Bottom row, left to right: Werner Mattes, Erich Mayer, Arthur Pagelson, Walter Cremer. Second row: Walter Moses, Liesel Moses, Leo Levy, Liselotte Levy, Ada (Edith) Jena, Edith Hermann (fate unknown), unidentified girl, Heinz Stern, Heinz Sander. Third row: Sammy Tabaksman, Hans Mayer, Elma Rosenberg (fate unknown), Ilse Stern, David Jena (teacher).
This photograph of the student body of the Jewish school in Neuwied was taken in 1931. Liselotte and her brother Leo sat together in the center of the photograph, her arm around his shoulder. She was nine years old and he was six.
Werner Mattes immigrated to South Africa before the war.
Erich Mayer, the boy who escorted Liselotte to school every morning, apparently immigrated to South America where his brother lived.
Arthur Pagelson immigrated to the United States and served in the army during World War II.
Walter Cremer immigrated to Holland before the war. He was enslaved at Westerbork, Theresienstadt, and Auschwitz, liberated by the Americans at Dachau in April 1945. He died a little over a month later, on June 3, 1945.
Walter Moses immigrated to Holland before the war. He was deported to Auschwitz and murdered on August 31, 1942.
Liesel Moses married Max Fenig, a Polish-Jewish man, before the war. When he was arrested and deported to Poland in October 1938, she smuggled herself across the German-Polish border in order to be with him. At one point during the war Liesel was in the Krakow ghetto. The Jews in Krakow were sent to Belzec death camp in the summer of 1942. Liesel did not survive the war.
Leo and Liselotte immigrated to the United States in 1939. Leo served in U. S. army in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany.
David Jena’s daughter Ada (Edith) immigrated to England before the war. Her sister Gretel (not in photograph) made it to Palestine before the war. Edith Herman, fate unknown, was seated to Ada’s left. Seated to Edith’s left was an unidentified girl.
Heinz Stern, Ilse’s cousin, immigrated to the United States. He served in World War II.
Heinz Sander immigrated to the United States before the war. He joined the U. S. army and was killed in Burma in April 1944.
Sammy (Semmy) Tabaksman immigrated to the United States. He served in World War II.
Hans Mayer, Leo’s best friend, immigrated to the United States before the war and lived in Atlanta, Georgia. His family in Germany was murdered by the Nazis. Hans and Leo renewed their friendship in this country.
Ilse Stern, Liselotte best friend, immigrated to Palestine before the war and lived in Tel Aviv. She and Liselotte were reunited during Liselotte’s visit to Israel in 1977, shortly before Ilse died.
David Jena, Liselotte’s beloved teacher, moved to Beuthen, Germany, before the war. The Jews of Beuthen were deported to Auschwitz in February 1942. Neither David Jena nor his wife survived.
