The Last Days of Dientje Prins-Eisenmann Z’L (1)
Remarks prepared by H. Joshua for Presentation at the family convocation in honor of the 60th Yahrzeit (2) of Rika Eisenmann-Breuer, 11/10/2013.
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Besides the 60th Yahrzeit of my Tante Rika Z’L, better known as Frau Rabbiner Breuer, I would like to mention three other anniversaries that played important roles in our family history.The earliest date whose anniversary I would like to note is December 27, 1863. This is the birth date of my grandmother Dientje Prins-Eisenmann. She was the mother of seven daughters and one son. The oldest among them was Rika, and the youngest was my mother, Elisabeth Eisenmann-Joshua Z’L. This means that Dientje, which was the name listed on her birth registration, was born nearly exactly 150 years ago.
The second anniversary I would like to mention is the Yahrzeit of my grandfather Jacob Eisenmann Z’L (3) who died on Tuesday November 4th, 1913, 4 Kislev one hundred years ago. This year his Yahrzeit was last Thursday. He was the husband of Dientje Eisenmann and father of Rika.
Last night and today we also mark the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht. What transpired on Kristallnacht was a murderous attack on Jews and Jewish properties in Germany and Austria. Over 1000 synagogues were destroyed, 91 Jews were killed, 30,000 were taken to concentration camps. Thousands of Jewish businesses and institutions were demolished. It was also a signal for Jews who could get out, to flee Germany.
Holland
Dientje Eisenmann was living in Frankfurt at that time. She was born in Holland. She had brothers living there and the families of two married children. The married children were Samuel Eisenmann his wife and their five children and Elisabeth Joshua, her husband and three children.
Holland was considered a relatively safe country to flee to, since it had been neutral in World War I and it was hoped that Germany would respect Holland’s neutrality this time as well. Other advantages of Holland included the facts that our family in Holland dates back to the sixteenth century (Uri Halevi (4), Jacobson, Schaap etc,) and that many of our family members including Dientje spoke Dutch. It is no wonder that Dientje after Kristallnacht moved to Holland and settled in The Hague. I faintly remember visiting her. She was a tough lady, she hand wrestled with me. Both my brother Jacob and I remember her collection of intriguing figurines made of sheet copper.
The German invasion of Holland started on May 10th 1940 and the Dutch surrendered five days later. Repressive anti-Semitic regulations followed which included:
Westerbork
In the middle 1942 the roundup of Jews began. They were first taken to Westerbork. Among them was my uncle Samuel Eisenmann and his lovely family. They were taken to Westerbork and then Auschwitz where they were murdered in September 1942.
Dientje Eisenmann was taken to Westerbork in early 1943 and the Joshua family consisting of my father, mother, my sister, brother and myself were taken on June 5th 1943.
Westerbork was a so called transit camp located in North East Holland. Through Westerbork, from 1942 to the end of 1944, 100,000 Dutch and foreign Jews were funneled to the “East”. The trains left every Tuesday morning. Monday evenings were traumatic. In every barrack, the barrack elder read the list of the unfortunates who had to board the train the next morning for nearly certain death. Of the approximately 110 transports each with about 1000 persons, 90% went to Auschwitz or Sobibor. A few went to Bergen-Belsen or Theresienstadt. Some prisoners had temporary deferments. For instance Dientje Eisenmann was deferred because she had a Visa for Switzerland and the Joshua family because we had Paraguayan passports.
Bergen-Belsen
On February 15, 1944 the names of both Dientje Eisenmann and the Joshua family were on the transport list to leave the next morning. At that time Dientje was an eighty year old, weak and sick lady who could only be moved on a stretcher. Because of her Swiss visa and our Paraguayan passports we were taken to the “Star Camp” within the larger Bergen-Belsen concentration camp complex. The Star Camp received this name because the inmates kept their civilian clothes but each had to wear the yellow star over their left breasts.
Yona Emanuel in his book “Dignity to Survive” quotes his mother’s contemporary account as follows:
Dina Eisenmann is still struggling for her life. We hope that Shabbes will bring her some well deserved respite. Her daughter (my mother), Elisabeth Joshua, somehow managed to obtain half a glass of milk for her, which gave her much pleasure. My heart is filled with deep pain as I remember Mrs. Eisenmann’s numerous good deeds and the beautiful families her children have established.
Elisabeth does everything that can be done for her mother, but the conditions in which we live are too powerful for her. What a tragedy.
The following are excerpts and translated from a long letter that my mother wrote to the family on October 21, 1945:
You certainly would like to learn greater details of Mama’s last year. Mama came to Westerbork in January 1943 where she contracted pneumonia. She recuperated, but then had a relapse. We came in June 1943 to Westerbork while Mama was steadily bedridden. Mama constantly asked (in Dutch) “Waar ben ik hier?” (Where am I?).
Since we had no idea what Bergen-Belsen was like and were under the impression that it might be a comfortable internment camp we took Mama with us even though she was deathly weak. After a terrible trip, she arrived unconscious and befouled in frigid cold weather. It is impossible for me to describe the misery. I had to stand guard so that no one would fall over Mama. At our arrival in Bergen-Belsen Mama asked me “Child why are we here?” I answered “Mama, we are at the Swiss border”. Whereupon Mama said: “Quick, call Ella to say that I am coming”. (Ella Wertheimer was another daughter of Dientje who lived in St. Gallen in Switzerland.) I firmly believe that Mama died thinking that she was in Switzerland. On Wednesday night Mama was brought to the primitive hospital where through great efforts and in secrecy I managed to visit her two more times. She died Friday night which was February 19, 1944. Mrs. Ruben Cohn and Mrs.Lehrer Ochsenman performed the Tahara (5) to my and I am sure to the satisfaction of us all. On Schabbos morning the ‘mes’ (6) was brought by a wagon to the crematorium. At that time there was still enough wood to cremate the dead which was not the case 3/4 of a year later (7). I requested that her ashes be released to me, but received as expected no response. Fourteen days after her death a memorial meeting was held in Bergen-Belsen in Mama’s memory, at which occasion Rabbi Davids spoke eloquently. It gives me great satisfaction that under these circumstances I could still attend to Mama in her last days and to be able to report the details to you. Now that I am by myself, I realize what a heroine she was and what she accomplished. May her Zechus (8) sustain us.
About twenty years ago I visited my mother in Jerusalem and she showed me a small well used sidur (9) that had belonged to her mother. Presumably it had been in grandmother Dientje’s suitcase when she died. On the inside cover was the inscription D.Eisenmann, Scheffelstr. 7 pt. My mother showed me a note that she had placed in the sidur. It read (Translated from German): “This Tefilo (10) belonged to my mother Dina bas Eliezer z’l. Celine Lunzer (11) requested that it be placed in my grave. Thank you. Elisheva Yehoshua bas Yacov.”
I am opposed to include anything in a grave besides the deceased. I mentioned this to my mother and facetiously added that it would be dark in the grave. She agreed with my reasoning and allowed me to take this heirloom. I have it with me tonight and will be glad to show it to any of you.
New York
My bar mitzvo took place in Vichy, in France in December 1947 (12). Numerous family members attended. I remember the Mazel Tov letter we received from Onkel Joseph and Tante Rika which included a generous $5.00 gift. We arrived in New York in February 1948 and first lived on Pinehurst Ave. and then Fort Washington Ave. corner 170 street. Tante Rika was very helpful in getting us established. For a while my brother Jacob shared the front bedroom at 728 W 181st street with Jacob Breuer and my brother remembers the loud traffic of all the trucks that used 181st street to get to the George Washington Bridge. I remember attending Shabbos davening (13) in this hall. I sat in the front row on the left side next to Onkel Sua (14) and later Marc Breuer (15). I found it quite embarrassing to sit in the front row where everyone entered. After shul (13) we went for breakfast to Tante Rika where we enjoyed not only delicious food but also the collection of popular magazines such as Saturday Evening Post and LIFE. I heard about Tante Rika’s petira (16) while I was in the Telshe Yeshivah in Cleveland. I sent my condolences by telegram which my mother appreciated.
In conclusion, it is my hope that the Noshim Zidkonious (17), Dina bas Eliezer z’l and Rivka bas Yacov z’l whom we are remembering tonight, as well as my mother should be Melitzot Yosher (18) for their descendants, their families and Klal Yisroel.
Footnotes
Addendum
Dientje Prins-Eisenmann
Rika Eisenmann-Breuer
Dates of births and deaths of Samuel Eisenmann’s family members.
Dientje Eisenmann's Prayer Book
Note inserted into the prayer book by Elizabeth Joshua
Grave Stone of Jacob Eisenmann with Memorial Plaque for Dina Eisenmann and Descendants Who Died in the Holocaust
"Here is interred: The Chover Rav Yaakov son of Moreinu Harav Rav Shmuel, Zecher Zaddik Levrocho Segan Levi Eisenmann.
A faithful student of the Rav Hagaon from Frankfurt on the Main His honored holiness whose name is glorified Samson Raphael Hirsch, Zecher Zaddik Levrocho. He has gone on to his rest and his departure causes grief on the day of the 4th of Kislev. He was buried with great honor with bitter eulogies on the 5th day of Kislev 5674.
We have fallen silent with stillness [Psalms 39:3]
We have been silenced from uttering good [ibid] for so had he commanded before his death. He asked for only one thing and this was his request, that he should constantly be remembered [see piyutim for Yom Kippur night] before members of our nation and especially before members of his household, his descendants, that they be inspired to be scrupulous about observing the Mitzvos, the light ones as well as the severe ones. To study and contemplate our holy Torah and this will be a source of satisfaction for his soul.
May his soul be bound up in the bond of life [Samuel I 25:29]
************
Their memory never ends [Esther]
Mrs. Dina the wife of Rav Yaakov Eisenman
And their son Shmuel with his wife, sons, and daughters
And their daughter Miriam with her sons and daughters
May G-d avenge their blood
May their rest be under the wings of the Shechina
Deportations from Westerbork
| Survivors | ||
|---|---|---|
| Auschwitz | 58,380 | 854 |
| Sobibor | 34,313 | 19 |
| Theresienstadt | 4,894 | ca. 1,980 |
| Bergen-Belsen | 3,751 | ca. 2050 |
| Buchenwald & Ravensbruck | 150 | <10 |
Data from “Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork”, Drs. A. H. Paape. Total deportees from Holland > 100,000. Total Jews in Holland at the beginning of WWII ca. 140,000.
| Date | No. of Prisoners | No. of Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| February 1945 | 22,000 | ca. 7000 |
| March 1945 | 41,520 | 18,168 |
| April 1, 1945 | 43,042 | ca. 9,000 |
| April 15, 1945 | 60,000 | |
| Post Liberation | ca. 14,000 | |
| Sum total of deaths from February to the End of May 1945: ca. 50,000! | ||
Below is the the Eisenmann Family Tree
http://www.aura-inc.com/memoirs/familytree.html
Eisenmann Family tree
