When WWI broke out in August 1914 my mother’s family was vacationing in the area of Danzig and simply did not return to Lodz any more; Aunt Frank was working in Berlin, she had some job with the Royal Prussian Library I seem to remember and brought her mother and sister Madzia ....
When my grandmother heard of the new pregnancy she insisted that my parents come to Berlin “where all the good doctors are” and my parents packed up and went.
My first memory is of my maternal grandmother. I was six when she died but the impression she left was of an apparition all dressed in black, high neck, long sleeves, button-up shoes—she was probably only in her early 60’s[1].
From Aunt Franka's Zurich matriculation information:
E: Liba B‘., Lodz, Wschodniastr.65 [2]
Google translate from German transcription. Proably warrants a real translation, as there are some oddities I haven't figured out.
Berlin d. 12/6 15
My beloved Madziachen!
Now Mr. has come and brought me greetings from you, you can imagine how happy I was about everything, first that you look good, then that you liked it so much, his first word when he came, he said to me, "I can congratulate you madam on your youngest daughter!" That's enough for you, dear child, that he liked you, that you work diligently and that you want to study medicine and that you were his interpreter; I was happy to hear everything from you, and of course I was happy about everything. Now I want to ask you very much to write me everything, how did you like it? Of course, Mrs. Hahl agreed that you should continue studying there and of course medicine, because that now has a very big future. As you have probably already heard, Fela definitely wants to go to Copenhagen and look for something there for herself, if she finds work there that's fine, otherwise she'll travel on, either to Mus or to Aunt Torenczyk in War. [3] she invited her here, she is going to her aunt's, maybe she is going to Stockholm with her aunt, where her son-in-law Lichtenbaum is supposed to pick her up (a sister is also supposed to go with her aunt) and from there only to Copenhagen , she doesn't feel good here, and Mrs. and I don't want to hear reproaches again.
Yesterday Julek came quite unexpectedly, thank God he looks good, and brought me written messages from Uncle Max, Aunt and Fela[4], they write the same thing as Julek says that everything is good there, only business is all perfect, God have mercy on that it will be different soon. Julek wants to do something here. He wants to buy cigarettes from Samuel. Can he make some money with them?[5] In any case, I'm glad he's there with Fela's decision, which he wrote in his most recent letter that she shouldn't go. - So that's all from us, Fela has her 100 M. She gets 100 for the trip, maybe 140. like everyone else, and she also gets a 100 ds note from Röska, who left her here, so she will for the first few weeks and then she will see what will happen next, either she will earn something there, or will she go to Mus, Mrs. even wants to take over the 2 hours she has here and send it to her, do you understand? And Fela will then be there on her own, I and Mrs. will stay here for the time being. – Julek will stay here until Monday at the latest until Tuesday.[6]
Now you will know from us again what is going on; do you know what H. Fuks wanted to do? He had the intention of bringing you and Röska together, of course he didn't want one of the others to have anything, and you didn't want to be with him today, but it doesn't matter that you didn't want it, nobody knew, and maybe you would really talking to you resp. to you of you. So that's it for today, kissing you 1000 times and write soon, Julek will certainly write to you soon too, your very loving one
Mama
The girls and Julek are not at home, I greet them on their behalf
Charlottenburg d. 4/5 16
My beloved good Madziachen!
It was with real joy that I received your letter with beautiful little pictures. I think you look good, thank God, and I like the costume very much, wear it healthy, dear little daughter, and be always happy in it and of good cheer. So you still have to wear a skirt with blouses, but of course a light, light dress ([wool] skirt) and a pink dress, so that you have for the heat, that's not such a big expense, you just have to be a little clever , so you can find something nice and not too expensive, if you're going to run out a little more than 240 m., I'll send it to you in June. – I hope you have good friends there who will help you with everything. Julek, who finally came after so many long-awaited waits, was also very happy about your picture, he thought you looked very good, he is satisfied with you, that you are a lively and clever girl. and you are so very satisfied, we had a lot of fun about it! Just always be content and happy, that's our wish and joy! We were also happy about your good boarding school, of course it is one of the rarities today, but you must appreciate it, dear child. Julek doesn't say anything particularly new about home, the people are already very happy, everyone is just asking for peace, if the town will liven up even more.
Thank goodness Julek earns money from time to time so that he can get by in front of the hand, may God help him! It seems to me he's staying here for a few more days, you can imagine how happy I am, thank God he looks good too. The factory isn't up and running yet, maybe this summer he'll be able to. He doesn't tell anything else about Uncle Max, when the aunt was very seriously ill, they suffered a great deal with her, but things have seemed a little better for a few days now, since she gets out of bed now and again, think about it they lay with each other for a few months, the poor uncle is perhaps suffering even more than she, you know how self-sacrificing he is for the aunt, and poor Fela?
We had a letter from Röska saying that she was leaving Locarno on the 3rd and that she was feeling good, thank God, is that just the way it is? Write to me, dear child, will she write to you like that too? I'm often so restless that I wanted to run out of bed, it hurts my soul so much that I have her so far away from me, it's terrible I ask God every day, even hourly, that He only lets you get well if I You only know it's fine if you're healthy, but if one of you isn't really well, I'm completely out of my head. We recently got word from Fela that she is happy with Stockholm, at first she was desperate. Who should I think of earlier?
The only thing is nice when I have news from you. I want to close for today I'm tired, I greet & kiss you 1000 times, please message
your very loving
Mama
Charlottenberg. 21/VIII 16
Dear son!
In response to your letter, in which you asked for my dear Madziachen's hand, I will comply with your wish and warmly welcome you as my son.
Madziachen told me how happy she is and since the happiness of my child is the most important thing for me, I give you, my dear children, my motherly blessing on your union with all my heart. Although I do not have the pleasure of knowing you personally, I am convinced that my dear child has not made a bad choice and that your life will be shaped to your complete satisfaction. I am very sorry that I was not able to be with you now so that I could be happy with you. I send you, dear Rafal, as a token of our covenant, a ring which you may always wear in good faith that it was a gift from a good heart. From now on I ask you to address me as mother; it gives me double pleasure to call you by the name my good husband bore. For today I send you warm greetings as well as to Madziachen
Your mother
L Baumgarten
dear sir,
You're lucky if you made it this far to be my first brother-in-law. You know that the first ones are always loved the most in the family.
But I'm not at all jealous of your new position, since it's about my little Pucnick's happiness. I wish you both lots of sun, flowers, joy.
Franka.
Geneva. 30. X. 17. [7]
Dear, dear mother, please don't blame me for not writing for so long. I want to do well now and report to you in detail about everything. First, accept my warmest, heartfelt thanks for the gift and the telegram. I was touched by your loving attention; it's too kind of you; they spoil me directly. So far we haven't bought anything, we've used the money differently, but we want to do it as soon as I get my money from home.
You already know that I finished my exams and am now an Ing.-chem. Dipl. High Dignity! All I have to do with the doctor is to submit the work. As for these, I continue them, but not without difficulty. The necessary materials are either very expensive or not available at all. That really slows down the work. So I had to temporarily give up the job I had already started and start a new one. But at least it works. – Otherwise, despite the increasing difficulties with food, we live very well, comfortably, even better than before. Having our own apartment is a lot of fun for us and even being a host and cooking has its charm, especially after all the innumerable hotels and guesthouses that we have strolled through in recent years. With the 5th floor it's not as terrible as dear Mama imagines - who should afford something like that if not young people like us? Still, we couldn't find anything more suitable.
Those who visit us envy us - it's nice, nice and cozy in our little home. I can't find words for Madzia's housekeeping talents - she has surpassed herself. She does everything well, quickly and skilfully, like the most trained housewife. And such advances in just a few weeks!
Madzia has already written to you about how difficult it is with money now. It hasn't come at all for 2 months and it's uncertain how long it will continue. Most of our acquaintances are in the most embarrassing situation. Luckily we still had a small supply, which is now over. But please don't worry about it for the time being, because some way out will be found. I just want to ask you to contact Mr. Julius Simonowicz, Dzielnastr. 39 so that he can ask our representative Mr. Krischer, if he has money, to send me money once or monthly through the Poznań Bank. – At the same time, I am looking for a job here, although it is difficult to find one. To the great loss that has hit her so unmercifully, press dear mom! Madziachen complains far too much; because although we are really a bit cramped here, we actually have a lot of fun in the only small but very nice room, where we feel even closer, more intimate, happier. You can rest assured about this.
After all, it won't be for long, because we want to go into the mountains for 2-3 weeks for Christmas, and after the return we have something really nice in prospect. – Now we want to start working after the long 4-month vacation. But we had extenuating circumstances, didn't we? Nobody can blame us. – Madziachen looks very good, very elegant and gets lots of compliments, which of course also makes me proud. – How are you, dear mom? And dear Miss Franka? How we would like to rejoice if they had come here; you could furnish yourself so beautifully and practically. – In these days we want to have our picture taken, so you will have our pictures shortly. With warmest regards
Rafal
Google translate from Polish transcription. Shows Franka in middle, and Fela on left and Rosa on right. Sent from Château-d'Œx, in Switzerland.
Chateau d’Oex 21.8.25
Ab: Framer hotel Victoria
Frau L.Baumgarten
in Berlin – Halensee
Kurfürstedamm 11
b/Dr Calrazy
Dear Mummy, we had our pictures taken before we left. The photos are only just finished and I’m sending them. How does Mummy like us? Don’t you think we look good in general? I’m wearing a dress altered from the white velvet one (she’s 11 now). Fela is new in red, Rózia is green from raw silk.
We’re leaving here on Sunday. It’s been raining like crazy for three days now. Tr. is sitting in his room in the little apartment, shivering with cold, and I’m bursting with laughter that our vacation didn’t work out so well. It’s only nice in the mountains when the weather’s nice. Kisses. Franka
Mrs. M. Jonas
Teplingstrasse[?] 24/26
Frau Dr. Tramer, Solothurn-Rossegg, Schweizen
Sunday (?)
Dear Fran! Mom's condition has apparently improved for the better, in that the fever has gone down, the cough has eased, and since yesterday the other sister[8] has been gone. But: Mom is still groaning (when asked why, she replies that everything hurts), it is with difficulty that she can be led two steps to the armchair, she has no appetite or mood, she is very apathetic, Calv believes that the momentary danger has passed, of course unless something unexpected happens again. During this whole illness of Mom - Calv has shown himself in the most disgusting light and continues to terrorize Mom and us, namely
1. he removes more and more of me from Mom, I have to notify by phone about the time of my visit, I am not allowed to enter the room without him, I am not allowed to talk to my sister or call her to the phone.
2. he calls Luśka (?) "idiots", so that the girl cries and talks about leaving.
3. He calls Mom a psycho and hysterical (which, admittedly, she didn't tell me to write about), and the day before yesterday he allowed himself such [??????] -
Mom didn't want to eat something, and he thought Mom had to eat it - what did he give, he held both of Mom's hands tightly, knelt down at her legs, and [??????] had to hold her head, in this way he packed her food, even though Mom spat out the first few spoonfuls. It lasted, apparently, an hour. He told me himself that "German needs to be transcribed]" in response to my discreet remark that it is difficult for Mom to go, but this is his empty talk!
he has no appetite, he made a terrible scene, he called me hysterical. Mom told me this scene with tears in her eyes, that no one had ever hurt her so much in her life, that she was asking God to let her leave that brute's house, she was generally very depressed, and he (motivating her by saying that Mom often forgets recent events, like for example that you gave ??????) claims that Mom is geistig umnachtet (which I promise you neither I nor my sister have noticed) and that she doesn't have to be taken into account as much as we do. For example, he claims that Mom groans more when I come, and my sister claims that Mom groans just as much when I'm not there, he makes fun of the flowers that are brought to Mom, etc. I'm not a single person anymore and I don't know what to do. Tomorrow I'm going to Hanna to consult her. By the way: she gave 50 m. tomorrow I'll send Feli +10 of yours, so that she has 60. Julek[9] advises Mom to take it from Calv and give it to the charity.
From Aunt Franka's diaries (she has 3 copies of it).
our beloved mother, Mrs.
Leonore Baumgarten
née Lubliner
died on July 2, 1926, 67 years old, variously
In deep pain
Julian Baumgaten,
Dr. Franciska Baumgarten-Tramer,
Dr. Rose Baumgarten,
Magdalena Jonas nee Baumgarten,
Lydia Baumgarten nee Loewenstein,
Dr. R. Jonas
and 2 grandchildren
The funeral took place quietly in Berlin on July 5th.
Berlin, Weissensee[10] June 2, 1951
On the 25th anniversary of your beloved mother's death[11], a special warm greeting on June 1st. I put the hill back in order[12] and planted it with fuchsia. The dog-florets bloom in full splendor
Your Lila[13]
Found inside one of Aunt Franka's diaries. The Russian version of her name with the "ova" ending.
Leonara Baumgartenova
Notes:
We seem to have more knowledge about the rest of the Lubliners than of our great-grandmother. Mom was 6 years old when her grandmother died, but I've only found one little thing she wrote about her. There is a letter Uncle Tramer wrote her asking for Franka's hand in marriage.
She was 67 when she died.
An actual address for the family, presumably at the time of Franka's matriculation. 65 Wschodnia Strasse. Here is location and photos on Google maps. I have found links with modern photographs of other apartment blocks (tenements) on Wschodnia Strasse (East, or Eastern, Street), which suggest that these buildings do date back that far: See 54 Wschodnia and 45 Wschodnia. Also, a someone who sells a cast from of the impression of a mezzuzah from 34 Wschodnia. Don't know how long they lived there, but I see that Wschodnia Strasse figured in the 1905 Lodz uprising.
"War." is short for Warsaw. Not sure what "Mus." is short for (Moscow?). Torenczyk (not what transcriber wrote) is a name that show people from Lodz/Warsaw, but I haven't found the relationship.
Uncle Max would be her brother Max Lubliner, Fela his daughter.
Julek refers to this Samuel in a card to his mother.
So a couple days, as she wrote this on a Saturday.
Written a few days after their wedding.
Assume all references to "sisters" are to a nurse, or aide.
Does this mean Julek was in Berlin, too, at this time?
Weisensee is the site of the largest Jewish Cemetery in Berlin and survived the war.
We have her death recorded as July 2, not June. Wonder if Lila just got confused by her birth month.
Suggests that there was a gravesite still intact in 1951. I wrote juedfriedweissensee@jg-berlin.org, and heard back: "Liba Baumgarten, born in Lublin, blessed A. (June 5, 1859 - July 2, 1926), born in Ozorkow and buried on July 5, 1926, is buried with burial number 71382 in grave field G 6 in row 10 of the Jewish cemetery in Berlin-Weißensee."
Lila was their nanny, etc.
Birth: June 05, 1859, Ozorkow, Poland
Death: July 02, 1926 (67), Berlin, Germany (sugar and heart disease)
Immediate Family:
Daughter of Chaim Mendel Lubliner and Jetta Lubliner
Wife of Rafael Isek Ioachimow Baumgarten
Mother of Julek Baumgarten; Jytta Baumgarten; Freidel Francisca Tramer; Rosa Baumgarten; Felicias Baumgarten-Campetti and 1 other
Sister of Jankiel Lubliner; Moritz Lubliner; Flora Ashkenasy; Max Lubliner and Auguste Friedmann