauer"), defended at Dorpat (Tartu) University in 1883. It was one of the first works dealing with Lithuanian ethnic anthropology as a whole. Although, material of thesis could not be used for wider generalizations, still, it is one of rare and valuable 19th century sources of Lithuanian anthropology. Brennsohn's legacy deserves greater attention from people researching medical history in Lithuania. Correspondence to A. Andriušis, Department of Medical History and Ethics, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio 21/27, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania. E-mail: aurimas.andriusis@mf.vu.lt Received 4 March 2003, accepted 2 September 2004." 4. See notes of Ruth Brenson for an autobiography of Irene Gottleib Sattler who is the great-granddaughter of Isidor and Klara Brenson, in which she mentions her memories of this couple. 5. The following translation and transcription was provided to me by Nina Kossman: "Sketches from my Life Especially of my Youth. By Isidorus Brennsohn, M.D. "Into the ocean sails with a thousand masts the young man, Quietly, on the rescued ship, floats into the harbor the old man." This simple tale is meant for my children and close relatives. If these pages should wind up in outsiders' hands, they will learn about the development of a Jewish boy exposed to dual influences-those of a Jewish environment and of the German-Baltic culture. In the biographical literature of our country I have not encountered a depiction of how these two factors worked together, which was not rare in my youth. It will therefore perhaps not lack interest. Since I am past the zenith of my life, I have written down this record from memory. I may have forgotten some of what actually happened and emphasized minor events, but what I am reporting here is true, as I lived and experienced it at the time. Beginning and ending-the two ends of all life, of all things. I reached the first boundary in a dark autumn night in the year 1854 (on 15/27 September), in the days when in the Crimean War the siege of Sebastopol by the allies began. The consequences of war, which destroys human beings, encroached also on my young life; I entered the world as a fatherless orphan. I was born in Mitau, Kurland's plain capital. In the garret of the Löwensterns' house in the main street mother and child battled death for weeks. With careful nursing my sweet grandmother kept me alive. Slowly my mother recovered, with the raw reality of being alone in life creeping up on her. Completely without resources, she had to think of making a living for herself and her child. She was twenty years old, and aroused sympathy from many quarters for her tragic fate and her courage in making her way through life on her own. With needlework she earned our scanty living. Both on father's and mother's side I am descended from an old family in Kurland. I don't know much about my ancestors on father's side, since they lived outside Mitau (Tuckum etc.). My mother's family, on the other hand, was a well-known, long-established family. My great-grandfather was a home owner - Avigdor Kretzer - and belonged to the families which on 16 June 1794 received the special legal right to undisturbed residence in Kurland and Semgallen and Mitau, through the so-called Unalterable Plan "for the secure and unimpeded establishment and reception of a fixed number of Hebrew families, under the protection of His Princely Highness the Duke and of an Honorable Knight in the region of the dukedoms of Kurland and Semgallen in general, and in Mitau in particular." (Wunderbar, History of the Jews in Livonia and Kurland, pp. 44 and 46) My First Years Not in an elegant house, nor in a modest middle-class home did I see the light of day on 15/ 27 September 1854, but in a poor garret in a house at the beginning of the main street in Mitau, the Loewensteins' house, then the Feitelbergs', and now belonging to the Jaszkés. My father had already died before I was born and had left my mother in the deepest poverty. Soon after my birth she became ill of a draining fever, which kept her bedridden for a long time and which weakened her a great deal. I was kept alive through artificial feeding and through the nursing care of my grandmother. After her recovery, my mother had to think of earning a living for herself and her child. She started to busy herself with sewing white goods and found support for this in her familiar circle. She was twenty years old, and evoked sympathy from many quarters because of her tragic fate and her courage in making her way through life on her own. When I was ten months old we moved into the neighboring Catholic Street into the house of clockmaker Gordon, which later came into the possession of the merchant Kaufmann. We lived there in an attic consisting of two rooms, three flights up, for more than fifteen years. The earliest memories of my Childhood are connected with this home. Narrow, steep, neck-breaking stairs led up to it. These stairs came out upon a large attic; the door to our dwelling gave upon the front part, which received light from a window. The rear section, on the other hand, was pitch-dark and also led to another garret, where the tailor Cherubin lived. The front room of our home had a window, located in the house's gable, from where you could look out on the roof of the neighbor's house-baker Höpker's - and far beyond on Catholic Street, which owed its name to the Catholic church with its old, four-cornered steeple. (The steeple has now been replaced with a new one.) The second room, which we called "the chamber" was nearly entirely dark, because its window faced the nearby wall of the Höpkers' house. From the narrow space between the two houses rose bad odors of rotting substances, decomposing bodies of cats and the like, penetrating into our chamber, which was our bedroom. The front room was the work room, where my mother earned our pitiful living with several young girls, her pupils. In summer, the sun beat down mercilessly on the south-facing room; in winter the space was so humid and cold that the walls were entirely covered with ice and snow, which I especially liked to scratch off with my nails. Once, during a violent thunderstorm, all the windowpanes in this room were knocked out by hail. The storm-whipped hail and rain flooded the floor. Wrapped in blankets I sat across from the window on the old, wormy sofa, watching the bad weather with horror, and yet with interest. Afterward, I amused myself by picking up the hail particles from the floor. The roomy attic space, ringed by little rooms, where all kinds of old junk was visible through the cracks, populated my creative mind with the most varied images. When I became more independent and could take a chance at climbing the steep staircase by myself, I would sit on the threshold of our house by the street during the warm season, where all the neighbors soon knew me and often spoke to me. I had particularly wavy hair, which came to my shoulders, and a delicate face with large, dreamy eyes. That's what my mother told me, and that is how I see myself portrayed in a photograph of that time. I was strictly forbidden to accept gifts from passing strangers. Once I received from someone I knew a paper sack with sweet black cherries, which I loved a lot. I couldn't resist the temptation. I accepted it and was punished for it. As I grew braver, it wasn't enough anymore to run down the steep staircase, but I rode the steep railing into the depths at lightning speed. I remembered these daily sliding parties vividly once, when on a trip in the year 1890, dressed in mountain-climbing gear, I rushed down the railing into the depths of a salt mine in Berchtesgaden, holding on with the right hand, which was protected by a thick leather glove, to a strong rope strung nearby. Behind me, entrusting herself to my leadership and leaning on my shoulder, a tourist-a cute young girl- went along on the slide. As I became more independent, I undertook excursions to the other side of the street, which was particularly narrow at this point, An old lady, Mrs. Liebchen Israelsohn, named Voss, who lived in the Herzenbergs' house across the street always gave me a friendly wave from her window. Eventually she succeeded in enticing me into her home, where she entertained me kindly, but kept me for a long time. My memories go back a long way. I could have been at the most four years old at the time of this event with Mrs. Liebchen. My mother, who had a lively spirit, wanted to be present at all the big and small happenings in our city's public life, and as soon as I could walk, she took me along everywhere. So it was with the torch parade, which was given for Emperor Alexander II, who stayed in Mitau in the year 1858. We were in a dense crowd-I saw nothing, of course, and my cap was torn from my head, so that I had to put up with my mother tying her handkerchief around my head, which she considered necessary in the cold weather. I, however, was embarrassed to be walking around the streets with that kerchief on my head. After I got home unnoticed, well aware that I had disobeyed my mother's orders and that I was headed for punishment, I hid in the wardrobe. My mother and grandmother, who had missed me for several hours, were very worried about me. Suddenly the wardrobe, which was in and of itself rickety and consisted of two parts, an upper and a lower one, fell from its base, with me in it, probably because of some careless movement of mine. I started screaming, was pulled out unhurt to the great joy of my loved ones, and remained unpunished this time. I may have been five years old at the time. Early on, soon after I completed my fifth year of life, I was enrolled in a Jewish school, the Chedav of Israel Gutmann. The entrance examination consisted of the following: The teacher showed me with a carved little stylus-like stick the letter aleph (a). My assignment consisted in finding an identical letter. When I was immediately successful, a raisin fell from above ("the angels sent it") onto the book, and I was allowed to put this reward straight into my mouth. Now I had to walk the long way from our house day in, day out, to the school in Neu Street, a cross street of Doblensch, next to what was later Salzmann's synagogue. There I was initiated into the mysteries of the old Hebrew (Loschan-Hakodesch, the sacred language) and soon learned to read and write in this language. When I was eight years old, my maternal grandfather, named Kretzer, died at the age of seventy-eight. My grandfather Pesach Kretzer, who was born about 1784, was a direct descendant of Avigdor Kretzer. Avigdor Kretzer belonged to the sixty families who were reported by the representatives of Mitau's Jewry to the committee for the examination of general municipal matters in Mitau, especially of Jews, as entitled to civil rights in the year 1794. [My grandfather] was a goldsmith, born in Mitau, had owned a jewelry store in Wilna, but was impoverished as a result of burglary and illness, and had come to Mitau, where he made his living with small jeweler's jobs. It was the last day of sukkoth, the Feast of the Tabernacles, when Mother and Grandmother left the house early and left me with our landlord Gordon the entire day. Late at night they returned and brought me the greetings of my late grandfather. Now a difficult time began for me. Three times a day I had to perform the prayer for the dead (kadisch) for him in Salzmann's house of prayer (minjan) located on the other side of the street. To this end I was awakened early every day, as early as six o'clock, winter and summer, in all kinds of weather. Half asleep I was dressed, and half asleep I appeared in the house of prayer. But I was there also for the afternoon prayer (mincha) and the evening prayer (mairiv). Usually, a number of mourners, adults and Children, recited this prayer in chorus. Of the chedar of Israel Gutmann I remember very little, except for the face of the old teacher with the long beard; the narrow, half-dark room with the large, rough-hewn table; the dusty, dirty little yard, where boys were playing the button game; and a tall, nearly grown-up student, who rocked his upper body in prayer almost without interruption. We had lessons in German also, from teacher Nesselstrauss, who took his assignment quite seriously. For every blot he used to rap the tips of my fingers, which were pressed together, with a ruler. For a long time afterward I remembered this procedure with horror. In my ninth year of life I took a step forward in my education. From the chedar of Israel Gutmann I went to the Jewish elementary school with instruction in German by teacher Behrmann. This was in the Palais Street, on the second floor of the house later belonging to the Heilsbergs, across from the Besthorn bookstore. It folded, however, after my first semester there. At the same time, Rabbi Salomon Pucher, who had recently come to Mitau, opened a Jewish grade school with instruction in German, in which the young Mendelsohn, who until then had worked at Behrmann's school, became a teacher. The school was located in the Katharinen Street in a one-story house, which later belonged to a dentist, Neftel, across the street from the house of Baron Wolff on the Katharinenstift.. I have many sweet memories of this school. The young rabbi, who came from the old Lithuanian town of Sklow, a graduate of the rabbis' school in Wilna, was an industrious man with a great thirst for knowledge and exalted plans for the cultural development of the people of his faith. He had an extraordinarily hard time with the language; the Lithuanian Jewish dialect bothered him greatly. But through his steely energy he overcame all difficulties, and in later years he spoke German without that annoying accent, and wrote long, witty articles in the Baltic Monthly (frequent epistles to the Kurlandish members of the Synod, Baltic Monthly, Vol. 16, pp 217-240, 1867), and in the Baltic daily press in the classic language of the German poets and in Ciceronian monthlies. We boys, however, amused ourselves at the time with his pronunciation and word stress, as, for instance,'futurum instead of fu'turum. The German teacher, Mr. Mendelsohn, who died in Riga a few years ago at a very old age, was a tall, gaunt man with a reddish blond beard and a strong voice, who took reasonable pains with us boys. As a result of his zeal, during a visit to the school by Secondary School Director Count Raczynski (Wilhelm, Count Raczynski, born 1808 in Zernhof near Mitau, died in Mitau in 1889, gymnasium inspector 1861-'70), I was able to shine with a recitation of Müller's poem "The Little Hydriot [sailor]." "I was a little boy/ could hardly stand yet/ my father then already/ took me with him to sea." The presentation pleased the director, and he wrote my name in his notebook. From that time I remember a little event on the street. I passed the Katharinen foundation in Palais Street with another boy, and from the opposite direction came two German boys, laughing, in high spirits, and began to tease us as Jews. I took the matter quite tragically, walked up to them, and preached to them: "Aren't we all brothers? Don't we all come from one Father? Why are you hurting our feelings?" The boys looked at me in amazement, and quietly left. Thus Jewish children are faced early with scorn, ridicule, and derision and malice, which repeats itself a hundred - and thousandfold in later life, which wounds their souls, and takes from them their innocence and unselfconsciousness and lessens their faith in justice, apart yet from the fact that because of their parentage, the Jews had great, undeserved obstacles put in their way in the acquisition of education and the free pursuit of life. Mankind has sinned a great deal against the Jews, and goes on sinning against them. The injustice, however, that we suffer and have suffered, must not entice us to hate. Jewry must show that it is more tolerant than its persecutors. Every Jew must strive to be charitable, conscientious, and good, so that the entire Jewish community may become a community of justice and an example to its oppressors. Pucher's school existed for only three semesters, and once again I was without regular schooling. I was about eleven years old at the time. My mother had great plans for me, especially because she received words of praise about me from all teachers. When we walked past the beautiful Gymnasium building in Palais Street, she always told me, "You must get in there too." And so I got private instruction, learned Latin and had to decline mensa and conjugate amo. The teacher who was to introduce me into the halls of the Gymnasium was a student in the higher grades, by the name of Leopold Feitelsohn (born 1846, died 1903 in Reval, as an inspector with a branch of the national bank there), who did not fill his assignment conscientiously, however. He came irregularly to the lessons, on occasion stayed away for weeks on end, or left the teaching to other friends in the higher grades, such as Karl Grünwald, subsequently a lawyer in Petersburg. What I had originally learned in the earlier lessons was forgotten by this time, supposedly because I had become lazy. The unconscientious instruction had indeed harmed me and made me reluctant to work. I wandered around the streets, ran after the wide Lithuanian sleds in winter in order to hitch short rides, stood for hours in front of the carousel on the market square too, sneaked inside it and helped it turn to earn the privilege of a free ride on the little horse. In the mornings I went to the Jewish school of teacher Koppel, in the main street, in the garden of the house later belonging to Exner, the soap maker. Here I got to know the five books of Moses and the prophets thoroughly. I still have the Bible with the translation by Philippson that I used at the time. The poetic parts of the Bible affected me particularly. I couldn't get enough of the exalted language and the soaring speech of the prophet Isaiah. For hours I listened with joy to the harmony of the glorious words and declaimed and recited over and over the most beautiful passages from the prophets. My general knowledge progressed but slowly, however, until finally my mother decided to have a serious talk with Feitelsohn. In the meantime I had turned thirteen, and had celebrated my confirmation (bar mizwah) On a Saturday I was called upon in the large synagogue to read a passage from the Bible, and was now regarded as whole, that is to say that in a prayer meeting of ten men I now had the right to be counted among them. Feitelsohn now finally conducted with some eagerness my preparations for the entrance examination for the Gymnasium. He had me tested for the fourth grade, to make sure that I ended up in the fifth, and so I really got into the fifth, although for this grade also, I demonstrated great insufficiencies. Enough, I was in the Gymnasium, to my mother's great joy and to the satisfaction of Feitelsohn, who had now made good his former wrongs. But now - where to get the tuition money? Twenty rubles (per semester) was for my mother a quite unaffordable fortune. Things were materially pretty bad for us. When my mother had enough work, we had barely enough for our living and the rent of 44 rubels per year. But there were also times, and often enough, that work was scarce, when the room wasn't heated and we had nothing to eat for days on end, and I gathered the breadcrumbs from the drawer in tears. "Whoever does not eat his bread with tears, who never sat weeping sorrowfully on his bed, he does not know thee, heavenly power." Then one teaspoon after another went to the goldsmith, and finally my mother's wedding ring, to alleviate our worst need. Early on I started to earn a little by giving lessons. I could hardly read myself when I already passed on my knowledge and taught reading for 40 kopecks per month. That it was impossible under these conditions to manage 20 rubles in tuition is understandable. A rescuing angel appeared in the person of Secondary School Inspector Karl Dannenberg (born 1832, died 1892, teacher at the Mitau Gymnasium since 1867, inspector since 1878, discharged from the service during the Russian takeover in 1890), to whom Mother in her need had appealed. He provided the tuition money for both semesters of the fifth grade, and I was saved, my future secured, the dark worries erased. For me real life began. The undisciplined instruction was forever past, and I quickly settled down in the class. The teachers liked me despite the great gaps in my knowledge, and I loved and enjoyed learning. At that time, the teachers were not yet civil servants, as they were later during the Russian takeover, but human beings and friends of children. The emphasis was not so much on the quantity of knowledge and the exact completion of the curriculum, as on the development of the spirit and of character. For this the Mitau Gymnasium was at that time particularly qualified. Therefore, its pupils enjoyed a good reputation and respect anywhere in the empire, and a graduate of the Mitau Gymnasium was usually successful in getting ahead in life. My Gymnasium Years My most pleasant memories are connected with my Gymnasium years. In January 1868 I had entered fifth grade, and in May I experienced the first gymnastics meet in Bergledding. How glorious it was to march in closed ranks, through the city and through the woods and fields. Upon arrival in Bergledding, we formed a large circle and sang with enthusiasm: "Freedom, I mean it, which fills my heart, come with your luster, sweet heavenly sight." Then our secondary teacher, Cruse (Friedrich Cruse, born 1815, died 1891, teacher at the Mitau Gymnasium 1845-'77) ascended the speakers' platform and spoke to us in words that made the youthful heart beat faster. Then began the joint games. Plumpsack gave rise to a lot of laughter when the boys who didn't jump at the right time were knocked down by the "Plumpsack." Then came the big first- and second-graders, and we, the smaller ones, climbed on their shoulders. High up there we wrestled with the other younger ones till they were dragged down. I was often the winner and was carried in triumph to new battles. At noon came an intermission. In the meadow long tables were set, where the students ate. For the Jewish students, about ten in number, a special table was set that conformed to the strict Jewish dietary laws. To my shame, we weren't very well behaved at our special table. The boys screamed and quarreled and the greatest disorder prevailed at our table. The midday meal threw a shadow over my festive joy. Not until the afternoon coffee, which we had with all the other students, did my good mood return. Then came the gymnastics exercises, in which especially first-grader Egbert Braatz (born 1849, physician in Libau 1880-89, in Konigsberg since 1892, professor at the university since 1907), later a professor in Königsberg, distinguished himself through his Riesenschwung [pommel horse jump?]. At later gymnastics meets standout gymnasts Theodor Bobienski (1854, died 1902), subsequently a contributor to the German Petersburger Zeitung, and Wilhelm Cruse (born 1855, died 1903), later a physician in Bauseke and Mitau, celebrated victories. The pyramid that was constructed by the students was beautiful. At the bottom were the strongest and most powerful students, back to back, and on their shoulders stood other students, and so several levels were built on top of each other, till finally at the top the smallest, most agile gymnast completed the structure, who cheerfully waved his cap and was rewarded with resounding applause. Then we had more running games, and we sang songs, and the teachers and students lay down on the slope of a hill in picturesque groups, and the first-graders were even allowed to smoke together with the teachers. And now the way back. To the music of the band and the singing of cheerful songs we marched home in a happy mood. "I had a comrade in arms/ you'll find none better/ the drum called us to battle/ he walked by my side/ in cadence with me." Or: "The captain, long may he live/ he goes bravely ahead of us/ we follow him courageously on the bloody road to victory/ he leads us now to battle and victory/ he leads us some day, you brothers, into the Father's house." Such and similar songs were started, and we sang along heartily. Shortly before our entry into the city, we lit our torches and led by a crowd of thousands, we marched through the town to the sounds of music, threw the torches on the lawn in front of the Gymnasium into a stake, and sang the old, ever young song "Gaudeamus igitur/ juvenes dum sumus." Thus I joined in the festivities of the gymnastics meet, which was a celebration for the entire town, at the end of my Gymnasium years. As far as the fifth-grade teachers were concerned, the one students loved especially was Heinrich Seesemann (born 1838). High school teacher of religion, school principal in Fellin, and finally a pastor at Greizhof. I had the opportunity occasionally to attend his classes, when he substituted for another teacher. These lessons were a treat to me. He could tell captivating stories, and presented single events from general history in such an impressive manner that I remember them to this day. Solid, serious, and loyal is how he appeared to me; you trusted him and were glad to obey him, a true educator of youth. Natural history was taught by Adolph Torney (born 1810, died 1874, teacher at the Gymnasium at Mitau 1848-68), from Hanover, a good-natured old man with a sense of humor. I owed him my nickname, "Brennglass" [magnifying glass), by which fellow students I was friends with addressed me from then on. A wonderful old gentleman was the German teacher, Arcov Trautwetter, whom I later treated medically in Mitau, when he was quite old. The boys learned very little from him. It was therefore no wonder that he called me "Zero," Brennsohn "Zero," but he was not very serious about that. I didn't learn German grammar till later, through teaching. Docendo discimus [we learn by teaching]. With the boys I got along fine. The large yard gave us the opportunity to play together, which led to friendships. In winter he new arrivals, the "frosh" were washed, that is, the boys in question were thrown into the snow and so pelted and rubbed with snow and chunks of ice, with the whole class participating, that they often had to stay home or in bed for days. I had a horror of the "washing," but the boys were quite gentle with me. At Christmas 1869 I was moved to the fourth grade. With it came the end of my and my mother's worries over tuition money, for from now on I got free tuition. I was not quite ready for the fourth grade, however. The large gaps in my knowledge and the defects of my early instruction had not yet been compensated for. Thus, Golotusow, the Russian language teacher, could turn to me with the remark, "Brennsohn, they should have moved you on to the sixth grade, not the fourth." But in the fourth grade, where, held back by illness, I spent two years, the gaps in my knowledge were gradually filled in, so that I was even able to win Golotusow's friendship. Only in mathematics I didn't get ahead too well, as a result of the unfocused instruction and passiveness of the high school teacher Napiersky, who did have a good reputation as a scholar. With a few exceptions mathematics was literally not learned in the entire Gymnasium. In Napiersky's lessons we talked, read novels, prepared for the next lesson, made mischief, and made noise. All candidates for graduation would definitely have failed the exam if Hugo Weidenmann, a mathematical genius and former pupil at the Gymnasium, hadn't made a habit of staying in Mitau around exam time, like a rescuing angel. For this purpose he stayed at a neighboring house, and solved the problems. With a particular sign, jangling a bunch of keys, the servant Schafe announced that the solved problems could be found in a previously agreed-upon place. One of the prospective graduates then went out, got the worksheets, and distributed them among the individual tables. The teachers supervising the exam in the hall sat at the rostrum, engrossed in their newspapers, and appeared to notice nothing of the process. Napiersky, who questioned me during the oral exam, was satisfied, since I had just solved the written assignment, with my answer; "Because I considered it correct." Thus, I was still denied a thorough knowledge of mathematics, which I have sadly missed in my later studies and work. Latin, Greek, and history were my favorite subjects. From a very small amount of knowledge I worked myself up to writing the best unprepared Greek exercise, which initially quite astonished the then very young high school teacher Eduard Kurtz. Latin was taught us in the upper grades in the most dignified manner by the old "Roman," Inspector Julius Vogel. The beauty of the language appealed to me so much that I learned many passages from Cicero, Ovid, and Horace by heart, attempted to write letters in Latin, and at an occasional meeting on the street strove to respond in Latin to the Inspector's Latin words to me. To my astonishment, Librarian Eduard Fehre, who has died too young, told me a few years ago when we were figuring out a Latin inscription together, that the news of my knowledge of the Latin language had traveled as far as Riga We had history with Heinrich Diederichs. Those who knew him more closely, knew that the most contradictory character traits were combined in him. From deep feeling, from an almost fantastic enthusiasm for his ideals, he could go to being obstinate and stubborn and tyrannize his environment. In the Gymnasium he often frittered away the greater part of the lesson in empty chitchat with the boys. He had his pets among the nobility and the pastors' sons, upon whom he bestowed nicknames like "Pipifax" and such, and with whom he often spent most of the lesson hour bantering back and forth. But when he began his lecture, it was a joy to listen to him. These improprieties, by the way, occurred only in the fourth-grade lessons; from the third on his instruction was normal and undisturbed. During the German-French war of 1870/71 he spent many lesson periods reading German war songs to us, which he recited with great pathos. The students learned these poems by heart as well, and recited them during history lessons. "Now let the bells rejoice from tower to tower in a glorious storm/ the glow of thrusting flames exult/ the Lord has done great things for us/ Glory to God in the highest!" Or the "Trumpeter of Gravelotte":"You have spewed death and decay/ we have not suffered it; two columns infantry, two batteries, we have run over them." Thus the German-French war was kept alive in our memory. But he also brought other historical periods closer to our understanding and feeling by reciting relevant poems. "Every night gloomy songs are whispered by the Busento near Costenza/ from the water rings out the answer and in eddies it echoes." So we learned and lamented Alerich's death and we, too, called out songs of praise to the Gothic army: "Roll the wave of the Busento, roll it from sea to sea." It was very much interested in history. Perhaps it was because of that that Diedrich's attitude toward me was friendly. Moreover, he was my personal advisor, that is to say, he represented my interests in the school. Every teacher had a number of students to whom he was a personal advisor. He gave advice to his protégés or their parents, cautioned them betimes when they goofed up; parents consulted with him about the welfare of their children. This reciprocal relationship between students and teachers brought them closer together and constituted a great advantage to the school. As noted, I spent a lot of time on history, and compiled my knowledge from the most varied history books. Once Diedrichs asked in the third grade what a proletarian was. Since nobody answered, I spoke up. "Begetters of children," (the actual translation of proletarian) I burst out amid the homeric laughter of the class. The history of the Jews, as far as it is interwoven with general history, he touched upon incidentally. After the last bloody revolt of the Jews under Bar-Kochba at the time of Hadrian, the name Jerusalem was abolished, and the Holy City was given the name "Aelia Hadriana." Jews were forbidden to live or stay in Jerusalem, and to spoil their entrance into the city especially, the figure of a swine was chiseled into the gate. Diedrichs related this last piece of information with particular enjoyment, it seemed to me at the time. When later on I settled in Mitau as a physician and became a member of the Society for Literature and Art, we shared topics of interest again, and he encouraged me in my medical-historical-biographical studies. Although he had changed little in his outward demeanor, underneath he had become more refined in his views. The way he depicted a historical personality, their actions resulted inevitably from each other. A historical figure emerged vividly, and you had the impression that events could not have developed in any other way. It is regrettable that he did not write down his lectures. From a few notes he formed them in his head and presented them as complete speeches. His lectures were outstanding and left upon his listeners an inextinguishable impression. In my first semester in the fourth grade, I experienced old Zimmermann, called "Grütz" [grit, groats; also: brains] by the boys, as a history teacher. He was a marvelous oddball. He called on the students row by row. If you didn't want to answer, you said "I pass," and you didn't get your turn until the whole class had been asked questions, which took at least a semester. Old Golotusow was an able teacher and he had written a widely known Russian anthology, but because of his stinginess he was the object of mockery by his students. The boys scattered copper coins in various spots in the classroom, which Golotusow immediately collected and pocketed, to the boys' great amusement, In winter they threw snowballs at a place above his seat; then came a loud hello, while Golotusow looked in surprise in all directions, and finally upward, from where the melting snow dropped on the rostrum and on his head. "Ach, wy negodnyje maltschischki" (oh, you useless boys) was his eternal refrain at our naughtiness. In my third semester in the fourth grade, I became ill with the smallpox, which was introduced into France by the Turks during the German-French war, and which had then spread all over Europe. Half Mitau could be seen walking around at that time with faces disfigured by red pockmarks. The illness kept me confined to the house for three months, and was the reason for my having to stay in the fourth grade for a fourth semester. From the third grade on I spent three semesters in each class, and each time it was mathematics that held me back. I was now an upper-division student, and gave a lot of private lessons, so that I couldn't start my schoolwork till late at night, often not until ten or eleven o'clock. I could already help my mother a little; the time of our greatest need was past. I was a delicate and weak boy, however, often suffered violent nosebleeds, and my health was damaged by the great exertions to which I was exposed at such an early age, so that I remained sickly my entire life. Unfortunately, the already meager instruction in natural history in the fifth grade now came to an end. Nevertheless, nature appealed to me early. In the winter of 1868 (?) a magnificent comet hung above our garret window every evening, which delighted me for months. The contemplation of the starry skies put me in a festive mood. I was familiar with the constellations, and becoming absorbed in the unfathomable mysteries of the firmament confronted me with ever new and unsolvable questions. When a thunderstorm approached, I climbed from the loft through a skylight through which you had a wide view to the horizon, in order to raise myself to a wonderful view of the majestically approaching storm, and the lightning flashes and the crashing and rolling of the thunder. I especially loved the forest, which you could reach from Mitau in a short half hour. "An incredibly sweet yearning drove me to go through the woods and meadows." Alt-Sorgenfrei was the frequent goal of my hikes, and I also fetched the flowers for my mother's birthday there. That is where the forest began, where I could walk about for many hours, watching the work of ants or listening to the call and song of different birds here, or searching for a spot with many echos there. On my walks I also came to Henriettens Ruh, an idyllically located graveyard, where, as I was told, Juliane von Krüdener, the mystic friend of Alexander I, is supposed to have been buried. I did find the gravestone of a Frau Krüdener that may have led to this incorrect information. Juliane von Krüdener, however, is not buried there, but was interred in the Greek cemetery of Princess Golizyn in Karassu-Bazar in the Crimea, where she died on December 13/25, 1824. From my walks I brought home plants, bugs, and stones, and started collections of these. It was a special interest of mine to watch caterpillars in a glass vessel, to tend to them with the appropriate leaves, await their pupation, and cheer the emergence of butterflies. I also planted beans, peas, and other seeds in flowerpots, and was happy at the first sprouting and the further growth of the plants. In the sixties of the previous century, Mitau still showed many holdovers of the Middle Ages. On warm summer evenings the people who lived in our house (that is, the Gordons' house)-and other neighbors joined them-sat on the wooden steps to the house. Of course I was always there, pulling little pieces of rotting wood out of the steps so I could watch them in the dark when they were lit. A bottle of light beer was retrieved from a nearby home to wet the lips among some harmless chatting. At ten o'clock the fancifully dressed night watchman took up his position at the nearby street corner, and intoned his medieval singsong: "Hear, ye gentlemen, and let it be told, the hour of ten has struck" and blew the hours on his whistle ten times. After the second reminder of the night watchman the neighbors parted and went to rest in their musty rooms, overheated during the hot day. The civil guard, too, had a medieval touch, a memory of the guilds, also named the Green Guard, after their uniforms. On crown holidays, master shoemakers, tailors, bakers, butchers, plumbers and so forth, whom you otherwise saw only in their places of work, marched in richly decorated uniforms, preceded by a band, straight and crooked, limping and wobbling, through the streets of the town to the palace, to honor the Governor as the representative of the Emperor. The celebration often closed with the customary scuffle. | Brensohn or Brenson, Isidor (I4104)
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| 3974 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in Londonwhere Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Courland (Kurzeme in Latvian, Kurland in German) is the historically distinct area of modern day Latvia bounded by the Baltic Sea to the west, Lithuania to the south, and the Dvina River (now Daugava) to the North. Its historic capital was Mitau (now Jelgava). It had ice-free Baltic ports with commercial and strategic importance. At its height Courland was a prosperous and cultured German-speaking Duchy. Courland was a separate Gubernia (Province) of the Russian Empire from 1797-1918. 50-60% of the Jews living in Riga just north of Courland had family roots in Courland. The names of the various towns have changed now that the area is part of Latvia (new-old as of early 1900s): Aizpute-Hasenpoth Jelgava-Mitau Kuldiga-Goldingen Liepaja-Libau Piltene-Pilten Talsi-Talsen Ventspils-Windau 3. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: HL 108/50 shows Sophie b. Mitau, d. Riga, md. to David Herzenberg. 4. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter "...David, son of Robert Herzenberg, born on July 17 of 1864 in Mitau, 2nd guild merchant, since 1915 - 1st guild merchant, the Hereditary Honourable Citizen. His wife Sophia, daughter of Abram Herzenberg was born on August 20 (Gregorian calendar) of 1869 in Mitau. According to the birth records Klara Herzenberg was born on August 8 (Julian calendar) of 1869 in Mitau, her father was Abram Herzenberg and mother Teresa, daughter of Joseph, nee Herzenberg. We suppose that Sophia and Klara might be one and the same person. The marriage of David and Sophia was registered on January 7 of 1890 in Mitau. They had children: - son Robert, born on December 13 of 1892 in Mitau. - daughter Jenny (Eugenia), born on October 18 of 1896 in Mitau. - daughter Flora, born on February 8 of 1898 in Mitau. Since 1935 a widow Sophia and her daughters Eugenia and Flora lived in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 11. In 1939 Robert Herzenberg, a correspondent by profession, his wife Beila and son David-Harry were registered as living in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 11. They left for Sweden in August - September of 1939. Eugenia married to Lev Wolozhinski, born on January 15 of 1891 in Riga. Sophia, Eugenia, Lev were struck off the house register of Lacplesa Street 9 in July 19-21 of 1941 (during Nazi occupation), obviously they were sent to ghetto. Lev Wolozhinsky was killed in July of 1941. Flora married to Nechemy/Nikolay Friedlender, born on December 21 of 1880 in Mitau. They lived at Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 2 and were struck off the house register on August 14 of 1941 a moved to Maskavas Street 171, apt. 4. According to the records of the Soviet Extraordinary State Commission for 1945, Nechemy and Flora were killed in 1941." 5. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter "...David, son of Robert Herzenberg, born on July 17 of 1864 in Mitau, 2nd guild merchant, since 1915 - 1st guild merchant, the Hereditary Honourable Citizen. His wife Sophia, daughter of Abram Herzenberg was born on August 20 (Gregorian calendar) of 1869 in Mitau. According to the birth records Klara Herzenberg was born on August 8 (Julian calendar) of 1869 in Mitau, her father was Abram Herzenberg and mother Teresa, daughter of Joseph, nee Herzenberg. We suppose that Sophia and Klara might be one and the same person. The marriage of David and Sophia was registered on January 7 of 1890 in Mitau. They had children: - son Robert, born on December 13 of 1892 in Mitau. - daughter Jenny (Eugenia), born on October 18 of 1896 in Mitau. - daughter Flora, born on February 8 of 1898 in Mitau. Since 1935 a widow Sophia and her daughters Eugenia and Flora lived in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 11. In 1939 Robert Herzenberg, a correspondent by profession, his wife Beila and son David-Harry were registered as living in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 11. They left for Sweden in August - September of 1939. Eugenia married to Lev Wolozhinski, born on January 15 of 1891 in Riga. Sophia, Eugenia, Lev were struck off the house register of Lacplesa Street 9 in July 19-21 of 1941 (during Nazi occupation), obviously they were sent to ghetto. Lev Wolozhinsky was killed in July of 1941. Flora married to Nechemy/Nikolay Friedlender, born on December 21 of 1880 in Mitau. They lived at Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 2 and were struck off the house register on August 14 of 1941 a moved to Maskavas Street 171, apt. 4. According to the records of the Soviet Extraordinary State Commission for 1945, Nechemy and Flora were killed in 1941." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "When Uncle Abraham died the eldest son, Leo, was married in Petersburg. Also the daughter Fanny. Laura and Alice were married in Moscow, and Sophie in Mitau. At home were Ludwig, [44] in the firm, Harry who was still in the gymnasium, and the two girls, Roberta, of my age, and Klara, a little older. Ludwig, whom the mother worshipped, took over running the business. Harry entered the business as an apprentice. Ludwig decided on moving the business to Riga, why I don't know. The beautiful old house in Mitau was sold. Everything in Mitau was liquidated. Instead of the princely living in Mitau, aunt Therese moved into an old dark rental house on the Schwimmstrasse in Riga. I believe she had no happy time there. I don't know how Ludwig ruined the business so quickly. It ended when I was on a vacation trip to Germany in the summer of 1904, when I received the news from my father that I should visit aunt Therese in Berlin. [45] I met her, with Klara and Roberta, in a shabby room of a pitiful pension near the Elsasser gate. They had just had lunch, which consisted of a can of sardines with bread. The firm Abraham Herzenberg in Riga had failed. They had lost everything, and had fled to Germany, and were totally dependent on the support of children and siblings... SOPHIE Herzenberg was very beautiful and cultured . She played the piano very well, and painted, but only by copying; she also accomplished spottily in burn painting . She married her cousin David Herzenberg in Mitau. It was a very unharmonious marriage, even though there were three children, Robert, Genja, and Flora. [55] David had very little understanding for Sophie, who was a very modern woman. They lived in Mitau in the nice old paternal house. David led the firm of his late father. When Uncle Abraham died and the firm Abraham Herzenberg was moved to Riga, Sophie and the children moved there also. David usually came to visit in Riga on Sundays - it did not come to a divorce, but in practice they lived separated. David worked and earned in Mitau, and Sophie lived and dissipated [lebte und verlebte] in Riga, always surrounded by a swarm of admirers. I don't know exactly when David died, Robert had finally become a businessman and lived and married in Reval, and lastly lived in Stockholm. Sophie and the girls led a wandering life, alternately in Riga and Germany. Always from the earnings of the business in Mitau and from the sale of the house. Finally they settled down in Riga, where Genja and Flora [56] had married a few years earlier." 2. The following undated paper was written late 1969 in Nice, France by Catherine Werblovsky Olympieff (also known as Ekaterina Werblovskaya Olympieva) at the request of Patrick Landau through his aunt Alice Nikitina. Patrick's father, Vladimir Landau, even though he was Catherine's cousin, had less knowledge on the family then Catherine. Catherine was the granddaughter of Edouard and Rebecca Herzenberg. The letter was written a couple of years before Catherine's death after she entered into an assisted care facility in Nice. The paper was recently found among personal items previously gathered about 1969 by her daughter Irene Nadia de Lanskoy Petersen. Portions of the letter were written in three languages: English, French, and Russian. Irene, in transcribing the letter, notes that the letter was hard to follow and to make sense of. Irene's transcription dated 31 Jul 2007 with her notes added in [ ]. "What concerns the father and mother of our mother's: Mother's father: Edouard Ocipovitch Herzenberg [or Gerzenberg] Edward son of Joseph Herzenberg born: in Mitava [or Mittau] not far ___, Baltic Provinces - not far from Riga. He died at 76 years of age (had diabetes and malaria) from lung congestion after flu. His wife was his cousin. Rebecca Herzenberg also married a first cousin. I am not sure of the name of her father; she died in Moscow when I was 6 years old (70 years ago). [Death would be approximately 1899?] They were probably married in Mitawa and came to Moscow young, because all their children were born in Moscow. The eldest 1) Elizabeth 2) Sonja [or Sonia] (Sofia) mother of Manja or Mania who now lives in Moscow, who had a sister Nadja or Nadia who was born in Moscow. Sonia's husband was Adolf Schneider - son of Aaron Schneider - who had 3 more sons: Nicolas, Alexander, Serge and a daughter Elizabeth Schneider. She got married with Martin Behr (English nationality); they had two children and lived in Moscow. Mrs. Elizabeth Behr died in London (after the Russian Revolution she lived in France, later in England.) Her brother Adolf Schneider was a brother-in-law of our mother's of course.) [This is a repeat of the above.] The Behrs had 2 children. Elisabeth Behr died in London (probably her husband Martin Behr died before.) Mrs. Behr's daughter Olga died in London about a year ago [1968-69?], her brother George Behr still lives in London is married (has 1 daughter who is married too and has 2 boys, 8 and 7. So my mother Elisabeth was the eldest daughter of Edward and Rebecca Herzenberg born in Moscow like her sister Sonia, the next sister Flora born in Moscow. Flora, married Joseph Offenbacher, had one son Lotar (my first cousin as well as yours). She, her husband, and son died in Germany during the war of Hitler (son Lothar). [Irene notes that another family account says that Lothar committed suicide on account of the war.] [His father] Joseph Offenbacher had an older brother Vasily [William or Wilhelm] Offenbacher who married a cousin of our mother's - Fanny, daughter of Abra[ha]m (whom all children of Edward Herzenberg used to call Uncle Abraham.) He was the husband of Grandfather Edward Herzenberg's sister Theresa. His family name was also like all: Herzenberg. Theresa Herzenberg had many children - daughter Fanny, sons Ludwig, Harry, and 2 other sons and another daughter Sophia married to another Herzenberg (all those marriages were between cousins) who had three children, Robby (Robert) who lives in Sweden and 2 daughters Clara and Roberta (died in Riga - Bolshevik Revolution). [I am not sure if Clara and Roberta are correct for this family grouping.] After Flora Herzenberg, the 4th daughter was my Aunt Anjuta [Anna Herzenberg-Landau]. Then there was another one Genga (Eugenie) married Harry Taube from Riga - were killed by Hitler's army. She was the 5th daughter of Edward Herzenberg. The 6th was Lilja [Lilia] (1st wife of Uncle Max Landau - died in Davos, Switzerland from TB.) Then was another daughter Milja, died very young (she was the 7th daughter). The youngest daughter Tonya [Tonia] died in Moscow. Then there were two brothers, the oldest Ivan (John) married a French young girl from Mussidan, Dordogne, France. She was daughter of the Mayor of that town. Died in the north of Russia where - she was sent sick and was sent with her to Mourmansk (north of Russia). Uncle Vanja's [Vania, Ivan, John all same name wife Lydia died there [note her maiden name was Lydie Buisson]. Uncle Vanja died too in Bolshevik Revolution. Their 3 children: Micha (Michel) died probably in Moscow; his brother Andrei (Andre) Herzenberg and Suzanne Hindzee (Herzenberg) - 1st husband (French) Volant. She has a daughter in Toronto married in Toronto (Alja [or Alice Nikitina] knew her) who has two children, boy and girl. The father's family name is A. [Albert?] Statter - wife Lydie (Suzanne's daughter) - son Albert. [Irene's note: last known address was 33 Stonegate Road, Toronto, Canada, M8Y-1V8; phone 416-251-6295.] There was yet other families related to us through our mother's. It was a well known dentist. His name was Kovarsky. His wife was the cousin of our mother's. They had a lot of children - 3 brothers Misha (Michael), Leva (Leon), 2 daughters Choura (Alexandra). Chura who now is same age as Suzanne [Herzenberg Hindzee] - the only one alive. I forget the name of the eldest brother deceased. Manja (Mania) in Moscow knows more about that family. What was the name of the mother cousin of our mother's-probably it was yet another of the Herzenberg family. As Alja [Alice Nikitina] will be going to Moscow she will be able to find out more form Manja [Mania]. Then there was yet another family related to the wife of our grandfather through the husband or wife Idelson. There was a girl Lisa Idelson and her brother. I think that Manja must know something about them. They lived in Moscow. I used to go see them with my mother when I was about 8 or 10 years old. Now George Behr has written from London thanking me for my sympathy condolences on account of the death of his sister Olga Behr. She must have been older than 78 years. he thought that his aunt on his father's side, Nina Karlovna died in Moscow, as well as his cousin Leija, but I think it is relatives on the side of his father Bahr, and the cousin is perhaps of the Schneider family (it is possible that the cousin is still living). All these people lived in Moscow. Now what concerns the Packschwer family. The one that came to see you with the Vietnamese wife has passed away. His name was Julien Packschwer born in Vitebesk, Russia. He was 72. His younger brother Saveijn (Sahva) engineer in London named himself Packshaw, died in England 3 weeks before Julien, leaving a widow (2nd marriage) and 2 children. It was the death of his younger brother that caused reaction on Julien Packshwer. He died 3 weeks after him. He was found on a street in Nice, France with a cerebral hemorrhage-fell in the street. Police took him to the hospital St. Rock where he died at 19 hours in the evening and remained in a coma. His car 2 CV (small) stayed in the parking where he had left it. It was only his Vietnamese wife [Mado] returning from Saigon 1 month after his death that was able to retrieve that car from the parking. Yet another day or two, it would have been impounded. But as it was the widow herself then came. They did not charge her anything. But as the car was her husband's-she has to wait by inheritance law to be able to sell it and divide up in 4 parts to his children. The eldest son of another marriage Leon is an eye doctor in Paris, then 3 other children. Oldest Robert in Montreal, CA; another son in ___ was in the navy for 3 years. The oldest was in the Air force, married a girl from Morocco - they are going to have a child soon. The daughter Irene married, has a little boy, the husband is serving in the military; they live in Cayrons near Vence, France in the Packshwer house. The widow/mother Mado inherited ¼ of the sum, the children ¾ divided in 4 for each of the 4 children. Through a real estate in Vence, Julien's house of 1000 sq. meters is worth 18 million francs. If the children keep the house, they will in turn need to give on fourth of the cost to the widow who also has the right to half of his monthly pension of 30,000 francs. She came to see me day before yesterday and told me all these details. So here you have it-the relatives. The mother of the Packshwer father was 1st cousin of our mother's through the daughter of the sister of our grandfather Edward Herzenberg maiden name Theresa Herzenberg died in Nice, born I think in Mitawa [Mitau], Baltic Provinces. She was buried with her husband in Nice at the Caucade cemetery. Now I add what George Behr wrote from London that his wife Janet has seen Aunt Anjuta [Anna Herzenberg] in Monte Carlo, then he wrote about his cousin in Moscow who he thinks has passed away (he is going to find out about it from Manja-he asked their address in Monaco). She was the daughter of the oldest sister Polina Aronovna of his mother. Here is what concerns that family... [Balance of letter missing]." DEATH: 1. Http://www4.yadvashem.org Holocaust database: Sophie Herzenberg nee Herzenberg was born 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, Latvia in to Abraham and Therese Hertzenberg. She was married to David. Prior to WWII she lived in Riga, Latvia. Sophie perished in the Shoah during the war in Riga. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted 20 Oct 1988 by her grandson Harry Herzenberg residing at Aladdinsvägen 20, 16138 Bromma, Sweden. 2 Email from: "Nina Kossman" Yes, I know of that family [David and Sophie Herzenberg]. In fact, I had stones installed in the Rumbuli forest in memory of Sophie Herzenberg and her two daughters, Yevgenia and Flora, as well as in memory of the daughters' husbands. In the latest installment (part 3) of the translation of my g.gfather's memoir there is a mention of a historical "Herzenberg" house (Herzenbergsche Haus) in Jelgava and, a few pages later, of his meeting, in the summer of 1872, a thirteen year girl, Clara Herzenberg (his future wife), in the home of her parents where he accepted a position as a tutor. But so far there isn't much detail about the Herzenbergs; only that years before 1872, as a seven and eight year old boy, he had played with Clara's little sisters, Rosa and Fanny, until his visits to the house were discontinued due to their illness (and subsequent death). There is a paragraph that describes the historical meaning of the Herzenberg House, yet it doesn't seem that the events that took place there in 1726 have anything to do with the Herzenbergs per se. Later email: "Here's the translation of the passage from my g.g.father's memoir which mentions the "Herzenberg House": "Among the oldest buildings of the city which have historical importance is the Herzenberg House (Herzenbergsche Haus) on the corner of Catholic St. and Big St. This house is a historical landmark building because it was there that in 1726 Moritz Saksonski was hiding from the Poles. He was freed by the life guards of the duchess Anna Ioanovna. Moritz Saksonsky was invited to the palace, but due to his thoughtlessness, he lost the good will of his benefactors and had to flee, disguised as a coachman, from his last place of refuge on the Usmas island, which, by that time, was surrounded by the Russians." I couldn't find anything on Google about Moritz Saksonsky. Usmas is a camping site in present-day Latvia. I'll keep you posted if I find anything else that gives clues to the past of the Herzenbergs." 3. There is a website dedicated to the infamous events of Rumbula Forest near Riga. Some comments from the website http://www.rumbula.org/remembering_rumbula.shtml: Rumbula (Rumbuli in German) Forest, near Riga, Latvia, became the mass murder site and grave of 27,800 Jews from the Riga Ghetto on November 30 and December 8, 1941 (10th and 18th of Kislev on the Jewish calendar). Only 3 people who arrived at the Rumbula killing site escaped death. Family members of some who perished survived the war, and a number of them live today in Latvia, the U.S., Europe and Israel. This site is an introduction to the mass murders at Rumbula Forest for educational and research purposes. It is maintained on a non-commercial basis. The acts that took place in Rumbula Forest in late 1941 are documented here through historical accounts and personal memoirs. Also included are accounts of modern-day anti-semitic activity in Latvia and of the dedication of the Rumbula Forest Memorial in 2002. 4. The following accounts are copied from JewishGen.Inc and report the holocaust actions of Libau which affected many Herzenbergs. It was also typical of many of the nearby areas as well: A. Translation of an Excerpt Relating to Libau, From the Book Published by Mr. Mendel Bobee in Yiddish "With the outbreak of hostilities in the East, Libau was bombarded on 22.6.41 [June 22, 1941]. A very small portion of the local population could flee the next day because the trains were overloaded with the children and families of the officers and civil servants serving in Libau. Before the war the Russians organised "Workers Guards" in which many Jews participated. These Guards were the first to see action. The first attack on the town was repulsed, but in this first action the number of casualties was very high and, as it happened, most of the casualties were Jewish boys. The Germans occupied Libau on 29.6.41 [June 29, 1941]. The radio stations of Koenigsberg, Danzig, and Memel broadcast in Latvian highly inflammatory tirades against the Jews. With the entry of the German Army in Libau the Nazis distributed a pamphlet in Latvian to revenge the acts of "the bloodthirsty Jews who have expelled the good sons of the Latvian People to the USSR" The Latvian military and police forces under the command of the Latvian Generals Dankers and Bengersky joined the German forces and gladly participated in their infamous propaganda. Orders were published to hand over all valuables, radios and other means of communications. The meagre food portions were cut and the infamous "Aizsargi," in their alleged searches for weapons, invaded Jewish homes and robbed, beat up and killed. With the conquest of Libau by the Germans the Jewish population counted 9,000 souls and immediately the systematic extermination started. The first victims were 33 Jewish workers who reported to work the next morning after the occupation. They were killed the same day in the "Rainis Park" in Neu-Libau. Another order was published saying that all Jewish males between the ages of 16-65 had to come every morning to the "Hauptwachplatz" from where they were dispatched to different stations of work, accompanied by beatings and curses. No one was sure he would return home at night, as indeed many did not. The Jews were commanded to dismantle with their own hands the Great Synagogue - "The Chor-Schul" - and to destroy the Sifrei Tora. After the destruction of the building the Latvian Press claimed that the cellars of the Synagogue contained hidden weapons and Latvian property. In these first weeks around 2000 Jews were killed and on the 24th [of] July, 3000 more men were assembled on the "Hauptwachplatz" and after their papers and valuables were taken from them, they were transported to a small fishing port near the Lighthouse at the entrance of the Port. They were all killed then and there. The Jewish population of the smaller surrounding towns like Grobin, Hasenpot, etc. were all killed in their different small towns, and only a few were deported to Libau. The murderers took special satisfaction when they killed on Yom Kippur Day 50 old men and women. After complaints from Latvians living near the Lighthouse about the noise, the executions there were stopped. Soon another order was published saying that Jews were not to leave their homes on the 15th and 16th [of] December. They were then told by Latvians to dress warmly as they were about to be sent to work in distant places. The truth was they did not go far, only 7 kilometres, to Shkeden, and there on the beach another 3000 Jews were massacred. It was later reported that some of the killers could not bear any more the sight of these bestialities and literally went crazy. The German Commissar named Laze heard about these massacres and asked Berlin either to stop these or change the means of exterminations. He argued that the killings were disrupting his plans for the work the Jews were carrying out for the German Army. The laconic reply he received from Berlin was "economic considerations are not to be taken into account in solving that problem." Another 375 Jews were killed on 12.2.42 [February 12, 1942] and by the end of June 1942 the Ghetto of Libau was founded. On the 1st of July the Ghetto was entirely cut off from the remaining population, and in the Ghetto, 816 people including 175 males were settled. Eleven houses were prepared for the inmates, and the preparation of the buildings, etc. was made by Jews especially selected for their good physical condition. In spite of overcrowding in the Ghetto houses, the inmates led an orderly life which was mostly due to the devotion of Mr. Israelit, a senior Jewish functionary in the town, who was assisted by Mr. Kagansky, the lawyer. Life as such in the Ghetto, with a small synagogue, a library and a small ambulatory clinic was not too difficult. The German Commander named Kretscher was rather an exception between the thousands of German officers, and treated the Jews relatively humanely. The Ghetto existed 18 months and was dismantled on the 18th of October 1943, when all were packed into railway cattle cars and transported to the "Kaiserwald" Camp near Riga. Of those who were sent there, 360 people were sent to the Auschwitz Crematorium. From the "Kaiserwald" Camp many were also sent to the "Riga-Reichsbahn," "A.E.G." and other camps in and around Riga. With the Russians approaching Riga, most of the Libauers were evacuated to Germany through Danzig and Stutthof, and were dispersed between the camps in Germany itself. When Libau was liberated, 40 living Jews were found out of the 9000 who had lived there until 1941." B. Libau Revisited, by Raya Westermann-Mazin "My first visit to Libau was in 1945, less than 2 months after the end of the war. At that time it was a closed city and the special laissez- passer had been difficult to obtain. I found eleven Jews in town, who had survived by miracles. After having dug up all the details available about the destruction of my family and friends, I listened for long hours to their stories, to the whole chronicle of the past 4 years, enveloped and absorbed in a nightmare in a nightmare for which there were hardly any adequate words in any human language. When I left I was sure that this was for good. In 1961 I came with my family from Odessa to Riga for a summer vacation. It was good to meet old friends, to enjoy the cool Baltic summer, to bathe in the sea and to linger in the white sand of the Riga Bay under the high fir trees. What suddenly made me lose my piece of mind was the last news about Libau: the city had been declared open by the Soviet authorities, with no need for a laissez-passer any more. Even Shkeden, the place in the "Kriegshafen" where the "Aktionen" had taken place, was open territory now; the centres of gravity of the naval port had evidently been moved elsewhere. Human bones had been found in the area of 8 kilometres where the shooting had taken place. The mass graves had been so close to the beach that the sea, penetrating the shallow sands, had washed them up to the surface. The authorities had permitted the Jewish community to take the bones to the cemetery and to bury them. There had been a memorial service, a gravestone had been put up. The plane which took me to Libau in 45 minutes hardly deserved the proud definition of an aircraft. It was a primitive little thing, not soundproofed, which held 15-20 passengers who sat lulled and dulled by the deafening noise of the engine. It had been raining and the plane was bumping up and down from one cloud to the other. Only at noon when we landed the sun broke through. Libau had changed. Sixteen years ago the whole centre and the adjoining streets had been a vast heap of ruins with mutilated skeletons of houses sticking out here and there, the grass sprouting out of the dust which had cemented the stones in the four years of the war. I had felt shaken then but I had not felt stranger. It still had seemed a part of myself - this beautiful, small Baltic town. That it looked victimised, violated and ruined was an integral part of the tragedy which had happened to it and to me. This time, venturing out into the city of my hotel at the Rosenplatz, I felt like a tourist in a strange town. The roses on the square, all shades from white to pink to purple, looked as lush and well groomed on their long stems as before, but now there were some renovated buildings and Russian-style cafeterias around the square. New modern houses were making up a new Weidenstrasse and part of the Kornstrasse which had been destroyed, but these were completely new streets, awakening no memories whatsoever. The names of the streets had been changed, the signs were in Latvian and Russian. There were many uniforms, mostly naval. "You go straight down the Ulichstrasse till the entrance to the "Fisherhafen," I had been advised by old Libau friends. The street had not changed. Although it looked much smaller and narrower than in my memories, the wide branches of the old lime and acorn trees still cast the same deep shadow over the sidewalk, with the breeze rustling lightly in their ample foliage. The entrance to the "Fisherhafen" was changed: some new stone houses had been put up. The plaque I had come to see was on one of the walls. There was an inscription in Latvian and in Russian: "To the victims of Fascism" killed during the German occupation. One cannot put flowers on a wall, so I put mine down on the ground - to my father and to all the others. It was already rather late in the afternoon but there might still have been time to drive down to the cemetery. Only...I didn't feel like it. Nobody I had come to visit here had been quietly put to rest in that peaceful place. Then, all of a sudden, I knew where I really wanted to go. To admit the truth, I have no recollections whatsoever of the 8 or 10 kilometres' drive from Libau to Shkeden on that summer day of 1961. Never during all the coming years would even a single memory surface or a single vision arise of the surrounding landscape. The taxi might have been speeding through a vacuum as far as I was concerned. The last thing which stuck in my memory was hiring it at the stop near the Central Market Place where I had bought a huge bunch of red roses. The driver was a Russian and I had felt relieved that he was not a Latvian. "This is a long drive," he said giving me a strange side-glance as I slipped into the seat beside him. But he didn't ask any questions and we drove in silence. It was a sunny day but I didn't feel it. In my mind I was in snow and cold and winter, back to all I had been told of this last journey - the death march of the Jews of Libau. This way they had gone in buses in December 1941, and in sledges and carts or more primitive vehicles in February 1942. As many times before I tried to imagine what my mother must have thought and felt, or my aunts, or my friends or other people I had known. I don't think I even came close to it, but there was no getting away from it, neither from the stories I had heard, nor from the photographs I had seen in Libau in 1945, fresh from the lab, pictures of people on the snow, stripped naked, in the background the Latvian "aizsargi" with their rifles, the earflaps of their caps down, and the collars of their uniforms up against the biting cold... The driver had stopped the car. "Well...?" he said turning to me, "That's as far as we can go." "Leave your taximeter on," I replied getting out of the car. The vast terrain was unbelievably quiet. One could hear the humming of the insects flitting by in the sun, or a sudden shriek of a seagull from the nearby sea. There was only a very light breeze, the blue surface was scarcely rippled by tiny waves, only far away there were a few white crests. A couple of old wooden watchtowers showed that this had been maritime border region some time ago. The dunes were very low and when I turned away inland from the sea they stopped altogether. The ground was sand everywhere, only a few clusters of sharp grey-greenish sea grass were growing here and there. I saw the obelisk from afar. It was a simple unspectacular four-edged cone of white limestone. When I came up to it, I read the stereotyped inscription in Russian and Latvian dedicated to the "Victims of Fascism" during the war. This time there was a number of the people killed. I don't remember it exactly but it was unbelievably high. There had never been so many Jews in the whole Baltic states. I had, however, heard that Eichmann's twisted bookkeeping had brought the Hungarian Jews to die on this sandy beach, and probably there had also been others. The word "Jew" was mentioned nowhere on any inscription. By now, however, I was used to this sort of Soviet post-mortem discrimination. As I had done the day before, I here, too, put down my roses and resumed my wandering. There were many empty cartridge cases of different calibre's on the ground. I bent down to look at them but I did not pick them up. Then I found the bone. It was an ulna, one of the two bones connecting the wrist with the elbow. It looked very dry and frail, it was small, that of a child probably not older than ten or twelve years. I don't know why I saw a little girl before me, it could as well have been a little boy. I took it back to the obelisk and started to dig a hole in the ground having no other instruments than my bare ten fingers. As I could not find a stone on the sandy ground I put some roses on the tiny grave and rose to my feet. It was a long walk back to the car. If the town had looked much smaller in comparison to what I had remembered, this sandy plain felt vast and endless and larger than life. A few hours later I was on my way back. Strapped to my seat in the same little bee of a plane I looked down at the city vanishing quickly beneath the wings. There was no regret or nostalgia that this was, I knew, the last time I would be seeing it. C. Witness for the Prosecution, by Arnold Engel "I waited a long time for this day. I thought the day would never come. The room in the new hotel - Intercontinental in Hanover - was spacious, warm and well lit. I got up early on this Friday, April 3rd, 1970, shaved and gave a look at my watch. It was 7:30 in the morning. One more hour. One more hour and I will face him. Will I recognise him? Will I be able to look into his eyes? I opened the curtain and looked outside. The new, modern television tower looked yellowish, as the sun was rising, and the light snow from the night before was starting to melt. I had a cup of coffee and hailed a taxi-cab: "Zum Landesgericht bitte." It was a ten minute ride. A police car rushed by blowing its horn, which sounded exactly as the Gestapo horns: pipi-pipi-pipi-pipi, the same sound of the police van which picked up Anna Frank and millions of others. The guard on duty at the court house directed me to the court room. It was early. I and "his" attorney were first. The court session was called for 8:30. Two minutes before, they started to come. One by one, in groups of three or four. Then I saw him. I recognised him at once. How could I have ever thought that I would not remember him? Aged, but still tall, slim, blondish and his trade-mark: cool, murderish, motionless eyes. The court clerk called to order. The judges entered. The jury looked bored. The defenders looked somewhat nervous, the defendant tried to remember if he ever saw me. He whispered something to his lawyer. Everything became quiet in the court room No. 127. Who is this man? It was said that he was once so powerful, that he helped to wipe out a whole town, he killed Children, shot hundreds of old people, young people, men, women, Jews and others all in one day, and managed to wash his bloody hands, have a few drinks and spend that evening joking or dancing, playing games or reading a newspaper - as if nothing had happened that day. After stating my name, address and birthday I was asked by one of the judges: "Mr. Engel, do you recognise any of these gentlemen?" "I do, sir." "Please point out, whom do you recognise?" "Him, Erich Handke." "Please tell us what do you know about Erich Handke?" For twenty-nine years I had dreamed about having the opportunity to testify against this brutal man - Handke. I knew that he was alive somewhere in Germany. One week after Hitler attacked the USSR, the Wehrmacht entered our small town of Libau on the Baltic Sea. Close to 9,000 Jews lived in Libau before the war - out of a population of 56,000. Libau had a rich Jewish community with two noted synagogues, a Jewish trade school, a Yeshiva, a Jewish private school, high school and a Jewish sports stadium, a yacht club and all the usual organisations, including the known sport club "Maccabi"." There were very few real rich Jews, but also very few were poor. Always a shipping and trading city plus its location at the white sandy Baltic seacoast, the city did its share of progress in tourism, in export and in import. Soon after the Wehrmacht, the Gestapo arrived, under leadership of SS-Obersturmfuehrer Dr. Fritz Dietrich, SD-leader Wolfgang Kigler, and Erich Handke who seemed to be in charge of everything, but mainly to solve the Jewish question. The first mass destruction of the Libau Jews took place on the hot summer day of July 27, 1941. The Jews were ordered to appear on the Hauptwachplatz. Known as ever law-abiding, the Jews obeyed the orders. At the square they had to stay at attention. Many were beaten up and had to undergo terrible treatment by the SS-men. Erich Handke was on the warpath. Kicking, shouting and slapping, he ordered hundreds of Jews to be thrown on ready brought trucks. As the number of Jews present diminished, he noticed a tall handsome, grey- haired gentleman, who was none other than Dr. Schwab, a well known local physician. Handke killed him in a brutal manner; this murder was witnessed by the hundreds of Jews who were still standing at attention on the square, where I used to come as a child and watch the fire engines being cleaned. During that day, on a hot July, over three thousand Jews were executed near the lighthouse in the vicinity of the sandy beach, where people used to bathe. Handke did not stop here. He was everywhere. Almost daily he would appear somewhere. Wait for them with their yellow rag, marked Jews marching from work, tired from their slave labour, hungry from not eating - and with a "blitz" he would start to attack. It would take up this and many more journals to describe all the "heroic deeds" of this bloodthirsty murderer. When a day passed by and he did not destroy a human life, he would order one of his Jewish slaves to find some pigeons and bring them to him in a hurry. Once they brought him the pigeons, he would take them, one by one and squeeze their heads off, by placing the birds between the door of his office and pulling the door shut. By 1942, one year later, there were only 800 Jews alive. A Ghetto was created and the 800 moved into it on the 1st of July, 1942. The Libau Ghetto was liquidated on the 6th of October, Yom Kippur day, and the inmates were sent to the Kaiserwald near Riga concentration camp, and when the number dwindled to less than 500 they were sent to the Stutthof death camp near Danzig. Today, there are less than 80 Jews who survived the war, the camps and Handke. Many do not have the strength to testify against the Scharfuehrer (Staff Sergeant) Erich Handke, born 10 November, 1914 (SS #371241) in Lisa, Germany; many do not recall the exact dates, locations or even if Dr. Schwab was attacked at the Firemen's Square or in the women's jail (where the Jews were once more screened before being sent to their death). The German court at Hanover tried their best to have Erich Handke with his eight other cohorts convicted, they have travelled to the USA and Israel, and were permitted to interview survivors now residing in the USSr. But, because of the time elapsed, the reasons I gave before, Erich Handke may be walking the streets a free man at Tailfingen. I do not regret that I went to Hanover, that I once more faced this mass-murderer Handke. I am glad, that I was able to be a witness for the prosecution." BIRTH: 1. Date is only an unsubstantiated guess by Kenny Petersen. BURIAL: 1. Website Find-a-Grave (Find A Grave Memorial# 90592253) accessed 28 Nov 2013 for the Southern Jewish Cemetery (Södra Judiska Begravningsplatsen) was created in the 1940`s and lies south of the Woodland Cemetery (Skogskyrkogården) in Sköndal in the southern parts of Stockholm. Address and plot: Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden; plot: block U, nr. 84: Beila "Berta" Herzenberg; birth: Sep. 10, 1896, Estonia; death: Dec. 20, 1981 at Ostermalm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden. (Find A Grave Memorial# 90592253.) Robert Herzenberg; birth: Dec. 13, 1892, Russian Frederation; death: Dec. 7, 1980 at Ostermalm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden. (Find A Grave Memorial# 90592221.) David Herzenberg; birth: Nov. 25, 1925, Ostermalm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden; death: Nov. 21, 2008 at Sodermalm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden. (Find A Grave Memorial# 90592288.) Photo of grave stone accompanies website with the following inscription: "[Two letters in Hebrew alphabet.] Herzenberg Robert, F. 13.12.1892, D. 7.12.1980 Berta, F. 10.9.1986, D. 20.12.1981 Harry, F. 25.11.1925, D. 21.11.2008" Separate entry with photo of memorial plaque in the same cemetery on the "Holocaust Memorial Wall": Sophie Herzenberg, b. and d. unknown; died in Riga. (Find A Grave Memorial# 83585145.) SOURCES_MISC: 1. Leonardo Herzenberg http://www.herzenberg.net/ | Herzenberg, Sophia or Klara (I4058)
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| 3975 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in Londonwhere Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Courland (Kurzeme in Latvian, Kurland in German) is the historically distinct area of modern day Latvia bounded by the Baltic Sea to the west, Lithuania to the south, and the Dvina River (now Daugava) to the North. Its historic capital was Mitau (now Jelgava). It had ice-free Baltic ports with commercial and strategic importance. At its height Courland was a prosperous and cultured German-speaking Duchy. Courland was a separate Gubernia (Province) of the Russian Empire from 1797-1918. 50-60% of the Jews living in Riga just north of Courland had family roots in Courland. The names of the various towns have changed now that the area is part of Latvia (new-old as of early 1900s): Aizpute-Hasenpoth Jelgava-Mitau Kuldiga-Goldingen Liepaja-Libau Piltene-Pilten Talsi-Talsen Ventspils-Windau 3. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: YL 014 shows Seba. 4. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter "Klara had brothers and sisters: - sister Rosete, born on April 14 of 1854 in Mitau. Rosa Herzenberg died on November 2 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 8-1/2, cause of death - measles. We suppose that Rosete and Rosa was one and the same person. - sister Feige/Fanny, born on July 26 of 1857 in Mitau, died on October 31 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 5, cause of death - measles. - sister Seba, died in 1859 in Mitau, aged 3. - brother, David, son of Robert Herzenberg, born on July 17 of 1864 in Mitau, 2nd guild merchant, since 1915 - 1st guild merchant, the Hereditary Honourable Citizen... - brother Alexander, born on April 16 of 1866 in Mitau. He was registered as a merchant of top guild of Mitau. Since January 12 of 1899 he was registered as a Moscow merchant of top guild. - brother Leonhard, born on July 24 of 1868 in Mitau." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome. Helene was married to Jeannot Taube, with children Harry, Alice and Erna. Harry Taube I still knew as a student." | Herzenberg, Seba (I4027)
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| 3976 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in Londonwhere Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Courland (Kurzeme in Latvian, Kurland in German) is the historically distinct area of modern day Latvia bounded by the Baltic Sea to the west, Lithuania to the south, and the Dvina River (now Daugava) to the North. Its historic capital was Mitau (now Jelgava). It had ice-free Baltic ports with commercial and strategic importance. At its height Courland was a prosperous and cultured German-speaking Duchy. Courland was a separate Gubernia (Province) of the Russian Empire from 1797-1918. 50-60% of the Jews living in Riga just north of Courland had family roots in Courland. The names of the various towns have changed now that the area is part of Latvia (new-old as of early 1900s): Aizpute-Hasenpoth Jelgava-Mitau Kuldiga-Goldingen Liepaja-Libau Piltene-Pilten Talsi-Talsen Ventspils-Windau 3. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: YL 014 shows Fanny. 4.Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter "Klara had brothers and sisters: - sister Rosete, born on April 14 of 1854 in Mitau. Rosa Herzenberg died on November 2 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 8-1/2, cause of death - measles. We suppose that Rosete and Rosa was one and the same person. - sister Feige/Fanny, born on July 26 of 1857 in Mitau, died on October 31 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 5, cause of death - measles. - sister Seba, died in 1859 in Mitau, aged 3. - brother, David, son of Robert Herzenberg, born on July 17 of 1864 in Mitau, 2nd guild merchant, since 1915 - 1st guild merchant, the Hereditary Honourable Citizen... - brother Alexander, born on April 16 of 1866 in Mitau. He was registered as a merchant of top guild of Mitau. Since January 12 of 1899 he was registered as a Moscow merchant of top guild. - brother Leonhard, born on July 24 of 1868 in Mitau." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome. Helene was married to Jeannot Taube, with children Harry, Alice and Erna. Harry Taube I still knew as a student." | Herzenberg, Fanny or Feige (I4026)
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| 3977 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with the effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Courland (Kurzeme in Latvian, Kurland in German) is the historically distinct area of modern day Latvia bounded by the Baltic Sea to the west, Lithuania to the south, and the Dvina River (now Daugava) to the North. Its historic capital was Mitau (now Jelgava). It had ice-free Baltic ports with commercial and strategic importance. At its height Courland was a prosperous and cultured German-speaking Duchy. Courland was a separate Gubernia (Province) of the Russian Empire from 1797-1918. 50-60% of the Jews living in Riga just north of Courland had family roots in Courland. The names of the various towns have changed now that the area is part of Latvia (new-old as of early 1900s): Aizpute-Hasenpoth Jelgava-Mitau Kuldiga-Goldingen Liepaja-Libau Piltene-Pilten Talsi-Talsen Ventspils-Windau 3. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: YL 014 shows Clara m. Brewsohn. 4. Received a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter entitled "Archival Reference about Brenson Family. It was prepared for Nina Kossman Dec 2006 and is report no. 3-K-7622; 7794N by Latvijas Valsts Vestures Arhivs (Latvian National Archives), Slokas iela 16, Riga, LV-1007: "The records of the archival fonds "Collection of Passports of Riga Prefecture," "Riga City House Registers," the birth records of the Jewish community in Mitau for 1854-1855, 1857-1858, 1862, 1864-1883,1886-1889, 1892, 1895, 1900, 1902-1904, the marriage records of the same community for 1854, 1856-1868, 1872-1873, 1875, 1884, 1886-1887, 1889-1891, 1893, 1895-1897, as available at our archives (the birth marriage and death records for other years have not survived), the birth marriage and death records of the Jewish communities in Riga for 1854-1905, the revision lists of the Jewish families belonging to Mitau for 1834, 1858, 1887, the recruits' enlistment register of the Jewish families belonging to Mitau for 1845, 1875, for Pilten for 1848 contain the following information: Doctor of medicine, the Hereditary Honourable Citizen Isidor (Isak-Aisik, Itzig), son of Isak (Itzig) Brenson (Brennsohn in German) was born on September 27 (Gregorian calendar) of 1854 in Mitau (see Appendix No. 1 and his photo from the Latvian passport for 1927). His father Isak-Aisik Juda (or son of Juda) Brenson, obviously Isidor's father died before his son was born (Isidor was the only child of his parents). His mother Beile-Dore, daughter of Peisah (Peisak) Kretzer, born in ca 1833 (aged 1 in 1834, aged 42 in 1875). Her father was Peisah, son of Hirsch Kretzer, born in ca 1788 or 1794 (aged 23 in 1811, however in the revision lists for 1834 he was registered as 38 years old, see Appendix No. 2), he was registered in the Jewish community in Mitau at least since 1811. Peisach died on September 24 of 1863 in Mitau, aged 80 (we would like to draw your attention to the fact that very often the age of person was determined by their outward appearance and was stated in some documents rather approximately. Beile's mother Gutte (maiden name is not stated) was born in ca 1805 (aged 29 in 1834). We did not manage to find any information that Peisach and Gutte have children besides Beile. Isidor's wife Klara, daughter of Robert Herzenberg was born on December 4 of 1859 in Mitau (this date of birth was stated in her Latvian passports and in the house register, unfortunately, the birth records for 1859 have not survived, se her photo from Latvian passport for 1927. Their marriage was registered on May 12 of 1883 in Mitau. The family of Isidor Brenson lived in Mitau and then moved to Riga, where they lived in their own (since 1910) houses at Dzirnavu Street 64. [Irene adds note: "This is the house where my great grandparents lived. My sister and I went there.] Isidor Brenson died on December 31 of 1928 in Riga. Klara died June 17 of 1939 in Riga. Isidor and Klara had children. - son Robert, born on February 27 (Julian calendar) of 1889 in Mitau. His occupation - correspondent. On February 23 of 1924 in Riga he married to Elli Olga, daughter of Gustav nee Donbergs, born on December 25 of 1903 in Riga, she was German (when Robert married to Elli Olga, he was written down as a divorced). Robert had children: - son Erik, born on December 18 of 1917 in Moscow. - son Enar-Theodor, born on October 17 of 1926 in Riga. Since May of 1928 they lived in Riga at Dzirnavu Street 64, apt. 1. Elli Olga was struck off the house register on November 1 of 1933 where not stated. Robert and Elli Olga were divorced and in 1934 she married to Rosenthal (name not stated). On June 27 of 1936 in Riga Robert married to Benita-Mathilde-Elisabeth Brensohn, nee Isakowsky (Izakowsky), born on March 27 of 1913 in Riga,she was German. They were divorced on April 19 of 1939 in Riga.Beneta-Mathilde-Elisabeth was struck off the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 on January 18 of 1939 as moved to Elizabetes Street 8. She left for Germany on December 5 of 1939. There is a note in the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 that Robert and his son Enar 'have taken away' on July 12 of 1941, Erik 'have taken away' on July 25 of 1941. The museum "Jews in Latvia" keeps the lists of Central prison's inmates, set up on August 4 of 1941 (during Nazi occupation), where Erik, son of Robert Brenson registered under Nr. 196. - son Theodor (Feodor)-Wilhelm, born on November 15 (Julian calendar, 27 November - Gregorian calendar) of 1892 in Mitau (see his photo from the Latvian passports for 1920, 1939). His occupation - engineer architect. On July 30 of 1932 in Paris he married to Wally Marie Georgia Grell (she was a widow, according to the marriage certificate Theodor was a widower and divorced, born on August 11 of 1903 in Riga, according to the house register her occupation - actor. In 1936 they were registered as living at Dzernavu Street 64, apt. 4, on September 21 of 1936 they left for Paris. In 1939 Theodor arrived to Riga and was registered as living at Dzernavu Street 64, apt. 4, he struck off the house register on August 28 of 1939 as moved to Paris. - daughter Ellen-Benita, born on December 23 of 1895 (Julian calendar, Gregorian calendar - January 4 of 1896) in Mitau. She was a doctor. Her 1st husband Aron Patursky (their marriage was registered on December 19 of 1922 in Riga, see her photo from the Latvian passports for 1922, 1927, 1931). They had no children, their marriage was divorced in 1931 in Riga. Her second husband Jacob Melzer was born on May 5 of 1891 in Minsk. Their marriage was registered on September 8 of 1931 in Riga. His occupation - musician. Their son Anatol Melzer was born on June 26 of 1933 in Riga. Before the Second World War they lived in Riga at Brivibas Street 23, apt. 6. They were struck off the house register on September 30 of 1941 as moved to ghetto. Their address in ghetto - Lazdonas Street 11, apt. 1. - son Otton-Osip, born in 1897, died on August 9 of 1897 in Dubbeln, buried at the Jewish cemetery in Mitau, aged 3 weeks, cause of death - inflammation of the lungs (see Appendix No. 3). - daughter Ruth Paulina, born on March 28 (Julian calendar) of 1885 in Mitau (however later in the house register her date of birth - April 9 (Gregorian calendar of 1886 in Mitau). In 1909 in "Riga she married to Schebsel Kosman (entry No. 59 in teh marriage records of the Jewish community in Riga). Their children: - son Leonid Kosman, born on September 24 of 1915 in Moscow. His wife Tereza, nee Yacoby (daughter of Johan/Janis, son of Adolph Yacoby and Jenni, nee Heiman) was born on July 5 of 1918 in Moscow (see her photo form the Latvian passport for 1935). Since September 14 of 1935 a widow Ruth Kosman and Leonid lived in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 1. Leonid was struck off the house register on June 30 of 1940 as moved to Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 1. Tereza was struck off the house register of Elizabetes Street 27 on August 14 of 1941 as moved to Maskavas Sttreet 171, apt. 4 together with her parents and two sisters. Obviously later they were sent to ghetto. According to the records of the Soviet Extraordinary State Commission for 945 Jenny, Tereza and Ruth Yacoby, living in Riga at Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 1 were killed in 1941. - daughter Eleonora Kosman, born on April 15 of 1911 in Moscow. Her husband Wilhelm (Wolfram), son of Eduard Gottlieb, born on June 6 of 1907 in Riga (see his photo from the Latvian passport for 1925). His occupation - journalist. They were registered as living in Riga at Dzernavu Street 64, apt. 4 since July 20 till August 12 of 1935 when they arrived from London to visit their relatives. Wilhelm's father was the candidate of commerce Israel/Eduards, son of Shanis Gottlieb was born on January 16 of 1870 in Riga. His wife Haja Sara (Sora), daughter of Mowscha.Mosus Kaschdan, a watch-maker from Borisov, and his wife Lina, was born on January 27 (Julian calendar, February 7 - Gregorian calendar) of 1880 in Riga (see her photo from the Latvian passport for 1924). Their marriage was registered in 1906 in Riga (entry No. 2 in the marriage records of the Jewish community in Riga for 1906. They had also daughter Herta Gottlieb, born on November 1 (Julian calendar, 14 November - Gregorian calendar) of 1909 in Riga. In 1924 the family of Israel/Eduard Gottlieb lived in Riga at Dzernavu Street 66, apt. 52. Before the Second World War they lived in Riga at Brivibas Street 33 (unfortunately, the house registers for the time period before October of 1939 have not survived, therefore we cannot trace fate of Haja and Herta. The museum "Jews of Latvia" keeps the lists of Central prison's inmates, set up on August 4 of 1941, where Eduards, son of Zhanis Gottlieb was registered under Nr. 67. We suppose that Klara's father was Robert (Ruben), son of Joseph (Jossel) Herzenberg a merchant from Pilten, born in ca 1826 (aged 22 in 1848, see Appendix No. 4) and mother Emilie (Amalie), daughter of David Kahn, born in ca 1830, died in 1903. Robert Herzenberg lived in Mitau and had his firm 'Robert Herzenberg,' he died before 1887 (the death records of the Jewish community in Mitau, as available at our archives do not contain information on his death). Ruben had at least two brothers Laser and Jacob (unfortunately, females (daughters) were not registered in the recruits's enlistment registers of Pilten). His parents: father Joseph (Jossel), son of Lemchen Herzenberg was born in ca 1809 (aged 39 in 1848), mother Zippe (the age is not stated). His grandparents: Lemchen, son of Joseph Herzenberg, born ca 1780, died in 1840. He belonged to the Jewish community in Pilten at least since 1834, his wife Schore (the age is not stated). Klara had brothers and sisters: - sister Rosete, born on April 14 of 1854 in Mitau. Rosa Herzenberg died on November 2 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 8-1/2, cause of death - measles. We suppose that Rosete and Rosa was one and the same person. - sister Feige/Fanny, born on July 26 of 1857 in Mitau, died on October 31 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 5, cause of death - measles. - sister Seba, died in 1859 in Mitau, aged 3. - brother, David, son of Robert Herzenberg, born on July 17 of 1864 in Mitau, 2nd guild merchant, since 1915 - 1st guild merchant, the Hereditary Honourable Citizen. His wife Sophia, daughter of Abram Herzenberg was born on August 20 (Gregorian calendar) of 1869 in Mitau. According to the birth records Klara Herzenberg was born on August 8 (Julian calendar) of 1869 in Mitau, her father was Abram Herzenberg and mother Teresa, daughter of Joseph, nee Herzenberg. We suppose that Sophia and Klara might be one and the same person. The marriage of David and Sophia was registered on January 7 of 1890 in Mitau. They had children: - son Robert, born on December 13 of 1892 in Mitau. - daughter Jenny (Eugenia), born on October 18 of 1896 in Mitau. - daughter Flora, born on February 8 of 1898 in Mitau. Since 1935 a widow Sophia and her daughters Eugenia and Flora lived in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 11. In 1939 Robert Herzenberg, a correspondent by profession, his wife Beila and son David-Harry were registered as living in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 11. They left for Sweden in August - September of 1939. Eugenia married to Lev Wolozhinski, born on January 15 of 1891 in Riga. Sophia, Eugenia, Lev were struck off the house register of Lacplesa Street 9 in July 19-21 of 1941 (during Nazi occupation), obviously they were sent to ghetto. Lev Wolozhinsky was killed in July of 1941. Flora married to Nechemy/Nikolay Friedlender, born on December 21 of 1880 in Mitau. They lived at Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 2 and were struck off the house register on August 14 of 1941 a moved to Maskavas Street 171, apt. 4. According to the records of the Soviet Extraordinary State Commission for 1945, Nechemy and Flora were killed in 1941. - brother Alexander, born on April 16 of 1866 in Mitau. He was registered as a merchant of top guild of Mitau. Since January 12 of 1899 he was registered as a Moscow merchant of top guild. - brother Leonhard, born on July 24 of 1868 in Mitau. All dates are stated according to the Julian calendar. For the better clearness the composition of the Herzenberg family is prepared also in the form of the genealogical table. In case only age of a person for a concrete year is indicated in the documents, his/her date of birth is stated approximately. The place of birth (marriage, death) is given only in a case if it is specified in the document. In a case we will find any additional information, tables can be corrected and supplemented. REFERENCE: fond 5024, inventory 2, files 331, 351, 375, inventory 1, file 88. fond 2942, inventory 1, files 4109, 2130. fond 630, inventory 2, files 220, 221. fond 4349, inventory 2, file 6. fond 445, inventory 1, files 2035, 2038. fond 2996, inventory 9, file 520, inventory 12, field 14498, inventory 7, files 25343, 25280, inventory 2, files 41162, 41163, 41164, 41171, 41175, 41185, 41186, inventory 15, file 4449, fond 472, inventory 5, files 628, 826, 1574. Enclosure: genealogical table - 1 table, copies of the documents - 26 sheets. Director: N. Rizovs, Head of Department: I. Veinberga., Researcher: J. Polovceva." BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome. Helene was married to Jeannot Taube, with children Harry, Alice and Erna. Harry Taube I still knew as a student." 2. Email from: "Nina Kossman" Yes, I know of that family [David and Sophie Herzenberg]. In fact, I had stones installed in the Rumbuli forest in memory of Sophie Herzenberg and her two daughters, Yevgenia and Flora, as well as in memory of the daughters' husbands. In the latest installment (part 3) of the translation of my g.gfather's memoir there is a mention of a historical "Herzenberg" house (Herzenbergsche Haus) in Jelgava and, a few pages later, of his meeting, in the summer of 1872, a thirteen year girl, Clara Herzenberg (his future wife), in the home of her parents where he accepted a position as a tutor. But so far there isn't much detail about the Herzenbergs; only that years before 1872, as a seven and eight year old boy, he had played with Clara's little sisters, Rosa and Fanny, until his visits to the house were discontinued due to their illness (and subsequent death). There is a paragraph that describes the historical meaning of the Herzenberg House, yet it doesn't seem that the events that took place there in 1726 have anything to do with the Herzenbergs per se. Later email: "Here's the translation of the passage from my g.g.father's memoir which mentions the "Herzenberg House": "Among the oldest buildings of the city which have historical importance is the Herzenberg House (Herzenbergsche Haus) on the corner of Catholic St. and Big St. This house is a historical landmark building because it was there that in 1726 Moritz Saksonski was hiding from the Poles. He was freed by the life guards of the duchess Anna Ioanovna. Moritz Saksonsky was invited to the palace, but due to his thoughtlessness, he lost the good will of his benefactors and had to flee, disguised as a coachman, from his last place of refuge on the Usmas island, which, by that time, was surrounded by the Russians." I couldn't find anything on Google about Moritz Saksonsky. Usmas is a camping site in present-day Latvia. I'll keep you posted if I find anything else that gives clues to the past of the Herzenbergs." 3. See notes of Ruth Brenson for an autobiography of Irene Gottleib Sattler who is the great-granddaughter of Isidor and Klara Brenson, in which she mentions her memories of this couple. | Herzenberg, Klara or Clara (I4024)
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| 3978 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in Londonwhere Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: Emilie Cahn d. Mitau. 3. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter "...We suppose that Klara's father was Robert (Ruben), son of Joseph (Jossel) Herzenberg a merchant from Pilten, born in ca 1826 (aged 22 in 1848, see Appendix No. 4) and mother Emilie (Amalie), daughter of David Kahn, born in ca 1830, died in 1903. Robert Herzenberg lived in Mitau and had his firm 'Robert Herzenberg,' he died before 1887 (the death records of the Jewish community in Mitau, as available at our archives do not contain information on his death). Ruben had at least two brothers Laser and Jacob (unfortunately, females (daughters) were not registered in the recruits's enlistment registers of Pilten). His parents: father Joseph (Jossel), son of Lemchen Herzenberg was born in ca 1809 (aged 39 in 1848), mother Zippe (the age is not stated). His grandparents: Lemchen, son of Joseph Herzenberg, born ca 1780, died in 1840. He belonged to the Jewish community in Pilten at least since 1834, his wife Schore (the age is not stated)..." MARRIAGE: 1. Date and place are unsubstantiated guesses only by Kerry Petersen. | Kahn or Cahn, Emilie or Amalie (I3990)
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| 3979 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. Archival Research Paper about Herzenberg Family prepared for Kerry Petersen 28 Feb 2011 and is report no. Nr. 3-P-272, 2816, 1927 N, by Latvijas Valsts Vestures Arhivs (Latvian National Archives), Slokas iela 16, Riga, LV-1007. Complete transcript is in the notes of Edouard/Elias Ocipovitch Herzenberg and the following is but a partial transcript: "The recruits' enlistment registers of the Jewish families belonging to Pilten for 1842, 1848, 1854, 1871, the revision lists of the Jewish families belonging to Pilten, set up on August 15 of 1851, the merchant's lists of Goldingen for 1868, 1874, 1875 contain the following information about Herzenberg family (we would like to draw your attention to the fact that very often the age of person was determined by their outward appearance and was stated in some documents rather approximately)... 1.3.4. Jossel (Joseph), son of Lemchen Herzenberg, born in ca 1809 (aged 33 in 1842, aged 59 in 1868). His wife Zippe was horn in ca 1808 (aged 60 in 1868). The family of Jossel Herzenberg was registered in the petty bourgeois oklad in Pilten till 1851. In 1851 he with his family was registered as a merchant of 3rd guild in Piltene. Since 1862 and at least till 1877 Joseph, son of Lemchen Herzenberg and his family was registered in the merchant oklad of Goldingen (see merchants list of Goldingen for 1868). His sons... 1.3.4.1. son Ruben (Robert), born in ca 1826. His wife Emilie (Amalie), daughter of David Kahn, born in ca 1830. They had at least seven children, born in Mitau... KP Note: Attachments: Image of revision list of Jewish families belonging to Pilten as of Aug. 15, 1851, showing oklad (tax) numbers: #362 Jossel Lemchen Herzenberg, his sons: #363 Ruben, #364 Laser, #365 Jacob, #366 Levin, and #367 Elias. Researcher includes interpretation comment: "They were transferred from the membership of petty bourgeois oklad of Pilten to the 3rd guild merchant of Pilten in 1851." 3. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. His source HL is Leonardo Herzenberg. In regards to this individual: Name variations: Robert (Reuven) HL 103/009 shows b. Mitau, d. 24 Jul 1884, md. Cahn. 4. Email from: "Nina Kossman" Yes, I know of that family [David and Sophie Herzenberg]. In fact, I had stones installed in the Rumbuli forest in memory of Sophie Herzenberg and her two daughters, Yevgenia and Flora, as well as in memory of the daughters' husbands. In the latest installment (part 3) of the translation of my g.gfather's memoir there is a mention of a historical "Herzenberg" house (Herzenbergsche Haus) in Jelgava and, a few pages later, of his meeting, in the summer of 1872, a thirteen year girl, Clara Herzenberg (his future wife), in the home of her parents where he accepted a position as a tutor. But so far there isn't much detail about the Herzenbergs; only that years before 1872, as a seven and eight year old boy, he had played with Clara's little sisters, Rosa and Fanny, until his visits to the house were discontinued due to their illness (and subsequent death). There is a paragraph that describes the historical meaning of the Herzenberg House, yet it doesn't seem that the events that took place there in 1726 have anything to do with the Herzenbergs per se. Later email: "Here's the translation of the passage from my g.g.father's memoir which mentions the "Herzenberg House": "Among the oldest buildings of the city which have historical importance is the Herzenberg House (Herzenbergsche Haus) on the corner of Catholic St. and Big St. This house is a historical landmark building because it was there that in 1726 Moritz Saksonski was hiding from the Poles. He was freed by the life guards of the duchess Anna Ioanovna. Moritz Saksonsky was invited to the palace, but due to his thoughtlessness, he lost the good will of his benefactors and had to flee, disguised as a coachman, from his last place of refuge on the Usmas island, which, by that time, was surrounded by the Russians." I couldn't find anything on Google about Moritz Saksonsky. Usmas is a camping site in present-day Latvia. I'll keep you posted if I find anything else that gives clues to the past of the Herzenbergs." 5. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter "The records of the archival fonds "Collection of Passports of Riga Prefecture," "Riga City House Registers," the birth records of the Jewish community in Mitau for 1854-1855, 1857-1858, 1862, 1864-1883,1886-1889, 1892, 1895, 1900, 1902-1904, the marriage records of the same community for 1854, 1856-1868, 1872-1873, 1875, 1884, 1886-1887, 1889-1891, 1893, 1895-1897, as available at our archives (the birth marriage and death records for other years have not survived), the birth marriage and death records of the Jewish communities in Riga for 1854-1905, the revision lists of the Jewish families belonging to Mitau for 1834, 1858, 1887, the recruits' enlistment register of the Jewish families belonging to Mitau for 1845, 1875, for Pilten for 1848 contain the following information: "..We suppose that Klara's father was Robert (Ruben), son of Joseph (Jossel) Herzenberg a merchant from Pilten, born in ca 1826 (aged 22 in 1848, see Appendix No. 4) and mother Emilie (Amalie), daughter of David Kahn, born in ca 1830, died in 1903. Robert Herzenberg lived in Mitau and had his firm 'Robert Herzenberg,' he died before 1887 (the death records of the Jewish community in Mitau, as available at our archives do not contain information on his death). Ruben had at least two brothers Laser and Jacob (unfortunately, females (daughters) were not registered in the recruits's enlistment registers of Pilten). His parents: father Joseph (Jossel), son of Lemchen Herzenberg was born in ca 1809 (aged 39 in 1848), mother Zippe (the age is not stated). His grandparents: Lemchen, son of Joseph Herzenberg, born ca 1780, died in 1840. He belonged to the Jewish community in Pilten at least since 1834, his wife Schore (the age is not stated)... REFERENCE: fond 5024, inventory 2, files 331, 351, 375, inventory 1, file 88. fond 2942, inventory 1, files 4109, 2130. fond 630, inventory 2, files 220, 221. fond 4349, inventory 2, file 6. fond 445, inventory 1, files 2035, 2038. fond 2996, inventory 9, file 520, inventory 12, field 14498, inventory 7, files 25343, 25280, inventory 2, files 41162, 41163, 41164, 41171, 41175, 41185, 41186, inventory 15, file 4449, fond 472, inventory 5, files 628, 826, 1574. Enclosure: genealogical table - 1 table, copies of the documents - 26 sheets. Director: N. Rizovs, Head of Department: I. Veinberga., Researcher: J. Polovceva." 6. The Latvian Archives is online and I have reviewed all Registers for Pilten. Registers are in German and I indicate what I don't understand. I extracted all Herzenbergs of which the following excerpts apply to this family: " -Image 17. Has two columns of ages after the name with the first being 1834 and the second 1842; presumably if missing in the second column then probably deceased in the interim. Family #38: -31 Lemchen Joseph Herzenberg, 54, - (Died in 1840 at age 61.) -his wife Schore (no ages) -32 his son Leiser, 13, 21 -33 his son Joseph, 25, 33 -34 his son Ruben, 8, 16 -35 his son Laser, 5, 13 -36 his son Jacob, 4, 12 -Image 73. Has two columns of ages after the name with the first being 1834 and the second 1848; presumably if missing in the second column then probably deceased in the interim. List # 33, Family #10: -31 Lemchen Joseph Herzenberg, 54, - (Died in 1840.) [Also additional comment needing translation with the year 1846 in it.] -32 son Laser, 13, 27 -33 son Joseph, 25, 33 -his wife Zippe -34 his son Ruben, 8, 22 -35 son Laser, 5, 19 -36 son Jacob, 4, 18 BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side [60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children. Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war. Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome. Helene was married to Jeannot Taube, with children Harry, Alice and Erna. Harry Taube I still knew as a student. Of great-uncle Roberts's children I knew Alex best, and came closer to him when the first world war brought him out of Russia. He was married to Milly Tockel and lived as a rich businessman and house owner in Moscow, where his three children Edith, Ernst, and Theo were born. During the Bolschevick revolution he lost his whole fortune, but as a Latvian was allowed to emigrate, and came to Leipzig where his mother in law and sister in law [62] lived. The children grew up in Leipzig. Alex worked with representation, and Milly helped by keeping a pension, and furnishing summer homes. But there was only enough to live on. Alex was a good-hearted, modest person. He was completely dedicated to the family. He was an outstanding Cello player, and at one time had his own quartet in Moscow. Only one son, Ernst, inherited the musical talent, but he does not practice. When I already was in Bolivia Alex expressed the wish that I would bring his children to me. But only after his death, as the Hitler times kept getting worse, did the children decide to emigrate. Ernst came at the beginning of 1937, and found a position with the firm Enrique Levy in La Paz. Edith came in April 1938, in the fall of 1938 Theo, and at the beginning of 1939 the mother, Milly. Edith was in Oruro for a year and opened a kindergarten where you, [63] Nardi, along with 6-8 other children, were taught. In March 1939 she moved to La Paz to join her mother and brothers, then at the end of 1939 to Buenos Aires where she still has a position (February 1941) . Theo is a trained graphic artist and is active in his profession in La Paz." MARRIAGE: 1. Date and place are unsubstantiated guesses only by Kerry Petersen. SOURCES_MISC: 1. Leonardo Herzenberg http://www.herzenberg.net/ | Herzenberg, Robert or Ruben or Reuven (I3967)
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| 3980 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in Londonwhere Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with he effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. This individual shows up with Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com 3. Courland (Kurzeme in Latvian, Kurland in German) is the historically distinct area of modern day Latvia bounded by the Baltic Sea to the west, Lithuania to the south, and the Dvina River (now Daugava) to the North. Its historic capital was Mitau (now Jelgava). It had ice-free Baltic ports with commercial and strategic importance. At its height Courland was a prosperous and cultured German-speaking Duchy. Courland was a separate Gubernia (Province) of the Russian Empire from 1797-1918. 50-60% of the Jews living in Riga just north of Courland had family roots in Courland. The names of the various towns have changed now that the area is part of Latvia (new-old as of early 1900s): Aizpute-Hasenpoth Jelgava-Mitau Kuldiga-Goldingen Liepaja-Libau Piltene-Pilten Talsi-Talsen Ventspils-Windau 4. Received 30 Apr 2009 a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter "Klara had brothers and sisters: - sister Rosete, born on April 14 of 1854 in Mitau. Rosa Herzenberg died on November 2 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 8-1/2, cause of death - measles. We suppose that Rosete and Rosa was one and the same person. - sister Feige/Fanny, born on July 26 of 1857 in Mitau, died on October 31 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 5, cause of death - measles. - sister Seba, died in 1859 in Mitau, aged 3. - brother, David, son of Robert Herzenberg, born on July 17 of 1864 in Mitau, 2nd guild merchant, since 1915 - 1st guild merchant, the Hereditary Honourable Citizen... - brother Alexander, born on April 16 of 1866 in Mitau. He was registered as a merchant of top guild of Mitau. Since January 12 of 1899 he was registered as a Moscow merchant of top guild. - brother Leonhard, born on July 24 of 1868 in Mitau." | Herzenberg, Rosete or Rosa (I3952)
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| 3981 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn: a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau. b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau. c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau. d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me). i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. She had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora. 1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with the effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew). 2. Nora. ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and her husband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.) e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto." f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau. g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau. 2. By letter 4 Mar 2009 from Irene Slatter, I received the following photocopy of a letter from the Latvian Archives (Latvijas Valsts Vestures Arhivs) in Riga addressed 01.2007 to Nina Kossman (see above note for Nina's email address). The letter has a serial number 3-K-172. It states: "Archival Reference about Stephan Kossman. The records of the archives fond "Latvian Ministry of Home Affairs" - i.e. the file of naturalisation of Stepan (Stephan) Kosman (other spelling - Kossman), set up in 1921 as well as the records of the archival fonds "RIga City House Registers" and "Collection of passports of Riga Prefecture" contain the following information: Shapsel (Stepan, Stephan), son of Vitebsk top guild merchant Leib-Yuda (Leon, Leonty) Kosman (Kossman) was born on June 7 of 1877 in Bredichev (Zhitomir district, Volin province, now Ukraine) (this place of birth was stated in the file of naturalisation, however, according to his Latvian passports he was born in Chudnov (Zhitomir Distrci, Volin province). His father Leib (Leon, Yuda-Leib), son of Samuel Kosman was born on October 5 of 1843 in Chudnov, Volin province. Occupation - a trader. His mother Rebecka Kosman, daughter of Feodor, née Bokser, was born on May 28 of 1852 in Volin province. Stephan Kosman lived in Riga since 1907. On March 15 of 1909 in Riga he married to Ruth - Paulina, daughter of the Heriditary Honourable Citizen, collegiate assessor, doctor of Medicine Isidor Brensohn (see their marriage certificate). During the First World War the family moved to Moscow, they returned to Riga in 1918. They had two children: - daughter Eleonora (see her birth certificate). - son Leonid. Since 1920 the family of Stephan Kosman lived in Riga at Kr. Valdemara Street 39, apt. 5. Leon Kosman and his wife Rebecka lived in Riga since 1921 (previous address - Moscow). They were Russian Citizens. They lived at Lacplesa Street 53, apr. 25. Viestura darza Street 4, apt. 2, Kr. Valdemara Street 39, apt 5." BIOGRAPHY: 1. Mentioned in detail in biography provided by Irene Gottlieb. See her notes for full biography. 2. Provided 8 May 2012 by Nina Kossman from writings of her father Leonid Kossman concerning his recollections of his parents: "RECOLLECTIONS My Parents I remember my father before 1924 when he became blind. He was a slender elegant man. He spoke fluently three languages - Russian, German, and English. In his youth he spent many years in London. It was my paternal grandfather who had left Russia with his big family for England. Father attended school in London. As a young man, father went to Leipzig which was a center of fur business. There he got experience in it. Finally he settled in Moscow. He had customers in London who ordered Russian furs. My father bought them wholesale from the Tartars and exported them to England. He was a "merchant of the first guild" and was therefore permitted to reside in Moscow though being Jewish. In prerevolutionary Moscow, my family led a sumptuous life. My mother had three servants - a cook, a housemaid, and a governess. The family had a big apartment. My maternal uncle Theo lived in our apartment for a long time while he studied architecture in Moscow. My father had several brothers and sisters whom he assisted financially. In 1918, after the Bolshevik Revolution, father and his family left Russia for Latvia, my mother's native country. My parents rented a five-room apartment in the center of Riga. Father tried to go on with his fur business. He used to do business by meeting his trade partners in a coffee house. In Riga he also succeeded in earning rather good money. I was happy when my father took me, a boy of seven years, to the old town of Riga where we went to a stamp store. He bought an album and numerous stamps for me. In 1924 our family went to the cinema. I was sitting beside my father. When the lights went on again, he said to me, "I can't see anything." That was the beginning of my father's blindness. My parents went to Berlin and Moscow for consultations with famous eye specialists. The German doctor concluded that the reason for my father's blindness was his smoking habit - he used to smoke about 50 cigarettes per day. According to the Moscow specialist, the reason for the blindness was a brain tumor (at that time there was no way to discover a tumor.) My mother accompanied father on his trip to Germany and went with him to the Latvian border station near Russia. Father's brother Vladimir expected him on the Russian side and went with him to Moscow. My father used to do business with other traders at Reiner, a coffee house in the old part of Riga. But now he was rejected by his colleagues. "Go to your doctor. We don't need you here." That was too much for my father's self esteem. He couldn't overcome this blow. Before his blindness, he was very vivacious and active. But after his colleagues stopped accepting him, he became taciturn and was very sad. My mother was brave after this calamity had occurred. Now she had to earn money to support the family. She went to Paris to attend a beautician's school. After receiving a French diploma, she opened a beautician's salon in Riga. She had also learned how to prepare various skin creams which she sold to her customers. For our family, hard times had begun. My sister Nora was invited by our paternal grandfather to live with him and grandmother. Because of a fever, there was a suspicion of TB. Since grandfather was a doctor, it made sense for Nora to live in his house. She moved to our grandparents' and stayed there for several years. Grandfather paid for all private tutors Nora needed for graduating from high school. Luckily the suspicion of TB was unfounded. When mother needed money for the trip to Paris, she asked her father for it, but his condition for lending it was her diamond ring as deposit. I used to read to my father the German daily "Rigasche Rundshau." I spent a lot of time with my father. Once I witnessed a tragic scene when my father's old friend Krupnikov visited him. When Krupnikov touched in his conversation on father's blindness, he started laughing while father was crying. Krupnikov couldn't stop his nervous fit. In January 1930 father passed away. He was buried according to the Jewish tradition. After his death, I went to a shul to say kaddish for him. For a month I went there daily. Between the prayers, people discussed their business. Praying was a sheer formality. I told my mother about it and stopped going to shul." [KP note: death date is in error and was probably just an inaccurate memory considering Leonid wrote his recollections late in life.] The writings at this point become about Leonid himself and Nina Kossman should be contacted in case more information is desired. BIRTH: 1. Per correspondence from daughter in London dated 4 Mar 2009. Irene notes there is a dispute as to where he was born. MARRIAGE: 1. Ancestry.com's "Latvia, Riga, Jewish Marriages, 1854-1921" in association with JewishGen: Schebsel Kosmann and Ruth Paulina Brenson, 1909." DEATH: 1. Per correspondence from daughter in London dated 4 Mar 2009. | Kossman, Stephen or Schebsel (I3157)
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| 3982 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per FamilySearch retrieved 7 Nov 2024. Immigrated from Goldingen to New York City in 1907. Sponsored and lived with older sister Helen and her husband Leon Jacobsohn, and was her sister's executor when Helen died in 1934. Censuses show she was single. Further information is currently lacking. BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side... Great Uncle Jacob I saw a few times in Goldingen. He had several sons, of whom I knew only the youngest - Robert. He was a pharmacist, but we lost touch still before the first world war. He also had 11 daughters, known as the "elves" (eleven and elf are the same word in German). From the time I was with him in Goldingen I only remember the dinner table with the many, many girls; oddly enough they all became dentists. One of them married a dentist Friedman from Tashkent, the son of a [?] [Kantonisten] (Dubnow, Weltgeshichte odes Judishen Volks IX, p 191 ff.) I never heard anything more from the others." SOURCES_MISC: 1. Leonardo Herzenberg http://www.herzenberg.net/ | Herzenberg, Cecilia or Zila (I937)
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| 3983 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per FamilySearch retrieved 7 Nov 2024. Immigrated to New York City and married Leon Jacobsohn. 1934 death record notes sister Cecil is executor and parents names were Jacob and Dorothy Herzenberg. According to censuses, does not appear to have had any children. BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "Great Uncles on Mother's Side... Great Uncle Jacob I saw a few times in Goldingen. He had several sons, of whom I knew only the youngest - Robert. He was a pharmacist, but we lost touch still before the first world war. He also had 11 daughters, known as the "elves" (eleven and elf are the same word in German). From the time I was with him in Goldingen I only remember the dinner table with the many, many girls; oddly enough they all became dentists. One of them married a dentist Friedman from Tashkent, the son of a [?] [Kantonisten] (Dubnow, Weltgeshichte odes Judishen Volks IX, p 191 ff.) I never heard anything more from the others." SOURCES_MISC: 1. Leonardo Herzenberg http://www.herzenberg.net/ | Herzenberg, Helen (I3247)
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| 3984 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per FamilySearch retrieved 7 Nov 2024. Immigrated to New York City from Russian Empire. 1926 death record notes wife as Helen and identifies parents' names. Does not appear to have had any children. Be careful in research since there is another Leon and Helen Jacobson in NYC at the same time; the wrong one has a son named Sidney. | Jacobsohn, Leon (I8136)
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| 3985 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Jack Petersen, she may still be alive as of 2002, remarried, and living in Las Vegas. 2. Census: 1930 US: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California, 52/61: Victor A. Storm, 46, MA PA MA Ethel A., wife, 45, Can Can Can. Muriel A., dau., 20, MA MA Can. Beatrice, 16, CA MA Can. Viola, dau., 14, CA MA Can. 1940 US: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California, Apr 8 1940, 1314 North Raymond, renting at $35/mo., #67: Duane Hales, 26, UT, res. in 1935 at Ogden, UT, construction oiler. Beatrice, wife, 26, CA, res. in 1935 at Ogden, UT, Retail sales office clerk. MARRIAGE: 1. Family search's "California Marriage Index, 1960-1985": Beatrice Hales, age 49, m. John T. Godwin., age 48, 31 May 1963 in Los Angeles co., California. Same Index shows Beatrice Storm, age 19, dau. of Victor Alfred Storm and Ethel Anne Warren, m. 1 Sep 1932 in Los Angeles co., CA, Braddock Maxwell Opperman, age 24, son of Clarence Braddock Opperman and Ada Dean Tesson. No California marriage was found to Duane Hales. DEATH: 1. Social Security Death Index: Beatrice S. Godwin, who was born 13 Jun 1913, ssn 563-14-4084 (indicating California) and died 26 Sep 1999 in Clark Co., Nevada. OBITUARY: 1. Tuesday, September 28, 1999 "Las Vegas Review-Journal": "Beatrice Godwin, 86, died Sunday in a Las Vegas hospital. She was born June 13, 1913, in Redlands, Calif. A retired secretary for a department store, she was a 19-year resident of Las Vegas. She is survived by her sister, Muriel Early of Las Vegas. Palm Mortuary-Eastern handled arrangements." SOURCES_MISC: 1. Per www.hales.org 21 Dec 2002. | Storm, Beatrice (I130)
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| 3986 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Jens Praestegaard per his email of 2 Jul 1999: "I have some informaiton about Anders Lauritzen and Maren Nielsdatter and their children. He was probably son of Las Christensen from Gadegaard in Helligsoe. Las, Lars, and Lauritz could sometimes be the same person." SOURCES_MISC: 1. Per Gedcom 18 Mar 1999 of Dawn Van Duren, 5273 Skeeswood Dr., Taylorsville, UT, 84118, 801-968-6300, T.VanDuren@Hotmail.com. 2. Per research notes of J.V. Praestegaard, Lunegaardsvej 33, 7752 Snedsted, Denmark. Mr. Praestegaard is descendent of this individual as well, lives in the area, is a very thorough researcher, and has access to tax, insurance, and other records (predating typical parish records) located in the Viborg regional archives in Denmark. Phone: 97934166. | Lauritzen, Anders (I1666)
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| 3987 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Jens Praestegaard per his email of 2 Jul 1999: "I have some informaiton about Anders Lauritzen and Maren Nielsdatter and their children. He was probably son of Las Christensen from Gadegaard in Helligsoe. Las, Lars, and Lauritz could sometimes be the same person." SOURCES_MISC: 1. Per research notes of J.V. Praestegaard, Lunegaardsvej 33, 7752 Snedsted, Denmark. Mr. Praestegaard is descendent of this individual as well, lives in the area, is a very thorough researcher, and has access to tax, insurance, and other records (predating typical parish records) located in the Viborg regional archives in Denmark. Phone: 97934166. | Christensen, Las or Lauritz (I1476)
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| 3988 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Joyce Cupit, at least one child: Frederikke Louise Pedersdatter b. 29 Sep 1855 in Bedsted, Thisted, Denmark. She references IGI. 2. 1840 census, Nr. 18, en gaard, Bedsted: Svend Jensen Westergaard 48 married farm leaseholder, Frederikke Pedersdatter 61 married and his wife, Peder Christian 34 unmarried her child, Maren 25 unmarried her child, Ane Kirstine Christendatter 13 unmarried his child. CHRISTENING: 1. FHL film # 053026; Bedsted Parish Record, 1766-1814, book 2, p. 145. Peder Christian, born and home christened 26 Sep 1806, son of Enevold Westergrd and Frederike Pedersdatter, Bedsted. Film 053027, book 3, p. 101, shows the confirmation of Peder Christian with a birth of 26 Sep 1806 in Bedsted to Envold Pedersen Vestergaard. 2. Regional Archives in Viborg, Denmark; Bedsted Parish Records; microfiche C119.2, plate 4, page ?. MARRIAGE: 1. Per Joyce Cupit. SOURCES_MISC: 1. Joyce Cupit's website 2. Per gedcom from Wayne Westergard, 785 W. 1300 South, Woods Cross, Utah, 84087, (801)-295-2906 dated 6 Jan 1999. | Enevoldsen, Peder Christian (I1617)
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| 3989 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Joyce Cupit, first name variant may be Salman. CHRISTENING: 1. FHL film # 053193; Sønderhå Parish Record. SOURCES_MISC: 1. Per gedcom from Wayne Westergard, 785 W. 1300 South, Woods Cross, Utah, 84087, (801)-295-2906 dated 6 Jan 1999. 2. Joyce Cupit's website | Andersen Leegård, Salmon (I2646)
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| 3990 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Joyce Cupit, surname may be Jesperdatter. She cites that when their children are baptized, the mother's surname appears as Jespersdatter but the handwriting is difficult to read. SOURCES_MISC: 1. Per gedcom dated 6 Jan 1999 of Wayne Westergard, 785 W 1300 South, Woods Cross, Utah 84087, phone 801-295-2906. 2. Joyce Cupit's website | Jensdatter or Jesperdatter, Inger (I2640)
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| 3991 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Joyce Cupit: a. 1787 Census: Grøntoft, Bedsted: Peder Grøntoft, 46 Anna Cathrina ?, 40 Johanne Maria, 21, children Enevold Pedersen, 16 Niels Pedersen, 2, daughter's Plus 2 servants. b. 1801 Census, nr. 18, Bedsted: Peder Pedersen, both in their first marriage, husband. Ane Cathrine ?, 71, his wife. Enevold Pedersen, 31, unmarried, his child. Dorthe Marie Nielsdatter, 12 Niels Jensen, 15, daughter's child. CHRISTENING: 1. Christening date of 14 Mar 1765 (not 1795) confirmed at Family History Library by Fred Westergard on 29 May 1999. MARRIAGE: 1. Roos group sheet indicates unmarried to Jens Pedersen Leth. One child born out of wedlock: Niels Jensen Leth. SOURCES_MISC: 1.Per gedcom from Wayne Westergard, 785 W. 1300 South, Woods Cross, Utah, 84087, (801)-295-2906 dated 6 Jan 1999. 2. Per Family group sheet prepared by Wanda Roos per research of Bedsted parish records and censuses by Eva M. Gregersen. 3. Joyce Cupit's website | Pedersdatter, Johanne Marie (I1686)
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| 3992 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per LDS Family Search.Org 14 Apr 2002. Lists her parents as Rufus R. Gregory and Mary Crawford. 2. Per 1880 US: Mound City, Holt, Missouri NA film T9-0690, p. 91A: Eben Cooper, boot and shoemaker, 25, MO, NY, OH. Martha Cooper, keeps house, wife, 23, KY, NY, PA. Earnest Cooper, son, 10 Months, MO, MO, KY. | Gregory, Martha Olive (I3380)
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| 3993 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per LDS Ordinance Index, parents are James Heap and Sarah Waters. 2. Censuses: 1841 Eng: St. Chad, Stafforshire, p. 6 of 16, all born in the county: James Heap, 45, gardner lab. Sarah, 40. Joshua, 18, paint app. Jane, 15. Emma, 11. Mary, 7. Lucy, 5. Thomas, 3. James, 6 weeks. 1851 Eng: Yoxall, Staffordshire, p. 6 of 12, #13, res: Hoar Cross: William Pott, 41, head, farmer of 110 acres employing 3 labourers, b. Noxall Staffordshire. Edward Pott, 38, brother, farm bailiff, b. Noxall Staffordshire. Elizabeth Cotton, 16, dau. in law, mistress of the house, b. Noxall Staffordshire. Thomas Lendsey, 26, servant, labourer, b. Noxall Staffordshire. John Thompson, 18, servant, labourer, b. Noxall Staffordshire. Susanna Bannister, 23, servant, house servant, b. Sutton Derbyshire. Mary Bamford, 51, visitor, labourer's wife, b. Yarnfield Staffordshire. James Shingler, 62, visitor, proprietor of houses, b. Burton Staffordshire. Ann Shingler, 65, visitor, wife of James Shingler, b. Lichfield Staffordshire. Lucy Heap, 14, visitor, house servant, b. Lichfield Staffordshire. 1880 US: Bountiful, Davis, Utah, NA film T9-1336, p. 272B: Lucy Barlow, keeping house, M, 43, Eng Eng Eng. Alice, dau., at home, S, 19, UT, MA, Eng. Jane, dau., at home, S, 17, UT, MA, Eng. Hyrum, farm laborer, S, 15, UT, MA, Eng. Minnie, dau., at school, S, 14, UT, MA, Eng. Granville, son, at home, S, 12, UT, MA, Eng. Nathan, son, at school, S, 11, UT, MA, Eng. 3. Nauvoo LDS Land and Records Office research file (copy in my possession as of 2 Jun 2007) indicates that Lucy may have had middle name of Catherine. I do not see it in the extracted birth record per the ORDINANCES below. BIRTH: 1. Per LDS Obituary Index, LDS Church History Library, Film M205.1 D454o. MARRIAGE: 1. Online Ordinance Index which indicates 2 Dec 1855. Obituary has variant date of 1 Dec 1855. DEATH: 1. The book "The Israel Barlow Story," p. 13. 2. Per LDS Obituary Index, LDS Church History Library, Film M205.1 D454o. BURIAL: 1. The book "The Israel Barlow Story," P. 13. OBITUARY: 1. "Bountiful. Demise of Mrs. Lucy Heap Barlow, a Veteran of Early Days. Special Correspondence. [Illegible] Mrs. Lucy Heap Barlow died, of lagrip and paralysis, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Isabel Call, in Afton, Wyoming, whither she had gone to spend the winter. Her remains were brought to Bountiful, her home, for interment. Mrs. Barlow was born Sept. 24th, 1836, in Litchfield, Staffordshire, England. She embraced the Gospel at a tender age and when eighteen years old she bade farewell to home, father, mother, brothers, sisters, friends and all that was dear to her for the Gospel's sake, and she never saw her parents again. She left her home in the spring of 1855 to come to Zion; was six weeks on the ocean, and walked nearly one thousand miles across the plains, arriving in Utah in October. December 1st of the same year she was married to Israel Barlow; passed through many hardships and trials incident to pioneer days, and moved south at the time Johnston's army came. She was the mother of eight children, four sons and four daughters, forty-four grandchildren, one great grandchild, one brother and sister, and a host of friends and relative to mourn her departure. She died as she had lived, a faithful Latter-day Saint." Deseret Evening News, Thurs, 11 Jul 1901, p. 7. | Heap, Lucy (I2623)
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| 3994 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Leo Herzenberg, he was born in Riga and died in Israel. He resided in Tel Aviv, Israel. He had at least three children: 2 sons and 1 daughter. SOURCES_MISC: 1. Leonardo Herzenberg http://www.herzenberg.net/ 2. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. | Weinberg, Hermann (I4116)
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| 3995 | At least one living or private individual is linked to this note - Details withheld. | Living (I4149)
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| 3996 | At least one living or private individual is linked to this note - Details withheld. | Living (I4151)
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| 3997 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Leo, his son, Robert was born 19 Sep 1885 in Libava, Latvia. He emigrated in 1925 from Hamburg, Germany to Oruro, Bolivia. He died on 24 Oct 1955 in Santiago, Chile, where he was also buried. He was married to Gerda Gerson (daughter of Samuel Gerson and Malvine Kahn) on 28 Feb 1932 in Antofagasta, Chile. Gerda was born on 8 Jun 1900 in Lodz, Poland. She died on 22 Nov 1990 in Freeport, Illinois. They only had one child: Leonardo. Samuel Gerson was the brother to Fanny Gerson (1861-1887) who married Leonhard Herzenberg (1858-1932) making Robert Herzenberg and Gerda Gerson first cousins. 2. The following descendancy was developed by and received 1 Aug 2009 from Selwyn Neiman in England Gutta Gutel Jetchen Herzenberg (1842-1898), md. Gustav Gerson (1840-1891). They had the following children: A. Reuven Robert Gerson* (1870-), md. Liebchen Konigsfest* (-1925). B. Fanny Gerson (1861-1887), md. Leonhard Herzenberg (1856-1932). They had the following Child: a. Robert Herzenberg* (1885-1955), md. Gerda Gerson* (1900-1990). [Gerda is the dau. of Samuel Gerson and Malvine Khan listed below making her and her husband first cousins.] They had the following son: i. Leonardo Nardi Herzenberg (1934-), md. Caroline Stuart Littlejohn* (1932-). C. Sophie Gerson. D. Louis Gerson. E. Samuel Gerson, md. Malvine Khan. F. Jacov Gerson, md. Rose Konigsfest (-1936). G. Edward Gerson, md. Matilda Kallmeyer. H. Leopold Gerson, md. Mery Herzenberg. [Genealogy of Mery is unknown.] SOURCES_MISC: 1. Leonardo Herzenberg http://www.herzenberg.net/ | Gerson, Gerda (I4144)
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| 3998 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Leo, his son, Robert was born 19 Sep 1885 in Libava, Latvia. He emigrated in 1925 from Hamburg, Germany to Oruro, Bolivia. He died on 24 Oct 1955 in Santiago, Chile, where he was also buried. He was married to Gerda Gerson (daughter of Samuel Gerson and Malvine Kahn) on 28 Feb 1932 in Antofagasta, Chile. Gerda was born on 8 Jun 1900 in Lodz, Poland. She died on 22 Nov 1990 in Freeport, Illinois. They only had one child: Leonardo. Samuel Gerson was the brother to Fanny Gerson (1861-1887) who married Leonhard Herzenberg (1858-1932) making Robert Herzenberg and Gerda Gerson first cousins. BIOGRAPHY: 1. http://users.rcn.com/cherzenb/AASmain/shortbio1.doc Robert Herzenberg - a brief biography by his son Leonardo: "Robert Herzenberg was born on 18 September 1885, in Libau, Kurland, what is now Latvia. He attended kindergarten, then elementary school. In 1894 he enrolled in a preparatory class for the Realschule. He was enrolled in it, passed his admission exam, and started wearing the black uniform of the Realschule that he wore until the summer of 1902. He then attended various universities and polytechnics in Germany and Latvia, obtaining a Ph. D. in mineralogy from the University of Hamburg in 1911. Following this he became a lecturer, and curator of mineralogy at the university, which required German citizenship. He applied for it, but could not receive it until Russia released him. With the outbreak of war, the release requirement disappeared and he became subject to the draft in 1914. He volunteered for service in the German army to avoid the draft, where he spent three years as a Russian translator. After the war life in Germany was difficult, especially when the hyperinflation arrived, which wiped out Robert's savings. He survived thanks to having his own mineralogical laboratory, and in 1925 was recruited to establish an assay laboratory in La Paz. When he arrived, he found that the company that had recruited him was bankrupt He met a chemist who needed help, and worked with him until 1926, when he was hired by Mauricio HochsChild S.A.M.I. as chief chemist for the laboratory in Oruro. He was married to Gerda Gerson in February 1933, and his son Leonardo was born on 19 September 1934. At that time life for Jews in Germany was getting more difficult every day, and Robert did what he could to rescue our family members. The family, including his sister-in-law and a cousin, was living in a rented house, and Robert decided we needed a larger house to shelter any further relatives who could be rescued. He built the house around 1939, and many relatives started their Bolivian lives there. World War II started roughly at the same time that Robert's son, Leonardo was ready for first grade of elementary school. Robert and many other foreigners (gringos) felt that the public schools were inadequate. The alternatives were the German school, good academically, but children learned to say "Heil Hitler" in kindergarten; and the Catholic schools. So Robert gathered together several other parents with Jewish, American, English and other Allied origins to found a new school. The school started in two rooms on the second floor of a rental building, and later expanded to a new location. The United States state department heard about the sachool and decided to support it as part of the war effort, and American teachers, starting with Mrs. Ruth Martin, the new director, started arriving. Mrs. Martin lived in the Herzenberg household while she was in Oruro. Several groups of relatives lived in the house until they settled elsewhere. Then an empty room started supplementing the AAS boarding house by housing two AAS students. He continued running the Hochschld lab, and during his stay in Oruro discovered eight new minerals. When the mines were nationalized he chose to stay with the laboratory even though HochsChild offered him retirement. His dedication to his family, the AAS, and the lab continued until his death, in October of 1955, in Santiago, Chile, where he was buried." 2. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in two portions: the first or earlier part of the memoir is with my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is the balance of the memoir which deals more directly with Robert, the author of the memoir.: "MY PARENTS FANNY GERSON, Leonhard Herzenberg, SARA HALPERT [110] My mother was born on 10 Schmat 5621 (January 1861) in Pilten, my father on 12 Ab 5616 (July 1856) on a farm [gute] near Goldingen. Their great-parents were siblings. They had known each other from youth, and were attracted to each other, probably because both not so much stood out as fell out from their own sibling group. My father came to the Firm Nachman in Libau at age sixteen, where he eagerly joined the western Jewish culture circle [sich ganz dem west judischen kulturkreis anschloss]. The German pastor of Pilten had taken my mother to heart [ins herz geschlossen] and taught her along with his own children. Pilten, once an important city, bishop's see and of political-historical significance, had become a totally insignificant place, in Russian terminology "z... r....," that is, a city that had been declared as having lost city rights [111] and privileges. A single street led through it. When one came there from Windau, at the entrance there was the church, on the right the house of Jacobsohns, left the house of the Gerson grandparents, and further on relatives lived in almost every house. Behind the houses were fruit and vegetable gardens. Where these adjoined the pastures one could comfortably go through gaps in the fence to the mill field. There my mother used to play, and there I also played with other brats [lausbuben] my age when I was in Pilten for the long summer vacation. These brats attended the Pilten yeshiva next to the little old synagogue. The latter was pathetic, and the yeshiva even more so; it stopped operating long before the world war, and is not even mentioned in the Jewish encyclopedia. Through the pastoral education my mother must have gotten estranged from the whole family milieu, so she liked my father best among the few acquaintances. He was no "match" ["partie"], riches neither had, but they hoped that with help of the [112] wealthy, or better off, uncles in Libau, Goldingen, and Moscow they could get through. They became engaged, and married. [Engagement Announcement card, Pilten, Libau] [Wedding Invitation Card, from G. Gersohn and frau, 4:00pm, 24 July 1884, Pilten] As the guests sat at the wedding meal came the news of the death of Uncle Robert Herzenberg in Mitau. The celebration was not to be disturbed, [113] so the news was kept secret until the end of wedding. It was interpreted as a bad omen, and unfortunately the interpreters were right. The parents moved to Libau, where my father founded the firm Leonhard Herzenberg. The business did not go, the uncles were stingy [kargten] with goods and credit. Soon thereafter I was born, possibly the only pleasure my parents experienced together. And then everything collapsed, the firm failed, my father returned as a clerk to the Nachman Firm, and on 6 Nissan 5647 (19 March 1887) my mother passed away, after suffering for three weeks with enteric typhoid [unterleibtyphus]. Her sister Sophie, who had nursed her during the illness, was infected, and died 11 days later. They were buried in a double grave in the old Jewish North cemetery of Libau, near the north shore of the harbor, next to the building of the linoleoum factory. The grave is almost in the middle of the graveyard. When I visited the cemetery as a child, it was quite full of graves. Then when I [114]Hebrew grave inscription] [msp 115] visited the graves later, on vacation, an oak tree grew behind the cast iron marker [tafel]. Later, after the first world war, the graveyard was abandoned and hardly protected. The low wall was easily climbed over, and everything useable was plundered. All trees were cut down, many grave markers were of wood, these were also stolen, the fences were broken off to be sold as scrap-iron. When I last visited the graves in Libau in 1930, except for the grave of mother and aunt, only a few were still preserved. The cemetery was flattened by time and weather. I don't know whether a transfer of the remains to the south cemetery occurred. When my mother died I was one and a half years old; I have no memory of her. When I was a child one did not speak of her; when I was older and got a second mother it had been agreed that one especially did not speak of my mother. So I know almost nothing of my mother. According to stories and the few photos, she was of short stature, blond, and very beautiful [116]. She was also very clever [klug] and calm in her bearing. I have several letters of hers, that through some kind of shyness I have been unable to read, and a few handicrafts, among them my father's prayer shawl [tales] bag. There was great sorrow in the family over the deaths of my mother and aunt Sophie. Aunt Fanny, who later married Nathan Lowenstein, came into the house to care for me and run my widowed father's household. She knew nothing of child rearing or housekeeping, she was herself only a big child. In contrast to that, she vas very pretty, and let the students of the upper grades in our neighborhood court her much and often. Apparently the situation was not good either for me or my father. So it was natural that he would have to marry again. My father went on most of our holiday trips to the relatives, of which I wrote already, [msp 117] to find himself a wife and me a mother. It did not seem to work, because it lasted very long. Perhaps the candidates shied away from taking such a wild spoiled brat as me under their care. Finally my father made a match outside the country. He went to Konigsberg in private [i.Pr.] (without taking me along), got engaged to Sara Halpert, the daughter of Hirsch Halpert, Rabbi [Gabbe] in the polish schul (Synagogue), and the wedding took place on my father's birthday in 1893. I was already almost eight when the new mother, whom I always called Mamachen, came into the house in Libau. The marriage was happy, though not smooth. The percentage of happy unions was not smaller, perhaps larger, among the arranged ones than among the accidental ones (so-called love matches). When I met her at the railway station, Mamachen was a very pretty [bildhubshe], gentle [sanfte] woman, somewhat buxom [vollschlank] wearing a camel colored plush jacket, into which I liked to cuddle. [118] She was usually serious, an outstanding housewife [hausfrau], and cooked and baked wonderfully; your mother is the only one I've met so far who can do it still better in every respect. Mamachen was no longer young, did not make herself younger, but would give her age as ten years younger. Unfortunately neither she nor anyone else thought of it that smallpox immunization disappears at around age 30. She was vaccinated as a child, and in Germany smallpox was a rare, almost unknown, illness. But in Russia, and in God's little land of Kurland, it was all too common. Perhaps she got infected in an employment agency for servants, and became seriously ill with smallpox. She lay in the city [stadtlichen] hospital, and I would visit her with my father. She was in mortal danger for a long time; when she came out of it the once beautiful, smooth, white, face was a single red scar. [msp 119] She remained pockmarked the rest of her life. (In Russia pockmarked is called ..... (rjaboi); it is such a common sight that a special [urtumlich] word was coined [gepragt] for it. The bodily manifestation of her disease disturbed Mamachen's spirit for the rest of her life. [gab Mamachen ein knacks]. Papachen could surround her with the greatest love, concern, and attention, but she would convince herself that he did not love her, that he cared more for other women; I am sure she was mistaken, but she suffered in spite of it, and Papachen suffered along with her. But they lived quietly and withdrawn. In 1895 uncle Erich was born, at the end of 1896 uncle George. We three grew up, Erich and I left the parental home and moved away [fremde], George stayed home, he was Mamachen's darling. Mamachen fulfilled her step-motherly duty in an exemplary way; before going to Libau she had to swear to her father that she would not touch the orphan [waise], and she never did. [120] I never got a slap from her, though I must have driven her to desperation with my mischief, stubbornness, and back-talk. In later years we understood each other very well, and I would get her annoyed only in jest, for example when I would say I was going to marry a Christian she became speechless just as in my Childhood when I did not want to be subdued. For a time she became very fat, she went to Marienbad several times, she visited me in Freiberg, in Kiel and in Hamburg. She complained [krankelte] about various things. In 1922 she was in Kissingen with Papachen. The diagnoses of the physicians did not sound good, and at the end of 1922 she suffered a stroke which robbed her of speech and movement. So she suffered until the 15 Kislev (November 1923). When she died I was in Hamburg, I went to Libau for the funeral, but arrived too late. Uncle Erich was not allowed to return to [121] Latvia at that time, so uncle George and I were there alone to console Papachen. During Mamachen's illness an electric heating pad set the covers on fire. Since she could not call or move, she would have been seriously burned had not cousin Fanny (now in Prescott, AZ) happened to come in the room and torn the burning cover away. During her illness a very strange thing became evident. Some time before she had set a room aside and locked it with keys from which she would not be separated. Then she declared that the business staff were dishonest, that when Papachen and George went to lunch she herself sat in the cashiers place. She used this daily period to cut off pieces of cloth and hoard them in her locked room. Papachen found this collected hoard when he acquired the key during Mamachen's illness. This hoarding did not make sense, because the cut pieces were not useful for either [122] a suit or a dress. Perhaps this all happened in a state of craziness that later culminated in the stroke. To accomplish it she won the complicity of one of the clerks, who took the opportunity to cut coupons of cloth for himself, but with more sense, with which he supplied his girlfriend's [geliebten] shop in New Libau, who ran an active [schwunghaften] business with the stolen goods. When I wish to describe to you my father, Leonhard Herzenberg, after whom you are named, I can approach it only with a certain shyness [Scheu]. Your grandfather, who attended only a miserable cheider in the country, worked himself out of nothing up to a very high position. I have studied, and graduated from two universities, but always see how far behind my father I stand. No matter how I approach it, from intelligence, [123] diligence, work strength [arbeitskraft], endurance, or observation gift, [beobachtungsgabe] I can only conclude that had he grown up a generation later, under my circumstances, he would have been a light for humanity in any field he may have chosen. Circumstances offered him a small range of occupations, but he fulfilled their and his possibilities 100%. I still envy his letter writing style, and his being had a dignity [wurde] and charm that I have never seen in another person; may they be granted to you, Nardi. The relatives in Berlin would laugh about Mamachen when she spoke of Papachen: "You must see him behind his desk [ladentisch], he stands there like a prince [furst]." And so it was, and whenever he attended a meeting, or led a conference, he would dominate it, without special schooling, without special speaking gifts, and modesty in appearance and dress. He easily stood out from his 9 siblings [msp 124], and perhaps that is why he did not get along with any of them. As I got to know him [als ich ihn kennen lernte] he was just as bald as he is in all his photos. Then I saw very little of him. On work days we never had a midday meal together, since school lasted until 2:30 and often 3:30, and most evenings he came home late from the store, around 9:00, when we would all be together for a short time. Saturday the store was closed, and then we were together more; Papachen was not very devout - only after the death of my grandfather, when he would go to the synagogue daily to say Kadish, and was elected leader of the congregation, did he change; he no longer smoked on Saturday, I was allowed to smoke at home, but he did not like to see it on the street. In later years we sat together longer in the evenings, I with my school work, [125] or reading, Papachen with his bookkeeping, which he always handled himself and was very skilled at. Especially during inventory and year end he would work until late at night. Every Friday evening after dinner we would both go for a walk, in any weather, and then I talked about my school experiences, and he talked about the store. So it went during the school years; then when I went abroad [in die fremde] I would be home only occasionally on vacations, and then, briefly. I would search for every hour I could be together with him, and in later years we were the closest of friends. After I emigrated to Bolivia we would write each other weekly, and thus remained in close contact. Soon after his second marriage Papachen with his brother Joseph founded the firm Gebruder Herzenberg. The shop was located in the Knopf building, on the corner of Korn and Julian streets. After a few years the whole [126] block of buildings up to the market burned down. The shop changed locations several times until the Knopf's rebuilding was complete. The shop again moved back to the old corner, and is still there. However, I don't know what it is called now, since the Bolsheviks who took back Latvia after France collapsed in June 1940 "nationalized" the business, that is took it over without compensation, and your uncle George, the owner, was set out on the street. The business went well, but it was no true happiness. Papachen did not get along with uncle Joseph, and Mamachen even less so with aunt Frieda, uncle Joseph's wife. Both had equal rights, and when Papachen hired somebody, and uncle Joseph did not like them, the latter would fire them. But they both withstood it. Shortly before the world war uncle Joseph died, and Papachen became sole owner. Then the war came, almost all Jews in Libau left the city and moved to inner Russia, partly to save what one could take along, partly to flee to the capital invested in Russian [127] banks and enterprises, partly due to forced evacuation of Jews from the border areas. Uncle Leopold moved to Riga, but Papachen stayed; the Germans came, and were greeted as liberators from the Russian domination, since they came a day before the forced evacuation of the Jews, and instead of them the Russian administration fled to the north. The Germans soon showed themselves in all their ostentation. Life was difficult during the occupation time. Papachen remained a Russian patriot and invested his earnings in czarist rubles. When these then dropped down to nothing, he invested in Reichsmark, and so he also lost this portion. The firm stayed in business, one lived, and not so badly, since the bread and fat ration cards, and the scarcity of meat and fish was not known in Kurland itself during the occupation. [128] But after Latvia became an independent state in 1919, freed of Russians and Germans, Papachen did not become a "noveau riche." During the inflation time he had helped many, but remained the same person who tenaciously fought for his existence. Now he had become the leading personality of the Jewish community. All those who towered over him in education, riches, and position had died or been ruined in Russia. He was always reelected to his position in the community, and one year before his death he was named an honorary freeman (citizen?) [eherenburger]. So, after Mamachen's death he lived in company with uncle George in the beautiful home [wohnung] at Gymnasiumstrasse-4. I was there in November 1918 when Germany surrendered in the first world war, in 1923, after Mamachen's death, in 1925 before emigrating to Bolivia [129], and last in 1930 during my European vacation. Papachen lived quietly and withdrawn; he was not a misanthrope, but was disinclined toward any turbulent gathering. He lived esteemed and loved by the congregation, the city, and with few friends from the old guard of his youth. He lived as he wanted and as he believed was right. Unfortunately he lacked Mamachen's nurture. He had already suffered from a kidney ailment earlier, which kept getting worse over the years. He rarely traveled to the German baths, about once every ten years. Shortly after my last visit in 1930 he became severely ill from kidney stones. Once in a while he had some relief, and then he worked resolutely in the business and the congregation. Finally the crisis came in July 1932. He was transferred to a clinic, but there was no help. He suffered with horrible pain, and succumbed to Uremia on the 12 Tamuz (15 July 1932). With him were uncles Erich and George. [130] I was here in Oruro, I had just gotten a letter from him written in good spirits, since an improvement in his condition had occurred, when the telegram with the sad news arrived. I had lost not only my father, but also the best friend on earth, and the most noble person I ever knew. Papachen's funeral in Libau was exceptional, the coffin was kept in the synagogue, and there the memorial orations were given, Now he rests in the south cemetery next to Mamachen, grandmother, and uncle Joseph. The only good thing is that he did not experience the collapse of everything he loved esteemed, the whole Hitler plague and its consequences. [Hebrew script notation] [marginal notation:] my father's grave inscription[ followed by several lines in Hebrew script] [130 - 133: Ehrenburger certificate, newspaper clippings of memorial items from Leonhard's death] MY ChildHOOD [134] I was born on 6 September 1885, in Libau, Kurland, in the upper story of the south west corner of the intersection of Julianen and Ludwig streets. It was 6 Sept, Russian style, where the Julian calendar was still valid. In the western world one was then 12 days ahead and wrote it as 18 September, but according to the Jewish calendar it was 9 Tishri, eve [erev] of Yom Kippur, and as long as my father lived that day was treated as my birthday. Thus my birthday was never celebrated, since on the eve of the day of atonement one had other thoughts in an orthodox Jewish household. One started in the morning with an atonement ritual [kapores-schlagen], in which ones sins are transferred to a sacrificial animal or to money given to the poor. My father had a full grown rooster, we children copper coins, (the Russian 5 kopek piece was the size of a [taler]). The copper coins were distributed to the beggars [schnorrergilde], the rooster however we consumed [verzehrten] in the afternoon before going to the synagogue [135]. Then in the morning a flower pot would be filled with sand in which the meter-long memorial candle for my mother would be placed. So the day already started under gloomy signs, and my birthday was never a happy day. At my birth my mother got Childbed fever. She got through it, but lost her milk and I was raised with a bottle. When we left this house, I do not know. Probably after my mother's death. At that time we lived on the corner of Seestrasse and Schifferstrasse. About 100 meter west of the Seestrasse one came to the beautiful avenue of chestnut trees leading to the spa [kurhaus] and past it directly to the sea. The Schifferstrasse, after about 150 m toward the north, led to the harbor with its warehouses, steamships, and lively activity. There were two apartments on the ground [parterre] floor, and the same in the next floor. Our apartment consisted of a living room, a bedroom, a dark [36] room where aunt Fanny, and later I and cousin Julius slept, a kitchen, and a tiny garden of about 3 x 3 m. Next to the kitchen was the privy. Libau had sewers later, but no water lines. A W.C would not even be imagined. More of that later. Next to us on the ground floor lived the carriage owner [fuhrhalter] Abraham Lowenstein. In the courtyard [hof] stood his carriages, in the stable the horses. On the upper floor lived a small grain dealer Frank. Behind the fairly large yard there was a neglected fruit garden of the owner Schwerderski. We children would play in the yard and the garden; a ripe berry, pear or apple would never get into the hand of the owner; we finished everything in the unripe state; it is a wonder that we stayed alive. Since I was motherless, and the pretty aunt Fanny [137] was out of the house a lot, I would be left with Lowensteins, or with Frank, and when that did not work with the cobbler Bansemier across the street, with all of whom I spent more time than I did at home. Toys I had none; I played with thread spools and empty boxes. Once a year there was the great annual market in New Libau, and then there might be a wooden horse or some such. Later soldiers were cut out of picture sheets and pasted on cardboard. But I was left to myself, and the whole memory of Childhood is very pale. I had measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping cough, but do not remember any of it. When I was about 4 cousin Julius Bernitz, who was two years older, was brought into the house. His father had died, his mother had stayed with the younger children Hemske and Frieda at my grandparents in Goldingen. I grew up together with Julius, and we lived in one room until I left home in 1902. [138] I am conscious of very little of my first years of Childhood. I do not know what my age was when my father decided to enroll me in a kindergarten, the only one in Libau, which at that time must have been seen as a daring novelty. Children were raised at home, then went to the cheider, or else the German private school, and from there either in to a yeshiva or into the business. The awareness of systematic learning in preparation for [university] study occurred only in a later stage of my life, in the 90's. I came into the kindergarten of Miss Rosenpflanzer, an old, white-haired lady, always in a cheerful, happy mood, with rosy cheeks. It was a [Frobel?] kindergarten, with about 20 Children, mostly of Baltic parents; we were only a few Jewish children among them, an naturally no consideration was given to that. [msp 139] Instruction was in a pure Lutheran spirit, and I knew, and sang, several German church songs, to which my father apparently did not object. Emil, the oldest brother of Grinja Falk was in the same kindergarten, and also later his future wife, Manja Pines, but then she was very small. From there I went in to the private school of Ansitt. It was run by two old, haggard, and quite ugly spinsters. There I learned the beginning basics of the Russian language. I was in this school only a short time and came into a further private school of Miss Schafer in the Waisenhausstrasse, a fair stretch to walk, which was not at all nice in winter and in the morning. Aside form Miss Schafer, a broad [breite], older and very energetic lady, two Russian ladies, Krefowt and Hubenet, worked there. Instruction was stern and hard, I was not taken seriously [man nahm mich nicht fur voll], because of my Jewishness, which I did not understand yet. [Letter attached on these pages] [140] I only have unpleasant memories of these two private schools, but in the last one my first friendship was made. In class with me there was a blond boy, Kurt Bonitz, the son of the confectionery [conditorei] owner Bonitz. Kurt would invite me over on occasional Sunday afternoons, there was chocolate, and cake, and ice cream, as much as I could eat. I had a sweet tooth [vernascht war ich damals] then, and still have it. In exchange I would tell fairy tales. We soon came apart. So ended the year 1894. At that time a preparatory class was added to the Realschule. I was enrolled in it, passed my admission exam, and was dressed in the black uniform that I wore until the summer of 1902. It consisted of black long pants, a military shirt, also black, with an attached black high collar [stehkragen] that closed with a hook. [141] Then there was a black patent leather belt [lackledergurtel] with a brass buckle on which the black letters .... were embossed. The initials stand for [Russian words], Libau City Realschule. The cap was black, in military style, with yellow [passbole?] with black patent leather visor, and again the initials embossed in the "golden" oak leaf cluster. In winter there was also a coat, black with "gold" buttons. There was another high school in Libau, the humanistic Nicolaigymnasium, named in honor of Czar Nicholas I. At that time in czarist Russia, except for a few military highschools, there were only the two kinds of highschools. Realschulen that gave the right to enlist in voluntary military service for a year after 6 years, also gave the right to study in the commercial section of the polytechnic university, from which one could graduate in 3-4 years. Realschulen also had a supplementary [ergantzungs] class. [142] After graduating from this seventh year one received the leaving certificate that entitled one to study at Polytechnic university, but not at a regular university, unless one also satisfied the requirements of the Greek and Latin curriculum. Attending the humanistic gymnasium required eight years, where Latin and Greek and a choice of German or french were taught. There was no natural science, and little mathematics and physics. Graduating from the gymnasium opened doors to many universities. They had the same uniforms, but the [passbolen] were white, and "silver" instead of "gold" for buttons, etc., and the winter coat was a light gray. In summer one wore the same style uniform, but made of linen, which was very pleasant in the heat. The great advantage of the uniform was that from the outside [143] there was no indication of difference in wealth between the students in all of Russia. The son of the richest man, while attending school, both in and out of school, wore the same, simple, black clothing as the son of the poorest widow. The girls in the state schools also wore uniforms, although a little room for individuality was left in choice of hair ribbons and lace trimmings. In old Russia everything was uniformed, not only military, navy, police, and customs, but also any government employee, wore uniforms, and not only on duty, but also otherwise, and of course all school pupils and other students. Realschulen and Gymnasiums were under the ministry of popular education [volksaufklarung], as well as most universities. However there were some in the road construction ministry, and others in the mine construction ministry. Later a third kind [144] of higher schools was established (known as middle schools in Russia) in the commercial schools. These were modeled after the Realschulen, but had English instead of french, and subjects such as political economy, bookkeeping, etc. They had the same rights as the Realschulen, the same black uniforms, but with green [passbolen] since they were under the finance ministry, which also was in charge of its own Polytechnic schools, such as those in Warsaw and Kiev, and the mining school in Jekaterinslav (now Dnjepropetrovsk). When I spoke above of the rights to study that these highschools provided, it was to be understood that applied to all non-Jews, [selbst fur judische sectierer wie karaer oder Karaimen die nur die torah aber nicht den talmud anerkennen]. For Jews there was a Numerus Clausus (quota) that limited the number of Jewish students. [145] In Petersburg and Moscow this quota amounted to between 0.5 and 3.0 %, in the inner lands around 5%, and in the rim states and in the settlement districts up to 10%. The quotas were also used in the highschools. Even in the lowest grades there was not always room for every Jewish child that applied. Sometimes the quota was calculated for an individual class, so in a class of 17 students only a single Jew would be allowed, but in my Realschule the whole school was used, and in the graduating class we were fewer than 20 students, and among them 5 Jews. Every Jewish father endeavored to make a university education possible for his sons, since the diploma obtained there gave them residence rights in all of Russia. Jews in Russia were second class citizens; the quota applied not only to the schools, but for the whole country. The Jew could live where he was born, and [146] other than that in the cities and places where the settlement district to which the Czar province of Poland and a few neighboring governments of the Ukraine and white Russia belonged. But not in the country or the villages. I was born in Libau, and was not allowed to live in Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev, and even Riga. When we went to the country for vacations in summer there were always difficulties with the police. Since they were always poorly paid, and thus easily bribed, usually one could get together. But on the whole it was an unbearable condition. Your grandfather Samuel lived in Moscow for a few years, until finally the expulsion reached him. These conditions lasted into the world war 1914/18. It was grotesque that Jewish soldiers who were brought to Moscow with wounded transports, were expelled from there. No words from the allied French or English [147] did any good, it was said that one could not change the Jew laws in the critical time of the war, and so these did not fall until the collapse of czarist Russia. So, to obtain residence rights for all Russia, one had to study in a university, and to do so one had to attend the high school that gave the right to study in a university. In order to get into high school, due to the quota, even young children had to take competitive exams and certification tests. Already as 8 and 9 year olds we knew that we were Jews, and that because of it we had to suffer and struggle. When Germans, Letts, poles, or Russians needed only a 3 to be admitted, among Jewish children with the highest scores lots would be drawn to determine who was worthy of attending high school. And so it went through university; thus it was not surprising that only the most talented, able, and diligent Jews reached university and [148] in later life accomplished accordingly. Naturally there was a way of easily overcoming all these difficulties, a magic wand that opened not only highschools and universities, but highest society, the highest government positions, a handful of water: baptism. But the abhorrence of desertion from the faith [Meschumod] was so deep that the remedy of baptism was grasped only in the rarest cases, and then only in people with no character who were surely no loss to Judaism. How different from western Europe where baptism and mixed marriage contributed throughout to the good tone [?][ton] of the [arrievierten] Jews. In the east, in spite of repression and persecution, pogroms and lack of rights, even the atheist would never think of repudiating Judaism; in the west the attraction [locken] of a lieutenant's uniform was enough. In Russia, when Zionism had not even been thought of, the Jews [149] always considered themselves a people, and were treated as such by the government. One was a Russian subject, but for centuries along with that one was a Jew as one might be a Pole, a Finn, or member of another of the 100 nations that constituted the Russian empire. LIBAU, MY NATIVE City [149] Libau, a fishing village in the 13th century, became a city in 1625. Libau lies on a 2 km wide tongue of land. West of the city the Baltic sea spreads out, on the east the Libau lake, which is 2 to 3 km wide, and 15 km long. In the north of the Libau lake there is a connection to the Baltic which is widened by dredging. That is the Libau harbor, about 80 m wide and 6 m deep, protected from the Baltic sea by breakwaters and seawalls with only narrow openings for ships. The outer harbor is 8 m deep. The harbor is ice-free almost the entire year, and before the world war [150] it was used by 1500 ships a year. Libau had 17 consulates, was the biggest emigration harbor of Russia, and had lively industry - linoleum for all of Russia was made in Libau. The castor oil for all Russia was pressed in Libau, and the herrings for all Russia were imported, sorted, packed, and shipped to Russia. Wood, grain, oil-cake were exported. Libau was called Libava in Russian, Liepaja in Lettish - the Russian "Lipa" means linden, and the coat of arms of Libau has a linden on a blue field with a red Kurish lion leaning against it. Libau was connected to inner Russia by the Libau-Romnyer railroad. A narrow gauge line connected with Hasenpoth via Grobin. After the world war this line was extended to Goldingen, and a line to Riga was also built, since the old connection [151] ran through Lithuania in places, which had become a foreign country. So the new line was built on Latvian ground. The city was initially built up only south of the harbor, and spread west almost to the Baltic. In the east the shore of the Libau lake was swampy and unhealthy, and the burgers did not settle there. In the west the Kurhausalle ended at the Kurhaus, where concerts always took place on summer evenings. The Kurhaus stood at the end of a residential district. A wide outside staircase led to the beach. The Libau beach is the most beautiful beach I have seen in all my travels. The Baltic knows no tides, and except for storms when the waves came up to the Kurhaus, the beach was almost 200 m wide all year, the purest, white, flour-fine sand, no pebbles, no piece of wood. The wide white stripe ran from the seawall until Germany, a marvelous street for wandering. [152] Then the westerly storms would come and cover the beach with waves, which on their retreat would leave a foot-high layer of dark brown seaweed. The latter did not lie long though; a large part was collected by peasants for fertilizer, and the sand would cover the rest without a trace. The seaweed also brought a lot of amber to the shore, and as children we would collect it eagerly; I had boxes of it, naturally mostly hazel-nut size pieces. To the north the beach ended at the seawall on which one could walk 500 m into the Baltic sea. 1500 meter south of the seawall was the men's bathhouse and another 500 m the women's bathhouse. Further south was an open air swimming pool where anyone could bathe as they liked. The bathing establishments had 3 classes in each. In the first class one stepped directly [153] into man-deep water, the second was built on the beach and one had to wade for 100 m through shallow water before one got neck deep, and the third one was built further back, so one had to walk through sand for 100 m before getting to the water. In summer one would bathe daily, from mid June until September, and we children would bathe 2-3 times a day and romp around in the water for hours. In spite of the fact that I spent a lot of time in the water every summer, I never learned to swim. My father was a good swimmer, but apparently he placed no value on having me learn also; actually I was fearfully [aengstlich] kept away from water sports; later, when I was 14 I was allowed to row, but not to sail. In contrast, your uncle George was an enthusiastic and very able sailor. One would bathe without any bathing suit; when someone wore bathing trunks, there would be whispers of a disorder of his sex parts.[154] Libau is a marvelous sea-side resort, much better than those on the Riga beach. In summer bathing guests would come from Russia, especially when the Russian court visited the resort for a time. Libauers preferred to spend the summer months in the forested area inside Kurland, but most stayed in the city where they could mind their businesses, and enjoyed the resorts, water sport, and the rather good concerts at the Kurhaus. At my time the popularity of Libau as a resort had largely declined. The Baltic idyll was made into a fortress and military harbor. Alexander III had decreed that the main Russian military harbor would be built in Reval. In spite of the freedom from ice, and the good location, he did not want a war harbor in Libau due to the danger of the proximity of the German border. In spite of it the grand dukes persuadedNicholas II that a war harbor [155] be built in Libau, along with a fortress to protect it. So the construction began feverishly. Directly north of the Kurhaus the large shore battery was erected, which continued until the seawall. There was barbed wire and trenches, which do not suit a modern resort. When my uncle Jacob gave me my first camera, a Pocket Kodak, I went to the shore to snap pictures. I photographed the lighthouse, the pilot tower, the seawall, and so on, and was promptly arrested, led through the whole town, and delivered to the gendarmerie. I was then a pupil in the 7th grade, 15 years old, and unaware that I had committed a state crime. At that time I was tutoring for the family of the fortress commander, general Petrovich, who spoke up for me and effected the return of the camera, but the roll of film was confiscated, who knows why, since one could buy all the pictures cheaper and better as post cards. [156] The resort declined, but the city blossomed. In addition to the harbor and commerce activity came the construction of the war harbor and fortress. Officers and engineers with families streamed into Libau. There was an boom in every respect. And that went on till the outbreak of the world war. At that time Libau had a population of 100,000. A strange city, but not an exception in the Russian rim countries. The population consisted of German Balts, Russians, Letts, Jews, and Poles. Added to that the many foreigners, Reichs Germans, Danes, Swedes, English, French, etc. Each of these national groups led its own life, had its own associations, festivals, amusements. These circles did not intersect, either socially or culturally, even though they were all loyal subjects of the Czar. The Russians consisted of the government employees, military, police, and navy. [157] Then there were all the lower employees, priests, a few businessmen, entrepreneurs, etc. They clustered around the Russian church in the Waisenhausstrassse, then the garrison church was added. In the war harbor a pompous cathedral was erected, another one was started near the Kurhaus, but was never finished. The Russian "society" was exclusive to uniformed employees, both civil and military. They never learned German, and for them the others did not exist. The German burger, merchants, craftsmen, factory workers had the trinity church on the main street as a center. It was beautiful, large church, with what at that time may have been the largest organ in the world, having over 10,000 pipes. I was never in a church in Libau, not even for a church concert. The German Balts enclosed themselves culturally with the equally Lutheran Swedes, Danes and naturally also the nobility, though few of the "Barons" lived in the town: Vietinghoffs, [158] Behrs, Ostensacken, Borners, who though Lutheran, held themselves apart form the German Balts. The Jewish community, of about 20,000, were also divided into several groups. The main group was the Baltic Jews, with German spoken at home and in the community. Yiddish was understood, but they could not speak it. Hebrew was hardly known. Culturally we belonged to the German middle class, and were closer to the German burger group than to any other national group, and read the old "Libausche Zeitung." This Jewish group would not have survived, however, without the rich Jews from white Russia and Lithuania having automatically joined it. These not only gave the group great capital strength, but they were people with immense Jewish and other knowledge and education. These were the Minsk-Pinskers: [159] Halpern, Luries, Eliasberg, Katsenelsohn, Weisbrehm and so on. The Kurhausstrasse was an avenue of Jewish villas. One lived well, ate well, but also had an open heart and purse for every artistic activity. No musical or literary greatness, or dramatic troop would miss visiting Libau, and at all such occasions the Jews were present in greater numbers than their proportion of the population would have indicated. This Jewish group had the large synagogue across from the local court [bezirksgericht], the "Choir-schul." Since this synagogue was already so westernized, that he prayer leader, the Chasen of my Childhood, Rabinovitsch was accompanied by a boy's and men's choir of 10-20 voices in four parts. The services were very beautiful, but usually Rabinovitsch sang himself hoarse during rehearsal for the festivals; since the choir could not accompany any other prayer leader, the Choir-schul stayed without Chasen and without Choir. In spite of the choir the synagogue did make an impression [160] of a purely eastern Jewish congregation. Later though, after I had already emigrated, and my father had become the leader, he made a great effort to introduce the Prussian custom and tradition that the synagogues in Germany had adapted him to. The other Jewish congregation jokingly called itself the "Velvet Schul" [Sammeter Schul] (though it has nothing to do with velvet [sammet] - this northerly part of Latvia was called [Russian word = samogitien] and the inhabitants were "sammeter"); it was located near the east harbor and the Weissenhofstrasse. Its members were the poorest circles of the freshly immigrated, as well as established Latvian Jews, with Yiddish as a mother tongue, real [Golus Juden] who tolerated no western affinity. They had their own [Rom?] and the two groups came together rarely. The Jewish community was quite self-sufficient [autark]. One could go through ones whole life, and except for the government, never have to deal with a non-Jew. There were Jewish servants, carriage drivers, hand workers of every kind, and naturally innumerable businesses, schools (without rights), etc. [161] The letts were a group wholly to themselves, with the gothic [Annenkirche] at the hay market. In school there were fewer Letts than Jews, we were good schoolmates [kameraden] but there was no closer contact. Yet another isolated group consisted of catholic Poles and Lithuanian, who flocked to the catholic church and the parsonage. But each group lived by themselves, married among themselves, had their own cemetery. However there was no Lettish cemetery, because they were considered Lutherans, and only the faith counted in the Russia of that time. There was no civic registry [standesamt]. Marriage, divorce, birth and death registration was performed by the registrars of the various cultural communities, and only in them. One lived quiet and secure. The special distinguishing feature [characteristicum] was the stability [bestandigkeit] of the world. Who could doubt the permanence of the Romanows, the Hohenzollern and the Habsburger. One was patriotically minded, there were no revolutionary ideas, socialism [162] was considered a devil's concoction [teuflisches machwerk], and one had very little sympathy with the politically active students who wanted to introduce a different world view and then were banished to Siberia. The Ruble was worth two mark and 16 pfennig. The frank was 40 kopecs, the crowns 55 kopecs, and the dollar two rubles. There was much gold coinage (10 and 5 ruble), silver coinage (1 ruble, a rather large coin, 50k, 25k, 20k, 15k, 10k, and 5k), copper coinage (3k, 2k, 1k, ½k, ¼k). Naturally one preferred paper money for larger sums, such as travel, since gold was very heavy. And what madman would have doubted the security of paper money. One learned of "drafts" [assignaten] and their collapse, but that had been long ago and could not happen again. One lived in friendship with all neighbors, no-one thought of war, or revolution; and yet my generation was to experience so much more war, revolution, [163] state destruction, than hardly any other. But in my youth nobody thought of that, and there were no prophets to predict the uncanny [unheimlich] future. Life was beautiful [shoen] and one had everything. Foods were especially cheap; a full grown goose cost one ruble, pork was 10 kopecs per pound. We had to eat the expensive kosher beef and lamb, which cost 18-20 kopecs per pound; part of the expense was the "Korobka" tax. Fish was available in great quantity; every day one could buy live carp, tench [schleie], pike. The ocean shipping brought salmon, flounder [butten], [stromlinge] (which, thanks to the low salt content in the Baltic sea are a pathetic kind of herring), smelt [stinten], and [dorsche] (a miserable north sea cod-fish). Then there were smoked sprats, herring, flounder, and salmon. In winter only the latter were available, but in summer the market was flooded [164] with the best and cheapest berries and fruit. [Johannes], [stachel], and straw-berries from the garden; blue-berries, [preissel (Krons) ] berries, and strawberries from the forest, mushrooms, predominantly chanterells [pfifferlinge] but also stone yellow boletus [stein-pilze] and champignions. Apples, pears, nuts, cherries, etc. The time for making preserves came in the fall, and for weeks there was cooking of juices, and preserves for the winter, since until early summer there would be nothing fresh except potatoes and beets. Foodstuffs were plentiful and cheap; there also were delicacies from the entire Russian empire, from the white sea to the black sea, from the east sea to Vladivostok. Never again have I experienced such marvelous fruit, confections, and preserves. Unfortunately we were not allowed to eat caviar, since it came from a non-kosher fish without scales, but in the shops [165] the following kinds were available: [malsool], [payusnaya in fusschen]. Clothing was expensive, since there were no ready-to-wear items. The tailor measured for everything, one bought the cloth and accessories, and so the clothing was made. As long as I was in the parent's home no ready made shoes were bought either; the shoemaker came to the house, took measures, then all supplies needed would be bought from the leather dealer. I knew only rubber boots at that time, no laced ones. The winters were quite cold; already in the fall one would buy several cords [faden (ca 2 meter)] of birch wood. Then one would rent inmates of the prison, who would come into the yard with an overseer, and saw, chop and stack the wood. The large tile-stoves [kachelofen] would be fired with this in the morning in winter and stay warm for 24 hours. Before the beginning of winter all windows were fitted with storm windows, the cracks sealed with paper strips, [166] and a padding layer in which colorful corn-flowers and paper rosettes were placed would cover the window-bench. Only in the spring would the storm windows [winter rahmen] be put away again. Regarding lighting, I experienced the whole development. First we had quite miserable petroleum lamps, then came the lightning burners [?][blitz brenner]. When we moved from Seestrasse 32 to the Tieletz house Badestrasse 32 we got gas lighting, already with glow-mantles. Only shortly before I left home did we get electric lighting. Libau is not on any river, the water in the Libau lake is not fit for drinking. Two water tables [grundwasserspiegel] supplied the city. The first one is only about 10m deep, but the water is infected [verseucht]. Each house has a pump in the yard [167]. The second water table is about 100m deep, wonderful, pure drinking water, only a little hard. But only richer house owners could afford such a well [bohrung]. The water rose so high artesially that one could obtain it with a hand pump; later every house had either a wind motor or electric pumps that pumped the water into a tank on the ground floor [hausboden]. The waste water arrangements were worse however. There was a sewer system that led waste water into the harbor, but only the fewest modern houses had water toilets. Every house had a waste pit that the toilets emptied into, where all the waste collected. Occasionally a steam pump came by with stink-vessels [stinkfassern] and pumped it all out and dumped it somewhere far out of town. When this work happened the whole house and neighborhood would be filled with a horrible stench.[167] MY SCHOOL TIME [168] In august 1895 I came into the 1st grade of the Libau [statrealschule]. It was a large class, with over 50 pupils in three rows of school-benches with two places each. There were place numbers and I was 53 or 54, that is either the second worst or third worst pupil. Why? I don't know. I was very distracted, indifferent, careless; at home nobody minded me; mother was ill often, your uncle Erich was a difficult, sickly, child. I did what I wanted, and nobody cared about my schoolwork. When the year ended I was promoted to the 2nd grade, subject to passing three make-up exams, in arithmetic, drawing, and calligraphy. I received tutoring during the summer from a student named Falk, son of the cap maker Falk on the large market, and was promoted. In the 2nd grade (the numbering went up to the 7th, where we would receive the maturity certificate [rife-zeugniss]) [169] I was a normal pupil, that is, I was promoted without make-up exams. I was never held back during the whole school time, but by a narrow margin. The best pupils were promoted without exams. The next best only had to pass the written exams, and were excused from the oral ones. I, however, got nothing for free, but always came through. In 1st grade we had a Russian teacher, A. P. Mossakowoski, a seldom loving, very decent [selten lieben hochanstandigen] person who went to Riga later and died there shortly before WWII. The math teacher was Friedrich Demme from the Dorpat University, a very able mathematician, a fellow student of Wilhelm Ostwold, both of whom were university assistants at the same time. The latter was also librarian for the quite notable Libau city library in the attic of city hall. Our drawing teacher was Sallos, Leonid Ivanovich, of Greek descent. Not only a good teacher [170],but also a productive artist. Geography was taught by Dokrenko Muxaure Ubanoburr, a pure administrative soul [reine beamtenseele], who also taught history in higher grades; I can't thank him for any inspiration. He was head of all the classes.[?] [Er war bis zum einjarigen der klassen vorsteher]. German was taught by old Baumgaertel. He had been director of the Realschule; after Russification he was still tolerated as German teacher. He died soon thereafter, when I was still in the 2nd grade and a German-Russian, Freiberg, with a napoleon beard became my German teacher. From the 2nd grade on [Russian name] taught Russian. The school inspector was F. Ivan Netchaev. As such he was in charge of all school discipline. He was hump-backed [p(b)uckelig], so his nickname was "hump" [puckel]; how cruel children are. No one pitied him, he himself was embittered, strict, and overall not pleasant. He was the nightmare of my schooltime, and remained my Russian teacher until my [171] graduation. Aa a teacher he was outstanding. In the 3rd grade we started french with Bastin. We hook it for 4 years, but my success was less than great. Although he spoke french fluently, he was not much of a teacher. What I do know of french I learned by myself in later years. Then we started on algebra, which was also taught by Demme. I again failed totally. Place numbers were not used any more, but I would have been one of the last. But instead of place numbers a system was introduced in which the smallest and worst behaved, that is the liveliest pupils, were seated in the first row, under the watchful eye of the teacher. There I sat till the end of school, close to the teacher and the board; perhaps that is why I did not discover until later that I was shortsighted; since I traveled around in the world without glasses until 1907, I must have missed many beautiful sights. I was promoted conditionally into the 4th grade, again with three makeup exams, in math, [172] french, and drawing. Actually, if one had three makeup exams one was kept back, but drawing did not count as a full subject. This time my tutor was again Falk, and I was promoted. After that I had no further makeup exams. From the 4th to the 6th grade I was an average pupil; in the last two years I was a good pupil, but I was never one of the best, the pride of the class, because I was always lacking in the most important subject: Russian. Although I had contact and friendships with 100% Russian school mates, in the home, in the family, and in the city one spoke mostly German, and Russian was the foreign language. In August 1899 I came into the 5th grade, during which I became 14 years old, and my learning started to have sense and purpose [sinn und zweck]. In 5th grade we started with chemistry and mineralogy as natural science subjects, after we had started with biology and zoology and botany in the earlier grades.[173] As teachers we had first [Russian name] (jagodowski) and later [Russian name] (Roshdestwenski) (like the Russian admiral in the battle of Tsusima). Both were Russian intellectuals, but neither was a model of either teaching skill or character. I was very friendly with both of them. They had studied natural science, but had hardly any knowledge of the chemistry and mineralogy they had to teach. And there my schoolwork finally got sense and direction. I built all the apparatus for demonstration of chemical experiments, and made all the experiments, since the teacher had two left hands. These experiments I also had to demonstrate at the girl's gymnasium, and wherever Roshdestwnski gave chemistry lectures. I got practice in glass blowing and experimenting that would later be very handy. The school also had a small mineral collection [174] that nobody took care of. I organized it as well as I could. I was excited and eager, what nonsense I did there; since no one gave me any direction, I pasted together a collection of crystal models, among which I still remember a marvelous Pyramid-otahedron (Triakisoctahedron) with in-going [einspringenden] angles. No one was there to tell me that such a thing could not exist in nature; that the axis sections [axenabschnitte] 1:1:n, even with n=infinity, could give a rhombus-dodecahedron only in the limiting case. However, my miss-form was unhesitatingly and admiringly pointed out [eingezeiht] in the collection. In any case, from 5th grade on it was clear to me that I would study at university level, that I would study chemistry, and since universities were closed to Realschule students, I would study for "Chemical engineer" at a polytechnic (as the Russian technical [175] universities were called). I had no idea at that time of what a tangled thread my studies would follow, that I would indeed study chemistry, that I would become an engineer, that my study and occupation would finally peak on chemical mineralogy. More of that later. I was promoted to the 6th grade after the usual examinations, then took the maturity exam [Reifeprufung], that gave one the right to volunteer for service in the army for a year. Then I went into the 7th, or completion, grade, which one left with graduation and then had the right to attend a technical university, with the constraint of the quota. I was no longer the bratty rascal of earlier times, but still rather childish (immature[?]) [kindlich]. In all classes I was the second youngest; only a Russian schoolmate was a few months younger. I passed my exams well, though not with brilliance, but [176] still with the hope of university study. I carried on with chemistry at home through self-study. The room in which I and cousin Julius slept was my realm. Occasionally something [knallgas] would explode, or I would stink up the whole house. I had a lively interest in pyrotechnic, made "Bengal Matches" (matches that burn with a colored flame) [bengalishe lichter] and similar things; I still wonder that I did not fly up into the air along with the whole house with the abundance of mixtures of potassium chlorate that I handled. But this was no longer part of the school requirement; neither was my activity with astronomy. I studied the star charts diligently, and am still rather familiar with the starry sky, though I am less current with the southern sky which I was not used to. My pride was that I turned to Camille Flamarion and applied for membership in the Societe Astronomique [177] de France, and he answered in a friendly way and I became a member. I received the yellow journal every month felt my membership and felt great. Even in later years I would observe the stars whenever I could [sternwarten besichtigt]. With school subjects it was different. In mathematics and physics, which the school director Dobrosrakov taught (a wonderfully good person with a weakness for the soul catching (evangelism) [seelenfang] for the Russian orthodox church, in whose house I spent much time) I was above average. I was always in a struggle with the Russian language; school compositions were always a horror for me. In drawing I was always weak, and though I had a great longing to be able to draw well, it did not work. While many schoolmates were doing figure drawing, and some where working with clay, I kept bungling with ornaments. In contrast I was so much the better in singing class; unfortunately my good memory [178] let me sing faultlessly by ear, and so I never learned to read notes, since that was not actually taught. Sport was hardly known then. I also had no interest in it; I have never attended a football game or anything similar. In school there was gym [turn] instruction, for which we were led to the city gym [turnhalle] next to the old German theater on the Herrenstrasse. I was already rather corpulent during my school time, and had exceptionally weak arm muscles, so I was good for nothing [taugte ich zu nichts]. I could not do the simplest thing on any apparatus [gerate], and also never learned to climb [klettern]. I was the shame of Knigge, the gym teacher. When I learned to ride a bicycle skillfully he got reconciled with me. So there was little bodily activity for me: rowing and bicycling. In winter even these disappeared, and I never could learn to skate. [179] No other ice sport was known then. The gymnasts [gymnasiasten] leased the swan pond each year, which became a great skating rink in winter. We Realschule pupils made a competing rink, but it was always a deficit enterprise; I was steward [ordner], but as soon as I put on skates I'd be sitting on the ice. I stood out from my age mates, I was no gymnast, no skater, no dancer; always very busy, I also did not participate in afternoon walking around and flirting on the Kornstrasse and the Kurhausprospect; In the world of girls I was never even noticed, and in the family people shook their wise heads [weisen Haupter] thoughtfully about this strange [aus der art geschlagenen] boy who made powders, swallowed [schlukte] stars, did not care for any girl friend [um keine freundin kummerte], and busied himself with the strangest [ausgefallensten] things. During the last school years, when I was in the 5th - 7th grades, I had every Sunday afternoon set aside. [179] At that time there was in Libau a Commission for Popular Lectures: [Russian phrase]. Every Sunday afternoon there were popular lectures on science, literature, and occasionally Russian holy legends, illustrate with slides. I was the projectionist, so I had to set up the projector, set up the screen, since the slides were projected from the stage, and after the lecture put everything away, all without compensation. When I left the school I received certificate of thanks, with a silver [Teton?] as memento. Naturally I was considered an expert for slide projection, and whenever a slide lecture took place, whether it was in the war harbor to fight alcoholism among the sailors, or in the imperial technical association, [181] the projector and I were a permanent fixture [Unentgehrliches Factotum]. Those Sunday afternoons, and the Saturday afternoons also, were occupied with such useful [nutzbringender] activity. Libau had a rather nice city library, located in the attic of city hall. Mostly there was old German trash that no one took care of, but there was also a modern section with literature, travelogues, etc., which were loaned out quite a lot. The city librarian was my math tea | Herzenberg, Robert (I4120)
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| 3999 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Leo, they had two children - one was last in England and the other in Siam (Thailand). 2. Courland (Kurzeme in Latvian, Kurland in German) is the historically distinct area of modern day Latvia bounded by the Baltic Sea to the west, Lithuania to the south, and the Dvina River (now Daugava) to the North. Its historic capital was Mitau (now Jelgava). It had ice-free Baltic ports with commercial and strategic importance. At its height Courland was a prosperous and cultured German-speaking Duchy. Courland was a separate Gubernia (Province) of the Russian Empire from 1797-1918. 50-60% of the Jews living in Riga just north of Courland had family roots in Courland. The names of the various towns have changed now that the area is part of Latvia (new-old as of early 1900s): Aizpute-Hasenpoth Jelgava-Mitau Kuldiga-Goldingen Liepaja-Libau Piltene-Pilten Talsi-Talsen Ventspils-Windau 3. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: HL 108 shows Laura b. Mitau, d. Vichy, France, md. to Packschwer. BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: " When Uncle Abraham died the eldest son, Leo, was married in Petersburg. Also the daughter Fanny. Laura and Alice were married in Moscow, and Sophie in Mitau. At home were Ludwig, [44] in the firm, Harry who was still in the gymnasium, and the two girls, Roberta, of my age, and Klara, a little older. Ludwig, whom the mother worshipped, took over running the business. Harry entered the business as an apprentice. Ludwig decided on moving the business to Riga, why I don't know. The beautiful old house in Mitau was sold. Everything in Mitau was liquidated. Instead of the princely living in Mitau, aunt Therese moved into an old dark rental house on the Schwimmstrasse in Riga. I believe she had no happy time there. I don't know how Ludwig ruined the business so quickly. It ended when I was on a vacation trip to Germany in the summer of 1904, when I received the news from my father that I should visit aunt Therese in Berlin. [45] I met her, with Klara and Roberta, in a shabby room of a pitiful pension near the Elsasser gate. They had just had lunch, which consisted of a can of sardines with bread. The firm Abraham Herzenberg in Riga had failed. They had lost everything, and had fled to Germany, and were totally dependent on the support of children and siblings... ...[52] The two following sisters, Alice and Laura married two brothers Packscwer in Moscow, industrialists and bankers and each of the sisters has two sons. In all other respects the fate of the two sisters was fundamentally different. In those days the education of girls in the family was especially held back. From the older children of Abraham I know that they married without understanding the meaning of marriage. Even a word like "shirt" was taboo. It can be assumed that the brother that Alice married also did not know his condition, and brought syphilis into the marriage. In any case, he infected Alice, and as it was in those days, one did not speak of such things as long as possible. When Alice started showing brain disturbances she came to Riga to her mother into the sad home on the Schwimstrasse. [53] At that time I was living as a boarder with aunt Therese. Alice had gone into town on some errands, failed to return, and in the evening after a long search was found insane in the suburbs . She was very beautiful, and her mental decline was a pitiful sight. One could not keep her in the house. She came into a private insane sanatorium of Dr. Schonfeld near Riga, where she died some time later. I never knew what happened to the husband and the two pretty, but pale and sickly Children." LAURA came to Paris with her husband and the two children after the Soviet revolution. They apparently rescued everyone from the Russian collapse. When I last saw Laura in Kissingen in 1922 she was still very pretty, tall and slender. Her husband Pakschwer made an impression like a diplomat before 1914. The elder son was affected by social-tolstoyan ideas. He is an engineer, naturalized [54] french, but has been unemployed for along time. Laura and Max tried to arrange emigration to Bolivia for him, but when the visa had been obtained he had gone to Saigon, Indochina. The second son lived in London. Lastly Laura and Max moved from Paris to Vichy. I don't know what happened to them after the collapse of France and the anti-Semitic laws of the Petain government." BIRTH: 1. Date is only an unsubstantiated guess by Kenny Petersen. SOURCES_MISC: 1. Leonardo Herzenberg http://www.herzenberg.net/ | Herzenberg, Laura (I4062)
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| 4000 | RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per Leo, was in St. Petersburg, Russia as of 1990. 2. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual: Name variations: Leonhard or Leonards Georga. FA005 show b. 21 Jun 1934 in Libava, Latvia and d. Moscow. LA019 shows b. 1934. HL105. HL081 shows the following in regards to his mother: "Arrested on 14 Jun 1941 (with son and husband). Exiled in Kazatchinsky region of Krasnojarsk district with son Leonard b. 1934. Her husband died, Linzit liberated in 1955, her son in 1950." Last heard of in St. Petersburg in 1990. 3. Research report dated 6 Jul 1997 from Latvian researcher Aleksandrs Feigmanis, Crestes 2-12, LV-1021, Riga, Latvia, to Harold Hodes of London, England (partial copy of eight pages in my possession). In one section he notes: "The following Herzenbergs I found in recently published list of inhabitants of Liepaja exiled in concentration camps or to exile by Soviets 14 Jun 1941; -Hercenbergs George son of Leonhard; born 1896, lived on Gimnaijas street 4, exiled in Vjatlag and died there 8-5-1942. -Hercenberg Line daughter of Nikolai, b. 1904; exiled in Kazatchinsky region of Krasnojarsk district with son Leonhard born 1934; son was liberated in 1950, mother in 1955." This is for husband, wife, and their son. BIOGRAPHY: 1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg: "An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family: "...Your uncle George had just finished Libau realshule when the war broke out. He also was to come to me in Hamburg, [msp 347] but the war got in the way. In the summer of 1915 the Germans occupied Libau and all those subject to military service were taken to a civilian prison camp in Skalmierzyce, on the former German-Polish border. At that time I was already a soldier with the Prussians. Uncle Dodo in Berlin made the necessary applications and we succeeded in freeing George from the prison camp. He stayed in Berlin for a while to attend a commercial school [handelschule], then returned home to Libau where both brothers continued to lead a good life during the war. In Libau nothing was lacking, as before all foods were swimming in sour cream and butter, to the extent permitted by ritual, since the parents household was always kept kosher. Then George entered father's business and stayed in it. After father died in 1932 he married his old friend, the Latvian Linzit Grazde. He also had a son Leonhard, born on 21 June 1932, almost exactly three months before you. When the Bolsheviks occupied Latvia in September 1939 [msp 348] they left him in the business for only a few months, then it was nationalized. He desperately tried to get a visa to Bolivia, but it was impossible. First, immigration to Bolivia was closed, and second Bolivia did not have diplomatic relations with either Russia or Latvia. There were no Bolivian consulates at which to apply for entry. Then the Germans marched in, and till March 1942 we were without news. Then we got a telegram from them, from Krasnoyarsk in Siberia, and found out that a week before the German assault, on 15 June 1941, the Russians evacuated them to Siberia..." SOURCES_MISC: 1. Leonardo Herzenberg http://www.herzenberg.net/ | Herzenberg, Leonhard (I4143)
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