Holocaust Remembrance Day: The Schwartz Family of Ungvar

Sad to say, the Holocaust wiped out most of the family that my grandpa Teddy Schwartz left behind in Ungvar, Hungary (briefly part of Czechoslovakia, then Russia, and now Uzhorod, Ukraine). This post is in remembrance of my family and others who were Holocaust victims.


Teddy lost his mother, Hani Simonowitz Schwartz (at left) in the Holocaust (UPDATE: She died a few years earlier). His father, Herman Schwartz, had died many years earlier.

Also, two sisters, Paula and Etel Schwartz were killed in the Holocaust. At right, Paula and her daughter Violet (who survived and later submitted Paula's name to the list of Holocaust victims). Possibly some nieces or nephews also perished.


In 1977, my mother (Daisy Schwartz Burk) wrote down what she knew about her father Teddy's family, more than a decade after he had died. Here's what she wrote:

"He came from peasant people in Czechoslovakia and never spoke about his home life. He came here at 13*. He was always silent about who staked him and how he got here, except that steerage was the most common method; neither he nor Mom (Hermina Farkas Schwartz) ever elaborated on the ocean voyage but it must've been sufficiently unpleasant for them to never to have unlocked their lips over it.

"Anyway, he lived as a boarder with a Hungarian family on the Lower East Side [of New York City] as many others did, and worked as a runner for the steamship lines and then he tried to be an insurance salesman and finally started a small grocery business--the first couple failed.

"The letters from Europe [from Ungvar] I remember asked for money constantly.  They all thought we lived in the lap of luxury here; and he always sent money home. Just before WWII he stopped hearing and never head again; later he learned his family was wiped out. His brother and sister had come here also**, but the exact timing I don't know."

*Actually, Teddy was 14 (nearly 15) when he arrived on the S.S. Moltke from Hamburg on March 20, 1902. He was shown on the manifest as Tivador Schwartz from Ungvar, along with this note: "Passage paid for by father, 14 years old, student." Below, a photo of the S.S. Moltke showing steerage passengers readying for the landing in New York City.

**Mom didn't realize that Teddy had helped both his older brother Sam and his baby sister Mary come to New York. Nor did she remember that both had kids and grandkids--and those grandkids are my 2d cousins, who I've come to know thanks to genealogy research.

Wishful Wednesday: Meeting the Kossuth Ferenc Society

How I wish I could have seen my Farkas and Schwartz ancestors at a meeting of the Kossuth Ferenc Hungarian Literary Sick and Benevolent Society, founded in New York City in 1904. Above, a photo from the group's fifth anniversary jubilee. My great-uncle Sandor (Alex) Farkas (born in Berehovo, Hungary) was one of the founders, and great-uncle Bertalan (Albert) Farkas was a long-time leader! They are in the picture, along with other relatives (see below). This society reached its peak in 1924, when it had more than 600 members.

The Kossuth family (father Lajos and son Ferenc, for whom the society was named) were leaders of the Hungarian independence movement. According to a Fulbright scholar's research (this link leads to an explanatory pdf), the founders of the society asked permission to use his name (and apparently his likeness, shown above in a chair at the very center of the photo).

The society's goals were to establish a library and reading room; raise money for charitable purposes, especially to help new immigrants; and sponsor sports or other special events. The society also participated in March 15th celebrations every year, remembering the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.

Hermina Farkas, 1909

The photographer Gustav Beldegreen, who had a successful studio in New York City's Lower East Side, was obviously a big supporter of the society. He produced the big photo above, along with individual portraits of the members that are included as cameos.

At left, my future grandma Hermina Farkas as she appeared in 1909, in the big photo above. She was born in Berehovo, like her brother Sandor. Two years after this photo was taken, she married grandpa Theodore Schwartz (born in Ungvar, then part of Hungary and now known as Uzhorod, Ukraine).

Also here's a photo of the Kossuth statue that was erected in 1928 New York City (along Riverside Drive) to honor this leader of Hungarian independence.

From the Kossuth Ferenc Society booklet, spelled as in the original and in the order it appeared, I want to include the complete Tagok névsora (list of members): 

Altman, Sándor

Altman, Rosie

Altman, Bertha

Altman, Malvin

Aurbach, Emma

Ábraham, Isidor

Bleich, Ármin

Blau, Sámuel

Blau, Sámuelné

Berman, Dezsö

Burger, Jenö

Burger, Miksa

Burger, Géza

Burger, Lajos

Burger, Rosie

Burger, Harry

Braun, Ferencz 

Braunstein, Jenö

Böhm, Máli

Berkowitz, Márton

Berkowitz, Sadie

Beldegreen, Gusztáv (the photographer/printer)

Braun, Jakab

Brummel, Frida

Berger, Pepi

Berger, Isidor

Breuer, Márton

Cohn, Sarah

Davidowitz, Jenö

Deutsch, Dezsö

Deutsch, Samu

Deutsch, Ferencz

Diamand, Ignátz

Eichler, Hermina

Ehrenfeld, Bella

Farkas, Sándor  (my family!)

Farkas, Bertalan (my family!)

Farkas, Hermina (my family!) 
Friedman, Jenö

Friedman, Adolf

Friedman, Isidor

Friedman, Annie

Feldman, Herman

Fischer, Sarah

Fischer, Rosie I

Fischer, Rosie II

Fischer, Jenö

Fischer, Harry

Fischer, Julia

Funk, Deszö

Fried, Sámuel

Frank, Mihály

Fábián, Jenö

Fábián, Jenöné

Greenberger, Bertha

Greenberger, Max

Green, Malvin

Green, Cili

Green, Herman

Goldstein, Lina

Goldstein, Márton

Greenfeld, Irén

Greenfeld, Bertha

Greenfeld, Sámuel

Gross, Isidor

Gross, Etel

Gross, Ida

Gross, Jenö

Gross, Márton

Grossman, Jenö

Grossman, Etel

Grossman, Annie

Gerendási, Béla

Gerendási, Márton

Gottlieb, Julius

Grünwald, Albert

Goldstein, Giza

Greenstein, Vilmos

Gellért, Ármin

Gellért, Miksa

Gewirtz, Jenö

Greenbaum, Dávid

Gáspár, Anna

Grünwald, Selma

Hohenberg, Bérnat dr.

Hochheiser, Dóra

Hirschfeld, Jenö

Herskowitz, Máli

Hartman, Ármin

Horowitz, Fáni

Hartman, Wm. L. dr.

Jäger, Sadie

Jungreis, Antal

Klein, Jenö I

Klein, Jenö II

Klein, Jenö III

Klein, Jenöné

Klein, Szerén

Klein, Lajos

Klein, Isidor I

Klein, Isidor II

Klein, Máli

Klein, Bernath

Klein, Vilmos

Klein, Ida

Klein, Regina

Klein, Helen

Klein, Róza

Klein, Mór

Katz, Bertha

Kornfeld, Heinrich

Kraus, Hermina

Kraus, Bernath

Kallisch, Teréz

Kellner, Árpád

Katz, Ida

Kestenbaum, Jack

Klausner, Sam

Kraus, Matild

Lehner, Etel

Leffkowitz, Rosie I

Leffkowitz, Rosie II

Leffkowitz, Helén

Lessauer, Sam

Lebowitz, Max

Lax, Harrz

Leggmar, Sarah

Markowitz, Herman

Markowitz, Hermanné

Markowitz, Isidor

Mayer, Adolf

Miesels, Sam

Moor, Max dr.

Neuman, Vilmos

Oppman, Gizella

Rendler, Annie

Rosner, Dávid

Reschowsky, Lajos

Rosenfeld, Fülöp

Roth, Helén

Roth, Margit

Rosenzweig, Boriska

Radóczy, Irma

Rosner, Bertha

Singer, Szerén

Schwartz, Nathan

Schwartz, Nathanné

Schwartz, Isidor

Schwartz, Theodor (my family!)

Schwartz, Malvin

Schwartz, Alex

Saffran, Bertha

Schwartz, Szerén

Schwartz, Bernath I

Schwartz, Bernath II

Strauss, Eszti

Smidt, József

Schwartz, Eszti

Schönwald, Emma

Schönwald, Rosie

Schwartz, Sam (my family!)

Spitzer, Vilmos

Saffir, Rosie

Süsskind, Pinkusz

Spitz, Áron

Stark, Miksa

Schwartz, Marie (actually MARY, my family!)

Schreiber, J.H. dr.

Selymes, Ferencz

Schwartz, Sarah

Stark, Sándor

Salamon, Rosie

Schwartz, Bertha

Schwartz, Sadie

Schwartz, Hannah

Staub, Matild

Spiro, Annie

Steuer, Paulin

Steuer, Jolán

Tresenfeld, Rosie

Tresenfeld, Ármin

Wolf, Adolf

Weitzner, Janka

Weitzner, József

Wolitzer, Sándor

Weiss, Dávid

Weiss, Harry

Weiss, Sámuel dr.

Weiss, Max

Weiss, Helén

Weiss, Feri

Weiss, Bernath

Weiss, Piroska

Weiss, Sam

Weiss, Margit

Weiss, Ida

Williger, Helén

Weltman, Ernö

Wellner, Henry

Weinreb, Márton

Zimmerman, Harry

Matrilineal Monday: Daisy's Violets on Velvet

My mother, Daisy Schwartz Burk, enjoyed crochet, crewel, needlepoint, and embroidery.

Here's a crewel piece Mom did on black velvet fabric. This has been in the family for about 60 years, and the colors remain beautifully vibrant. Now it's Sis's turn to enjoy it in her house. She's going to have it reframed and include a note about who made it and when.

Hermina Farkas Schwartz, my grandma and Daisy's mother, was a talented seamstress who helped to support her parents and siblings by working in a tie factory when the family came to New York City from their native Hungary. Grandma (known as "Minnie" to her sibs) sewed most of her niece's and nephew's clothing as well. We grandkids still remember playing with her treadle sewing machine when we were tiny tots, opening the little cubbyholes in the cabinet and taking out the extra belts and accessories. I still have some of Grandma's hand-embroidered linens, which I treasure.

Grandma's and Mom's love of the needle has been passed down through the family, and the next generation also enjoys embroidering and crocheting the heirlooms of tomorrow.

Wedding Wednesday: Hello to My Farkas Relatives

From the 1946 wedding album of Daisy Schwartz and Harold Burk, who got married at the Hotel McAlpin in New York City, here are some photos of my Farkas side of the family, showing my grand-aunts and -uncles and lots of cousins.

Sibling Saturday: Schwartz Sis & Child in Ungvar

This lovely lady is possibly Etel or Paula Schwartz, both of whom were younger sisters of my grandpa Tivador/Theodore/Teddy Schwartz.

When Teddy, his older brother Sam, and their baby sister Mary Schwartz all left for America, sisters Etel and Paula stayed behind in Ungvar, Hungary.

Later called Uzhorod, this small city formed part of Czechoslovakia after WWI. And before Uzhorod became part of Russia, the photo on the left was taken and sent to my grandpa Teddy in New York City.

The reverse side of this lady in profile has the wording shown below left. The date appears to be March 24, 1929--84 years ago tomorrow.

The circular stamp is the name of the photo studio in Uzhorod, Ungvar.

Szeretettel translates from the Hungarian as "with love" or "affectionately." "Blankatol" doesn't match either Paula or Etel, but the lady looks a lot like one of the Schwartz sisters.

At right is the inscription of a baby photo from Ungvar. Again signed, "affectionately," but with a different name, "Yenaketol" perhaps, followed by Uzhorod and the same date as the lady in profile (March 24, 1929).

Also there's a sentence that refers to "Yenake" which I suspect is a nickname for the child who is shown in classic baby pose, below.

(Please, if anyone can read that final sentence in Hungarian, would you let me know?)

So the three Schwartz siblings, who lived in or near New York City after leaving Hungary, probably never saw this sister again and never met this niece or nephew.

Now, 84 years later, the photos are part of our family's genealogy research, memories of the family's Hungarian hometown of Ungvar. (By the way, when asked where he came from, grandpa Teddy would tell me, "Czechoslovakia.")

Thankful Thursday: Philly Cousin Found Me!

Welcome, cousin! A 2d cousin from my Schwartz side connected with me this week, thanks to my Ancestry tree and this blog.

Grand-aunt Mary and Grand-uncle Edward

She's the granddaughter of Mary Schwartz, the youngest of the Schwartz siblings who left their home town of Ungvar, Hungary to journey to New York City.

Thank you to my Philly cuz for the photo (left) of Mary and her husband Edward, a lovely photo I'd never seen!

Mary was my grandpa Teddy's baby sister. Teddy (original name: Tivador) came to New York in 1902, followed by his older brother Sam (original name: Simon) in 1904. The two brothers pooled their money to bring Mary to America in 1906.

Etel and Paula Schwartz

Alas, the two remaining Schwartz siblings (shown right, Etel and Paula) never joined the rest of the family in New York, nor did Hana Simonowitz Schwartz, the matriarch. None survived WWII, sorry to say.

On the bright side, my Philly cuz and I are having fun getting caught up on decades of family news and doing a little more research together on our ancestors. Philly, here we come!

Have You Heard of the Connecticut Military Census (WWI)?

Did you know that Connecticut conducted a "military census" during WWI? One of the people in my extended family tree filled out such a form. I've never seen it before, although Jim Sanders found two for his family just a few months ago. All men over the age of 16 had to answer this single-page questionnaire. I discovered that this ancestor could handle a team and drive an auto and a motorcycle, but he couldn't swim.

So here's what Connecticut asked: Can you do any of the following...

• Ride a horse?
• Handle a team?
• Drive an automobile?
• Ride a motorcycle?
• Understand telegraphy?
• Operate a wireless?
• Any experience with a steam engine?
• Any experience with electrical machinery?
• Handle a boat, power or sail?
• Any experience in simple coastwise navigation?
• Any experience with high speed marine gasoline engines?
• Are you a good swimmer?