Colleen, our eldest, asked me if I wanted her essay. I hadn't gotten around to asking her if I could use it so was glad she offered it.
Colleen w
rote this as an assignment for school in 2004 and we thought it was accurate. Most of it is. In 2007 Bernd, my brother and his wife Pat went to Germany and they were given 2 books written in 1996 that looked into records of the Jews in the Wesermarch, the area where I was born. Bernd was born in Chicago. The italics within Colleen’s writings are my amendments. I ammended this on 4 May 2008.
Ist Denn Da Was Gewessen? by Ursula Bernhold & Almut Setje-Eilers
Juden In Der Wesermarsch 1933 - 1945 by Gerd Strachotta
Passage to Freedom: One Family’s Story By Colleen A. Davisson (photo at right)
The day came to a close and Claire, then 3 years old, headed off to bed. Well into the night, sleeping comfortably under her feather comforter, she was abruptly awakened by loud pounding at the door and rough, strange voices from the entry below. Fearful and alone in her room, she quietly crept out of bed and wedged herself behind the wardrobe set in an alcove of her bedroom. Once there, uncomfortable as it was, she stayed, soon to discover that she was stuck and could not move even if she wanted to.
After the commotion subsided and the strangers left Claire began to cry and call out for her ‘mutti.’ Thinking Claire had been asleep throughout the ordeal, Friedericke rushed to the bedroom to find her only child stuck between the wall and the large piece of furniture where she had sought refuge. Together they worked to ease Claire out and then snuggled in bed together for comfort.
I always thought this was what happened. And I was told that it was a dream I had a few days after Dad was picked up. I believe that is correct; it was a nightmare I had and I hid.Claire did not yet know it, but this night would change the course of her life. Her wealthy, Jewish father, Berthold John Weinberg, had been rounded up on this November night and taken to the Sachenhausen concentration camp by the Nazi’s. History recalls this night as Kristallnächt, the night of shattered glass. All Claire remembers is that her father was gone and the family was unsure of what was to come.
What I had never been told was that Opa (paternal grandfather), Max Weinberg, was picked up and detained for a few days in a jail of some kind, and my mother and I were also picked up. We, luckily, were only detained a few hours.
About a month later, on December 14, 1938, Berthold returned to the home of his father, Max Weinberg, Claire’s grandfather. Claire recalls this moment vividly. She was brought her to her father who was with his wife and Max. “The three of them,” Claire says, “my mother, father and Opa just stood there embracing and sobbing. It was the first time in my life I had ever seen adults cry.” The family suspects a large sum of money, perhaps from the family business or relatives already safe in South America or the States, was exchanged for his release. To this day no one knows for sure how Berthold was released, just thankful that he was.
And now I know that we were released because Dad signed a paper to leave Germany and never return. He didn't. This information is in previous blog.*******
Berthold Weinberg and Friedericke Gramms were married on May 21, 1933. An unconventional union of sorts, a common Lutheran country girl and a wealthy, upper class Jew, the two had married despite their families’ opposition. Nineteen months later on December 21, 1934 in Brake, Germany Claire was born. At six months of age it was determined that she had a cancerous growth on her left arm and would need the growth removed by amputation. While at the hospital awaiting the surgery, physician, Dr. Una overheard doctors discussing Claire’s case. He intervened and suggested they consider a newly approved treatment, radiation. They could, if need be, resort to amputation if the new treatment did not work. Claire was one of the first success stories for treating cancer with radiation and wears the burn scar on her still attached left forearm.
Photo of Claire with swollen left forearm before treatment.
*******
Earlier during the fall of 1938 the Weinberg family had begun making preparations to leave Germany. Letters of sponsorship to the American Counsul-General in Hamburg, Germany, from Claire’s uncle, Hans Weinberg, a physician practicing in the States and a dentist, Dr. Joseph Chapman, both of Chicago, Illinois had been received on their behalf. On the day before Berthold had been seized, November 8, 1938, the family received their Führungszeugnis, or Certificate of Good Standing, from the local police department in Brake. Months later, on February 2, 1939 Berthold presented himself to the Amerikanisches
Generalkonsulat, American Consulate, in Hamburg, Germany, seeking visas for the family to travel to the States. Although Claire does not recall these months she pieced together the information from documents the family brought with them to the states.
Photo of Letter of Sponsorship for Weinberg family.
*******
Bundled in a winter coat, Claire and her mother head out the back door, across the yard, and into their neighbor’s house. This was a common occurrence. The girls would play for hours outside in the sandbox during the summer or with dolls in one house or the other. Today, however, was different. Shortly after arriving there was a knock on the door. Before the door was answered, Claire and her mother quickly but quietly headed to the attic. “I remember the panicked look on my mother’s face,” Claire said. At this point Claire knew it was important to do as she was told without any hesitation. For only a short time she and her mother cowered in the attic. At the door had been a salesperson and the family was not interested in whatever was being sold, nor did they want to open their house to a stranger. The salesman left and the remainder of the afternoon Claire and her friend played as they always did while their mothers visited…for the last time.
The next day, the day before the family left for America, Claire and her father were out walking and decided to stop in at their favorite bakery. As a special treat he told her she could have anything she wanted. Carefully scanning the delicacies, Claire decided on a chocolate treat, (some things never change!). “I picked out the chocolate goodie,” she recalls, “and the woman wouldn’t sell it to us. I could tell she was afraid.” Her father insisted and the woman went to the door, opened it and looked up and down the street to see if anyone was around. When she saw that no one was nearby she gave Claire the pastry, refused any money and apologetically asked that they leave immediately. “She could have been punished for just talking to us,” [because we were Jewish] Claire said.
********
While many Jews stayed in Germany, the Weinberg family decided it would be best to leave. “Our family lived in a small town and we were the only Jewish family (one of the few) in the community,” Claire said. “We didn’t have the support of others like us, saw what was happening and could legally leave Germany and enter the States with a sponsor.”
The family boarded a bus
(I’ve since found out that we were driven to Hamburg by a family friend. And, yes, we “only” brought our suitcase with some possessions, but we bought back our belongings from the Germans and had them shipped to America.) and headed to Hamburg. They arrived and were ushered into a building to a room about the size of two school classrooms. Chairs bordered the perimeter.
“I have to go to the bathroom,” Claire said to her mother.
“No you don’t,” she replied insistently.
Persistent and oblivious to the uncomfortable surroundings Claire continued to pester her mother. Reluctantly, Claire’s mother approached the door to the room and knocked. “I thought that was dumb,” Claire recalls, “because I knew you knock to get into a place but not to leave.” A soldier carrying a large rifle answered the door and Friederike explained that her daughter had to use the bathroom.
“No I don’t,” Claire answered hiding behind her mother’s skirt frightened by the soldier’s weapon.
“Yes you do!” she insisted and quickly escorted her into the ‘badenzimmer’, bathroom. “From there on I became very quiet and did everything an adult told me,” Claire said.
Photo of Max Weinberg’s Passport with Third Reich Stamp
*Passport pictures for Berthold, Friederike and Claire Weinberg.
Sometime around mid-February (14th) the family boarded a ship (the USS Roosevelt, a cruise ship) from Hamburg and headed to the States. Their passage was one of comfort. All their belongings, those permitted, were boxed and shipped to the States. Claire and her parents slept in a state room while her Opa bunked in a dormitory with other single men. “Each morning a stewardess came and got me ready and delivered me to my Opa,” Claire states. “My parents spent the entire trip in their suite, retching.” Curiosity makes one wonder over what, anguish, seasickness or both.
*******
Holding tight to her Opa’s hand for fear of getting lost or falling into the ocean, Claire and Max strolled about the promenade deck of the ship eventually making their way into the dining room. Sitting at the table, Claire carefully placed the linen napkin in her lap as if it were a fancy skirt. Everyone around talked but Claire could not understand any of it. She only understood German and most of the passengers and crew spoke English. Ordering her liverwurst sandwich, the only food on the menu that translated to German, the two sat and discussed their plans for the day.
“Let’s head to the kitchen after lunch,” Opa suggested.
“Okay,” Claire agreed and after eating they headed out.
“A cook spoke to me and gave me an orange,” Claire recalls. “His language was gibberish to me. Opa tried to get me to say thank you, but in true stubborn child-like behavior, I kept my mouth shut ... not even a smile.”
********
The ten day trip was coming to a close. The seas had calmed. Friederike and Berthold dressed and joined Claire and Max on the deck of the ship. Foggy and cold, a crowd had gathered. There was an air of excitement. Friederike lifted Claire onto her shoulders.
“Can you see it?” she asked.
“Yes. Now you can put me down,” Claire answered afraid her weak mother would drop her. What was she supposed to have seen? All she saw were the heads of adults standing in front of her. Looking back Claire realizes that the ship had been passing the Statue of Liberty. “Today I realize what a thrill it was for them to see.”
*******
The Weinberg family was fortunate to be able to leave Germany when they did. Others were less fortunate. Max’s brother, Bernd Weinberg,
(my brother was named after his Uncle Bernd) and sister-in-law, Reike, were both taken to a concentration camp during the war. Bernd died in the camp and ‘Tante Reike’ survived. She joined the family in the States after the war and sadly died shortly after arriving in Chicago. “I remember she had been a very happy person in Germany,” Claire recalls, “but when she came over she was so sad and sick.” Claire never saw her maternal grandparents again. They died shortly after the war of malnutrition on their family farm near Oldenburg, Germany.
Photo of Claire with maternal grandparents,
Anna and Ernst Gramms, January 1939.
