ISSN: 1559-4866

The Newsletter of the American Friends Volume 10, Issue 1 of the Jewish Museum Hohenems, Inc. June 2009 I N T OUCH J UNEJ UNE 2009 2009

NEWS FROM THE MUSEUM D R . HANNO LOEWY

"DID YOU SEE MY ? A In cooperation with the Aus- JEWISH LOVE STORY" trian Alpine Club. This exhibi- “I feel eternally alone here tion is supported in part by between the radiant land- Stephan Rollin An exhibition project of the the AFJMH. scape and the icy hearts.” Founder Jewish Museum Hohenems Stefan Zweig and the Jewish Museum Jewish Museum Hohenems, Claude Rollin, Esq. Vienna “Once you’ve heard the noise April 28 - October 4, 2009 President that a groundhog makes, you Jewish Museum Vienna, will not easily forget it.” December 15, 2009 - March Uri Taenzer, Esq. Theodor W. Adorno 14, 2010 Secretary-Treasurer Alpine Museum Munich, “Jews and nature are two April 2010 - February 2011 distinct things and always

TRUSTEES have been,” “When I come before God, the Dr. Robert Amler Paul Celan Eternal One will ask me: ‘Did Ronald Bernell you see my Alps’?” Doris Billes Samson Raphael Hirsch “Not a mountain person and Nadia Follman yet or possibly for that very “Anyone who hasn’t climbed a reason, you find the Alps James Hirschfeld mountain has not lived.” beautiful.” Francesca Brunner Kennedy Vilem Flusser Erica Pedretti Hon. Susan Shimer “When I look at the moun- “Of course the mountains, Harry Weil, Jr. tains I wonder what all the where else?” Monica Wollner rest of culture is for.” Franz Kafka Walter Benjamin (Continued on page 6)

In Touch Editor: Susan Shimer Design: Nicole Angiel M EET THE HOHENEMS DIASPORA - THE REUNION Please send your In Touch articles to our editor A Film by Markus Barnay – in from Hohenems into the collaboration with the Jewish In the summer 2008 more world. Hosted by the Jewish Susan Shimer Museum Hohenems and than 120 descendants from all Museum, they celebrated the Austrian Television over the world: from California vitality of the Hohenems 16 Pond Lane to Australia, New York to Armonk, NY 10504 Diaspora, a living community "One of Europe’s most Jerusalem, from and transcending all kinds of [email protected] innovative Jewish , Great Britain and borders today, not just or museums“ (Forward, New , Belgium and , borders of nations, but also of Canada, and even Uri Taenzer, Esq. York). The Museum tells about experience and faith. a community at the borders , met in 123 N. Church St., between Austria, Switzerland, Hohenems again, where their Diaspora and migration, Moorestown, N.J. 08057 and Germany. People in the ancestral Jewish community tradition and modernity, dwelled for more than 300 Phone: 856-235-1172 center of Europe and their transnational networks and personal story: the European- years. It was the second local roots, persecution and Fax: 856-235-1911 Jewish experience in a reunion of many of those Heimat: the Museum and the families who made their way [email protected] nutshell. (Continued on page 2) Page 2 Volume 10, Issue 1

M EET THE HOHENEMS DIASPORA - THE REUNION

(Continued from page 1) The film comes together with available through the AFJMH. descendants work together to the children’s movie of the Please send your request to make this world a place of Reunion: “Kids on Camera“, Uri Taenzer, e mail, more tolerance, acceptance produced during the Reunion [email protected], or by and a thoughtful memory of by young members of several snail mail, AFJMH, 123 N. history. families. Church Street, Moorestown, N.J. 08057, together with a Together with filmmaker We suggest that you order check payable to the AFJMH, Markus Barnay the Jewish your copy of the newly or your credit card Museum has prepared a lively released DVD of the Jewish information, in the amount of 20 minute documentary Museum Hohenems: A living $20 to cover the cost of the illustrating those memorable memory of the Reunion disc ($17) plus the cost of days in July and August 2008. 2008. Copies of the film are mailing. ™

A USTRIAN CULTURAL FORUM EVENT F EBRUARY 2, 2009

On February 2, 2009, the cial exhibitions presented by well as Dr. Norman Kleeblatt, which endured for over 300 Austrian Cultural Forum in the Museum. Among them, curator of the Jewish Mu- years. New York City sponsored a “Kantormania, the mixture of seum New York. program, At Home: Diaspora, religious and secular music,” She knew nothing about the The Jewish Museum “So easy was it,” the stories Sue Shimer described her Museum until she attended Hohenems. Among those of Jewish survivors after the initial contact with the Mu- the 1998 reunion to which attending the oversubscribed war who briefly settled in the seum and why she continues she was attracted primarily in program were a number of three countries surrounding to participate in its affairs. order to meet descendants of descendants, members of the the Museum. On a lighter She feels a connection with the Brunner family of Trieste American Friends Jewish Mu- note, the exhibition of the town and the people who who had aided her family seum Hohenems and direc- “Jewish Kitsch,” included an live there now because they when they left Vienna in tors of Jewish Museums from oversized challah cover to created the Museum when 1940. She explained that, in Europe and America. encase a computer screen. there were no longer any attending, she had to over- Jewish people living in come her reluctance to visit The program began with a A panel discussion followed, Hohenems. They also seem because of the circum- twenty-minute video prepared moderated by Andreas to genuinely care about the stances under which she left by Marcus Bernay of scenes Stadler, Director of the Aus- town’s descendants. She was Austria. and events at last summer’s trian Cultural Forum in New gratified that the local citi- Descendants Reunion. The York. It was succeeded by zens did not create a mu- Her next shock was finding video was funded in part by questions from the audience. seum of a “departed race” as that the Museum was in the the American Friends and a Participating in the panel the Nazis had envisioned, but home of Clara Heimann DVD is available for Rosenthal who had been purchase, as de- deported to Vienna in scribed elsewhere in 1940 and subsequently this newsletter. to Theriestadt, never to return. The Museum’s After the presenta- collection included some tion of the film, Dr. of Clara’s furniture, just Hanno Loewy briefly as she left it. Sue noted described the Mu- that the local community seum’s new perma- she met in Hohenems nent exhibition. He was welcoming and genu- explained that the inely interested in the Exhibition tries to tell descendants and their the story of the family stories. Further- Hohenems Jews more, one of the Mu- through numerous seum’s early exhibitions displays of original was an exhibition and historic materials dramatization of the post- placed throughout the Mu- discussion were Dr. Hanno rather a living museum en- cards that Clara Heimann seum. He also described Loewy, and Sue Shimer, the compassing a vibrant relig- Rosenthal sent, before her some of the more recent spe- editor of this newsletter as iously diverse community (Continued on page 3) In Touch Page 3

NA USTRIANEWS FROM C ULTURALTHE MUSEUM FORUM EVENT

(Continued from page 2) promoted major recent projects visitors from a three-country nity into the vastly divergent deportation, to her grand- such as maintaining and secur- area: Germany, Switzerland local society. daughter living in Brussels. ing the renovation of the old and Austria (not just the re- These postings were pre- Jewish quarter, notwithstand- gion of ). The sented as a live performance ing that there are no Jews cur- majority of visitors are non attended by many local resi- rently living in Hohenems. -Jews. He pointed out that dents who were deeply many of the exhibitions moved by the experience Dr. Norman Kleeblatt, curator which might be considered despite the adverse implica- of the Jewish Museum New controversial are, never- tions of Clara’s deportation. York pointed out that all Muse- theless, organized by the ums tend to display artifacts Museum. Typical examples Thus, Sue became actively that demonstrate what life was would be the “Jewish anti- involved with the Museum. like in the past. However, visi- Semitism” and the “Jewish She described the feeling of tors need to have a connection Kitsch” exhibitions. Dr. community that the Museum to the artifacts in order to fully Loewy emphasized that has created among the de- appreciate them. In this re- such exhibitions must be scendants. The Museum has spect, when the JMH displays carefully crafted with the become the fulcrum of the various historical artifacts, it cooperation and under- Diaspora as descendants has a ready built audience of standing of the local com- relate to each other and to appreciative descendants. munity. the town through various Some controversial exhibits exhibitions and projects. This and programs first presented Another delicate exhibition AFJMH newsletter, In Touch, by the JMH were also shown in requiring diplomacy in its not only serves to keep de- New York. Others were not presentation was one re- scendants informed of events appropriate for an American lating to Turkish migration. at the JMH, but it also com- Jewish Museum, particularly in Approximately 15 percent memorates the lives of our these dire economic times of the residents of ancestors and their descen- when museums are con- Hohenems are Turks. He The well-received program dants, families connected by strained by financial issues and observed that the relationship was followed by a wine and a common ancestry to are so dependant on donors for with the Turkish minority is a cheese reception. Hohenems. their subsistence. He explained big issue in Austria and else- that the vast majority of visitors where in Europe, viz. the sub- Copies of the Museum’s new She emphasized that the to the permanent collection in ject of women wearing head- English catalog At Home: descendants inhabit many New York are Jews while cer- scarves in France and the Diaspora, The Jewish Mu- countries now, have vastly tain special exhibitions also construction of minarets at seum Hohenems were avail- different cultural back- attract others who may be in- mosques in Germany. Thus, able for purchase after the grounds and religions. Yet, in terested in the subject. the Museum has encouraged program. Remaining copies spite of their diversity, they community awareness in its have been retained by continue to maintain a com- Dr. Hanno Loewy divulged what exhibitions and also promoted AFJMH. They are now avail- mon interest in their ances- attracted him to be the director wide-ranging discussions re- able and may be purchased tral home. The Museum, of the JMH. He lived and lating to the successful inte- by contacting Uri Taenzer, through its exhibitions, dem- worked in Frankfurt and, hav- gration of the Turkish commu- email, [email protected]. onstrates that over many ing learned that non-Jews had ™ years people lived together in created this mu- relative harmony until they seum in a small began to disperse for eco- town, he came by for nomic, religious and cultural a visit. Then, in reasons. The 2008 gather- 2004, he read an ing, by invitation of the Mu- advertisement that seum of people who came the Museum was from all over the world (and seeking a new Direc- also from Hohenems), dem- tor. Consequently, onstrates that people of vary- he and his wife ing beliefs, varying religions “leapt” at the and varying professions can chance to live and relate and gain from their serve near the diversity. Acknowledging the mountains which former Jewish community’s they love. unique contributions to Hohenems, the Museum with Dr. Loewy noted that the support of the town, has the Museum attracts Page 4 Volume 10, Issue 1

T HE JEWISH CEMETERY IN HOHENEMS G ERHARD SALINGER

Several articles have been written over the years about the Jewish Cemetery, but practically all go back to one source: the publication by Dr. Taenzer1. The history of the Jewish Cemetery in Hohenems is as old as the Jewish community itself, when in 1617 Count (Reichsgraf) Caspar admitted Jews into his territory. The area allocated for this ceme- tery was called the Schwefel- berg (sulphur hillside or mountain), an area that had little economic value for other purposes.

This was not a unique situa- tion. We find that in many European localities the ceme- tery land consisted of grounds that could not be used for agricultural pur- poses. For this reason, we find Jewish cemeteries in forests, and where the land- scape is mountainous, on very steep hillsides, and even on top of a mountain, espe- cially in Eastern European countries. One wonders and asks oneself: was a funeral conducted here by mountain climbers?

Taenzer’s book contains a register of the names of per- sons who were buried in the Hohenems Jewish Cemetery until 1904. This list includes the names, date of death and the number of the grave- stone. The list appears on the following page. The Jewish Cemetery in Hohenems served the entire region of Vorarlberg. Several additions to the cemetery were made over the years and the new sections can be identified. A hand drawn chart showing tions with the years of burial 1640-1646, there were 16 changed his mind, as Taen- the additions appears here. is very interesting, but also households. In 1656, an ad- zer said, for unknown rea- Most burials took place in the puzzling. At the time the ditional 13 Jewish families sons and revoked his pro- second half of the 19th cen- cemetery was established in were tolerated. Twenty years tection. As a consequence tury when the Jewish popula- 1617, nine Jews (probably later, in January 1676, when the Jewish population had tion reached its peak. with families) obtained Count Franz Karl succeeded to leave Hohenems. Most Schutzbriefe (letters of pro- his father, who had died, he settled in nearby Sulz, a Based on two cemetery tection), which enabled them renewed his protection. But village then under Austrian charts provided in the book, a to reside in Hohenems. by September of the same rule. Twelve years later, in comparison of the grave loca- Taenzer assumes that in year, Count Franz Karl (Continued on page 5) Page 5 Volume 10, Issue 1

T HE JEWISH CEMETERY IN HOHENEMS

(Continued from page 4) 1688, the Jewish families other Jews in Vorarlberg, The empty space- without material. Often soil condi- were forced to leave Sulz and although not many, were gravesites- at the top of this tions “swallowed” the stones. implored Count Franz Karl to affiliated with the Hohenems section could encompass In Hohenems, as Taenzer allow them to return to Jewish community, and were perhaps-at the most- 25 pointed out, the desired dry Hohenems. He gave his con- probably buried there. graves. It is obvious that soil conditions did not exist sent, most probably because Taenzer’s cemetery chart between 1617 and 1748, the and for this reason many he needed to refill his coffers, contains only 15 names from mortality rate must have stones sank into the ground. due to his own financial pre- 1749 to 1799, and none been higher and cover sev- This is especially apparent in dicaments. between 1617 and 1748. eral generations. Taking a the west-central part, a large The list on page 397 of Taen- very minimum of 100 deaths area, where only 19 grave- In September 1696, zer’s book shows the land during this time period, the sites can be found in the Hohenems had eleven Jewish acquisitions and enlargement question arises, how could all chart. households (59 persons), in of the cemetery over the of them be buried in this tiny 1716, it had ten households, years. Another chart, follow- area? But nothing can explain the and in 1744, it had 23 ing page 412, indicates the tiny area on the chart that Schutzjuden (protected Jew- individual gravesites, with There are some obvious rea- was available for burials be- ish households). Based on dates of death, the number sons why graves “disappear.” tween 1617 and 1748. One this information, it can be of the grave, and its location Sometimes, in European possibility would be the reuse assumed that from 1617 to in the cemetery. Of particular countries where people could of the old graves, which 1744 (with the exception of interest is the oldest part of not afford gravestones, they would, with certain excep- the years in Sulz), there must the cemetery where we can used wooden markers that tions, be contrary to Jewish have been an average Jewish find a few gravesites from disintegrated over the years. law. Such exception was population of between 30 before 1800, several after Sometimes, stones were made- to use an example- in and 60 people. As noted, 1800, but none before 1749. stolen and used as building the case of the old Jewish cemetery in Prague, where centuries ago, due to local The oldest tombstones that could still be identified in 1904, according to Rabbi Taenzer were: restrictions, graves were placed in layers one on top of Name Date of Death Grave Number the other. Moos, Koschl, father of Mayer Moos 1749 ? There is also a question of Levi, son of Abraham 1750 238 the old boundaries of the Hohenems Jewish Cemetery. Fredl, wife of Mendel from Sulz 1750 191 Only in 1773, was the ceme- Levi, Josle from Sulz 1753 38 tery walled. For this privilege, the Jewish community had to Levi, Esther, widow of Josle 1765 208 pay the Austrian authorities 5 Baruch Ben Schmul 1766 144 Florin annually. In 1803, the present northeastern part of Moos, Michael 1777 37 the cemetery was added. At

Moos, David 1784 227 that time, the head of the community, a titled Austrian Landauer, Abraham 1786 127 (Hoffaktor) by the name of Lazarus Josef Levi purchased Levi, Gitel Hirsch 1789 35 the property on behalf of the Bernheimer, Levi (Samuel Levi) 1792 128 community. The cost of the

purchase was covered by a Burgauer, Benjamin 1796 121 communal collection of 250

Levi, Vögel 1799 145 Florins for the grounds and (Continued on page 8) Moos, Hennel, wife of Mayer Moos 1799 36 Sänger, Sarah (widow) 1799 147

In most cases before 1800 Jewish tombstones were exclusively written in Hebrew letters. There was no compulsion to use family names. This changed under the reign of Joseph II, who was an ardent advocate of the new ideology. He admitted Jews into the universities, permitted them to study handicrafts, engage in agriculture and wholesale commerce and abolished the Jewish poll tax. The German language was introduced into Jewish schools and all documents had to be written exclusively in German. It was under his rule that Austria’s Jews adopted permanent family names. In 1787, Joseph II ordered the Jews of Galicia and Bucovina, which were part of the his Empire, to adopt permanent family names1. At the Jewish cemetery in Hohenems, the as- sumption of family names is particularly noticeable on the tombstones after 1777, where we find the names of Moos, Landauer, Levi, Bernheimer, Burgauer and Sänger. 1 Benzion C. Kaganoff, A Dictionary of Jewish Names and Their History, Schocken Books, New York 1977 In Touch Page 6

N EWS FROM THE MUSEUM

(Continued from page 1) It will relate stories of people, dimension of nature turning into calls the fanatical anti- places and objects that the a spiritual experience. Semitism of the Alpine Club The Alps – a misunderstand- visitor will discover on the and the fate of its Jewish ing? journey along with associa- For others the Alpine club was a members. tions across time with sur- social institution for conquering “The history of the Alps pro- prising and sometimes irritat- and discovering the mountains The Alps as a bourgeois experi- vides a general and summa- ing connotations. in person. When the Hohenems ence rised history of Europe, in Alpine Club was founded in other words our civilisation,” The history of the Jews in the 1875, nine of the eleven mem- Long before this, the moun- wrote Arnold Zweig in Haifa in Alpine region begins with the bers were Jews. And for thou- tains had been opened up to 1940 in the book Dialektik expansion of the Roman em- sands of Jews in Germany and tourists and become part of der Alpen. Fortschritt und pire, although Jewish commu- Austria the Alpine Club became the bourgeois experience. Hemmnis, published long nities in the Alpine valleys did a main focus of assimilation and Since the mid-19th century the after the author’s death. not exist until later and re- spiritual experience alike. British in particular had identi- mained a rarity, concentrat- fied the Alps as a place of For European Jews the moun- ing in Hohenems, Innsbruck Aryan Alps? relaxation and lofty thoughts in tains in the middle of the and Merano, then Lugano tasteful security. Jewish hotel continent have always been and Lucerne or the seasonal Among the most well known owners and guests were also fascinating, challenging and Jewish life in the spas of Gri- mountaineers and Alpinists were among the pioneers of Alpine puzzling. This extravagance sons and . Paul Preuss and Gottfried Merz- tourism – and were often eyed of nature, this abundance of bacher, both of whom were Jew- with suspicion by non-Jewish beauty, ruggedness and en- Understanding the Alps ish. The “Austria” section of the hoteliers. “Good customers – ergy had to have a meaning Vienna Alpine Club had 2,000 but Jews” reads one entry in that was worth discovering. From the 19th century, how- Jewish members when in 1921 the secret guest book of the Thus evolved an eventful ever, the Jews in the sur- a majority of the members de- Palace Hotel in St. Moritz, in relationship, the story of an rounding cities, in Vienna and cided that Jews would not be which the hotel management often unrequited love. A his- Zurich, Munich and , admitted. wrote comments on the tory that began many years Geneva and Basle, also had a guests. before on Mount Sinai, where relationship with this massive Jewish Alpinists did not give up earth and heaven met, where mountain chain and gravita- and along with non-Jewish To the west of Vienna, by con- nature and spirit together tional centre of Europe. And friends founded their own sec- trast, the mountains of Sem- gave birth to reason, the law even in far-off Berlin there tion called “Donauland”. But in mering were a traditional sum- Moses received, as the Bible was a Jewish mountaineering 1924 this section was closed mer vacationing spot for Jews, tells us. In the mountains, spirit and a Jewish yearning and expelled from the Alpine part and parcel of the bour- where nature is elevated to partake of this energy and Club. At this time, 99 out of 100 geois lifestyle and cultural above the realm of pure experience, to relate to the Austrian Alpine Club sections meeting places in which Vien- needs and economy Jews mountains by climbing and had introduced regulations ex- nese literati, from Arthur were always looking for communing with them. cluding Jews. Schnitzler and Robert Musil to something universal – a Genia Schwarzwald and quest that made them par- From Georg Simmel’s essay In the early 1920s anti-Semitic Stefan Zweig, went to enjoy ticular at the same time. Die Alpen to Arnold Zweig’s activists in Austria managed to the fresh air and seek creative Kultur- und Demok- gain social acceptance for the inspiration. The exhibition “The Alps and ratiegeschichte der eu- unchecked aryanisation of the the Jewish connection” will ropäischen Erdkruste, from Alpine Club. Thus the exclusion For many people this Jewish take visitors on a voyage of Béla Balázs’ breathless arti- of Jews was tried out success- attraction for the mountains discovery through time and cles on flower meadows in fully in one of the largest social was suspicious. “Jews and space, from Hohenems to Arosa to Stefan Zweig’s dis- organisations in Austria long nature” were thought to be Vienna and from there to may at his carefree contem- before the Nazis embarked on incompatible. Jewish Alpinism Switzerland and finally to poraries in Swiss luxury ho- the “final solution of the Jewish was derided in anti-Semitic Merano: a voyage through tels in the First World War, question”. caricatures, and some Jewish the worlds of Jewish moun- there exists a long chain of intellectuals were also scepti- taineering and the opening literary and philosophical It took a long time for Germany. cal about of the glorification of up of the mountains to inter- writings about the Alps. and an even longer one for Aus- nature, albeit for other rea- national tourism, a voyage to tria to face up to this history and sons. intellectual childhoods and Jewish intellectuals like Theo- it was a time of bitter disputes. adult dreams beyond the city, dor W. Adorno or Sigmund Today a memorial plaque and an Arguing about the Alps through the contradictions of Freud, Peter Altenberg or Viél exhibition at Friesenberghaus in assimilation and migration, Flusser, Walter Benjamin or the Zillertal Alps, which once Ernst Lubitsch’s silent film persecution and reconsidera- Viktor Frankl, they all were belonged to the “Donauland” Meyer aus Berlin takes a hu- tion. reflecting the world in this section of the Alpine Club, re- morous look at the mountain- (Continued on page 7) Page 7 Volume 10, Issue 1

N EWS FROM THE MUSEUM

(Continued from page 6) eering endeavours of (Jewish) Escaping over the Alps offers a final resting place for The exhibition will examine city dwellers. And in the late Jews for whom closeness to the subjective Jewish connec- 1920s Siegfried Kracauer At this time the Alps became the sky was and remains an tion with Alpine art: in the argued heftily with Béla the scene of a completely alternative Zion, a spiritual collages of the Geneva-based Balázs about “mountain different type of experience. refuge at a time when the artist and writer Roger Reiss, films” [“Bergfilme”], a genre Between 1938 and 1945 the Jewish state in the Middle who involves the miracle that German film makers cre- mountaineering experience East is still far from being a rabbi of his orthodox youth in ated as a response to the was replaced by escape and place of redemption for them. a fantastic dialogue with the American Western, with the annihilation. The mountains mountains. New York based enthusiastic assistance not became a terrain where it was It is thus possible today to Mikael Levin revised the film only of Balázs but also of possible to escape, although encounter a traditional Jewish of his father Meyer Levin, other Jewish writers, compos- the attempt was invariably world in the mountains with a "The Illegals" (1948), that told ers and film producers. The strenuous and challenging. complete infrastructure, from the story of the DPs wander- yearning for involvement re- the Jewish bakery and prayer ing through the Alps toward mained stronger than many a The border between Switzer- room to kosher cooking and a the and “rational” argument. Jean land and Austria and between Jewish cemetery. Palestine - in the light of to- Améry, whose roots were in Vichy France and Switzerland day's conflicts in the Middle Hohenems and who grew up gave hope of rescue, but it The exhibition “The Alps and East. in the Salzkammergut, also was controlled by Swiss bor- the Jewish connection” will sought for an entire lifetime to der guards who, from 1938 give rise to a productive en- Michael Melcer and Patricia come to terms with the con- onwards, sent more and more counter with accustomed Schon set off on a photo- tradictions between the desire would-be escapees back into ideas of Jewish culture and graphic voyage of discovery for a homeland (“Heimat”) the arms of the Nazis, al- traditions, with Jewish film into the orthodox world of and the experience of the though others managed to makers (in 1931 Béla Balázs Jewish mountain tourism most radical homelessness escape with the aid of Swiss and Lena Riefenstahl filmed today. In St. Moritz, Arosa and that Auschwitz represented well-wishers. Das blaue Licht together) or Davos, Scuols and some holi- for him. Jewish shepherds (the Aus- day resorts in Austria, they After 1945 the Alps remained trian nomadic shepherd Hans look at the orthodox Jewish All of the involvement, work, a refugee zone. Now it was Breuer has become known in yearning for the mountains. yearning and love were ulti- the survivors of the camps the last few years as a singer mately of no avail when the and Jewish refugees from of Yiddish songs), Jewish Al- “The Alps and the Jewish con- Nazis sought to banish the eastern Europe who crossed pine philosophers (such as nection” will take visitors on a “Jews” from the globe and to the Alpine passes on their Vilem Flusser, who talks of fictional journey to dreamlike exterminate them as way to Mediterranean ports valleys, mountains and sites and unimaginable land- “abominations of nature.” The and from there to Palestine. passes) or Jewish Alpinists scapes to a rediscovery of the Alpine Club was a precursor of (who attracted the particular Alps. what was to follow. The Swiss Camps for displaced persons displeasure of anti-Semites as Alpine Club (SAC) and many were set up in Hohenems and the trial of Philipp Halsmann Project team others simply looked on. near Innsbruck. Jewish refu- in Austria shows). gees were also looked after in Hanno Loewy, Jewish Mu- In 1938 the Jews in Salz- Switzerland, albeit in the hope It is an investigation into am- seum Hohenems burger Land were forbidden that they would soon continue biguous terrain, as illustrated Gerhard Milchram, Jewish from wearing traditional cos- on their way. by Paul Celan’s Gespräch im Museum Vienna tumes. It was of no conse- Gebirg, a fictional radically quence that it was Jewish But the fascination for the self-tormenting dialogue with Research textile manufacturers such as Alps remained intact. In the Theodor W. Adorno in Engad- Bettina Spoerri (Zurich), the Wallach family in Munich early 20th century orthodox ine, where both so often Rath&Winkler (Innsbruck), who had first made the dirndl Jews had already started leav- sought refuge from the com- Martin Achrainer (Innsbruck) or edelweiss-bedecked leder- ing the cities, initially in Swit- plexity of their intellectual hosen socially acceptable in zerland and later from all over discourse. Photography the first place. In fact, this the world, in the search for an Michael Melcer and Patricia very achievement was used Alpine existence, primarily in Writers and mountaineers, Schon (Berlin) against them. Wallach’s Ger- . philosophers and skiers are man nationalist sympathies not the only ones to have a Design were of little use to him. The Over the Alps – the sky connection with the Alps. Stecher id (Götzis) ™ Jews in the German, Austrian Jewish artists have also re- and Italian Alps, in Hohenems Even today Chassidic rabbis peatedly taken the Alps as and Merano, were deported hold court in Davos, St. Moritz their theme, in an irritating along with the others. and Arosa. The highest Jewish and provocative manner. cemetery in Europe, in Davos,

In Touch Page 8

T HE JEWISH CEMETERY IN HOHENEMS

(Continued from page 5) 600 Florins for the wall ex- bers of the community who words of Isaiah 26:19. The sidered a priority. It took 49 pansion. Between 1837 and had moved away for funds old gate was reset to the left years until Rabbi Kohn’s 1839, a complete for another necessary reno- side of the wall and serves as wish was fulfilled, which Dr. “renovation” of the cemetery vation of the cemetery and a side entrance. During the Taenzer noted with satisfac- occurred, presumably- but another expansion. The course of the renovations and tion. not stated- some kind of appeal was generally suc- restorations, pipes were laid drainage was installed. This cessful, but the incoming to collect the mountain water Noteworthy is that 350 was probably required be- money covered barely half of which had undermined the years after the establish- cause after 1800 too many the necessary costs. In a gravestones and caused them ment of the cemetery, an stones simply “disappeared” board meeting on May 16, to sink into the ground as is invitation for a memorial due to wet soil conditions. 1900, Iwan Rosenthal was especially evident in the west service went out from the empowered to arrange all center part. Verein zur Erhaltung des The next expansion of the repairs and maintenance Jüdischeh Friedhofs in cemetery occurred between work at the cemetery. A After many years of com- Hohenems. This memorial 1855 and 1857 under new expansion with a width plaints, a new hearse was service took place on Sep- Philipp Rosenthal, who was of 6.5 meters and a length finally purchased in 1886. In tember 3, 1967 and was then the mayor of the autono- from the base to the top of a letter dated March 13, conducted by Rabbi Lothar mous Jewish community2. the cemetery immediately to 1837, Rabbi Abraham Kohn Rothschild of St. Gallen3. ™ The expansion extended the the right of the stairs was reported that the long way to lowest part of the cemetery intended to create a hundred the cemetery, with ceremo- 1Aaron Taenzer, Die down to the street level; it new gravesites. Most of the nies on the way, was burden- Geschichte der Juden in practically filled up as the new graves are located here. some for the men who carried Hohenems, Bregenz, 1971 year 1900 approached. A Rabbi Taenzer mentioned in the body to the cemetery, and ediition. final addition was made in this connection the excellent that they also were some- 2The status as autonomous 1900. The year before, in work that Iwan Rosenthal times interrupted by herds of Jewish community lasted 1899, the influential member accomplished. cattle. At that time he already from 1849 to 1878. of the community, Iwan recommended the use of a 3Montfort, Zeitschrift für Rosenthal, son of the former A new main gate was created hearse, but apparently the Geschichte, Heimat und mayor Philipp Rosenthal, leading to the new chapel. A funds for such an expenditure Volkskunde Vorarlberg, Heft appealed to the former mem- memorial tablet contains the were not available or not con- 3, 1967. ™

I N MEMORIUM - CLINTON H. BROWN P AULINE BROWN

Clinton Hoyt Brown, the Great the telephone company had to learn a new Grandson of Wilhelm Mendel- asked the men who had word, learn its origin, sohn of Hohenems, died at a done the installation to move its meaning and be hospital in Washington on to Los Angeles to install the able to use it in a February 24, 2009. Clinton dial system there. So sentence. In turn was born on January 1, 1917 Charles, Vera and Clinton they, too, had to learn in University Place, Nebraska were transplanted from Ne- a new word each (a suburb of Lincoln) to braska to California at the week. So by the time Charles Rufus Brown and telephone company's ex- Clinton was in high Vera Alice Mendelsohn. Clin- pense. school he had a tre- ton wrote a piece about his mendous vocabulary. great grandfather for the Clinton, at age four, had January 2007 issue of In been enrolled in Kindergar- After graduating from Touch, in which he described ten at the University of Ne- high school he enrolled at Los were born from this mar- his genealogical research braska. After reaching Cali- Angeles Community College, riage, Gary Charles Brown including his visit to fornia his mother could not majoring in music. He sang in and Linda Lee Brown. Clin- Hohenems. find a Kindergarten that a mixed choir at college and ton and Dorothy were di- would take Clinton at that at the First Congregational vorced in 1941. His father, Charles Brown, age so she home schooled Church. worked for the Bell Tele- him for a year. Then he was He continued working for phone Company and assisted enrolled at the school near- He also worked part time at The Southern California Bell in the installation of the first est them. His mother and the telephone company. He Telephone Company. When dial telephone service in the father started a word game married Dorothy Steel Patton World War II was declared United States. Thereafter, with him. Every Monday he in June 1937. Two children the ‘phone company asked (Continued on page 9) In Touch Page 9

I N MEMORIUM - CLINTON H. BROWN

(Continued from page 8) Clinton to attend Toll Trans- year and was then able to extra hours of dental surgery beach. The lower level had a mission School. He went to secure a position at the hos- came in handy as there was street opening so they turned school and was sent to Camp pital in their lab. no other dentist nearer than it into a dental office while Young, an Army camp in the Juneau, about 70 miles by air the upper two stories were Mohave Desert. While there He completed his Pre- or ferry south of Skag- living quarters. Clinton was he met Hazel Pauline Benn, Dentistry and earned a B.S. way. There was no physician the only dentist between who was a telephone com- degree in Biology in three in Skagway, so Clinton was Astoria and Tillamook. Again pany employee attached to years. After he was accepted asked to take X-rays and the office was a suc- the Army. They were married at the dental school for the diagnose broken bones and cess. Pauline had taken on in September. 1944. Their fall class starting September. other emergency prob- the bookkeeping, billing, first child, Robert 1957 they moved to Port- lems. He would then call the scheduling and general run- Eugene, was born in Febru- land. Again Pauline worked nearest physician and be told ning of the office in Skagway ary, 1946. Three more chil- nights at a hospital and Clin- what to do. Clinton patched and she continued this func- dren were added to the fam- ton was able to get a position up many wounded folks, set tion until Dr. Brown decided ily. Phillip Allan, October, in the Research Lab at the broken bones and even deliv- to retire in 1987. 1948, Susan Pauline, Janu- Veterans Hospital assisting a ered a couple of babies along ary, 1951 and Sandra Diann, team of surgeons doing Vas- with Pauline's help. After retiring they purchased April, 1953. cular Grafts. He went to sum- a pickup truck and a large mer school each year and In 1976 a physician at fifth wheel trailer and trav- Clinton resigned from the took some extra classes in Haines, Alaska built a new eled the United States, Can- telephone company and went dental surgery and some in medical facility and called Dr. ada and a bit of Mexico. They into a partnership with his orthodontics. He graduated Brown inviting him to move to had gotten interested in ge- father-in-law and brother-in- in 1961 and went to work for Haines and share the new nealogy and decided to go to law at Myrtle Creek, Ore- the Oregon State Board of building with him. After much Salt Lake City and do some gon. They built the buildings Health for a year. He in- consideration Clinton decided research on their fami- for a service station, body spected X-ray equipment in to make this move. The peo- lies. On their first day in the and fender repair shop and a both medical and dental of- ple in Haines were so excited large genealogy library they motel. They purchased a fices, clinics, nursing homes about this that they sent a happened to run into the large tow truck and opened and hospitals. He discovered group of men and two large Mission President of the Fam- the business in the spring of there were no emergency trucks over on the ferry to ily History Mission. He asked 1947. They also bought a services for nursing homes move the office equipment them to fill out papers to Septic Tank business that for dental problems. and household belong- become Missionaries. They spring. ings. The women came along did and they became Family After working a year and sav- and helped pack everything History Missionaries. They In the spring of 1953 Clinton ing his wages he opened his plus bringing potluck served in that capacity for decided he would sell his private dental practice in meals. This proved to be a three years. The more they interest in the business and Portland. He built a portable good move financially. The learned about other families start college in Pre-Dentistry dental unit from component folks from Skagway followed the more they began to at the University of Oregon in parts, which he could trans- Dr. Brown and came over to search out their own. At the Eugene. He was accepted port to Nursing Homes and his new office for their treat- end of their Mission they for the fall term at Eugene in notified the Nursing Homes in ment. stayed in Salt Lake City and 1954, the oldest student the area he was available 24 continued to research their ever accepted into Pre- hours a day for emergen- While living in Skagway and family roots. dentistry. Clinton and cies. His dental practice Haines Clinton and Pauline Pauline sold their home and grew by leaps and bounds joined the Church of Jesus In 1993 they made a trip to rented a large house on the because of this. Christ of Latter Day Saints. Hohenems to research the edge of the campus in Mendelsohn family. Clinton Eugene and opened a Day After ten years in Portland he The fourth winter in stumbled onto several cous- Care Facility. was extended an invitation to Haines Pauline fell on the ice ins that he had no idea were open an office in Skagway, and fractured four verte- in his family line. He started Pauline went to work at Sa- Alaska. There hadn't been a brae. She suffered through a correspondence with them cred Heart Hospital at night dentist in Skagway since the that winter but the cold and was able to visit as a Nurse's Aide and ran the Army moved out after the weather proved too much for them. He loved finding new Day Care Center during the war. After a trip to Skagway, her. In 1980 they moved family members. From Aus- daytime. Clinton worked part Clinton and Pauline decided back to Oregon. They pur- tria they traveled to England, time at any job he could find to move up there. Clinton chased a house in the Scotland and Wales to re- that meshed into his school took the state board exam coastal town of Manzanita, search Pauline's family. schedule. He took classes in and they relocated to Skag- Oregon. It was a three-story (Continued on page 10) Microbiology his freshman way in May of 1972. His house four blocks from the In Touch Page 10

I N MEMORIUM - CLINTON H. BROWN

(Continued from page 9) red F and a note saying she with words she just knew she and drove away. She said Clinton suffered from skin did not appreciate anyone could catch Clint on. The she would return and pick cancers and had several using the large words he had whole term she continued to him up at 5 pm. At 4:45 she removed in 2008 and had used and accused him of test him. At the end of the had not arrived to get him so some radiation treatments to using the dictionary to write term she finally asked him the doctor’s nurse called the keep the cancer from spread- his paper. She said, "No one how he had gained such a house and got no answer. ing any further. Soon, he lost uses the kind of words you vocabulary and he told her They decided she was on her all his energy and so he slept used and no one has that what his parents had done way. At 5 pm everyone was most of the time. He still extensive a vocabulary.” with him from the time he going home and still no would get up and spend was 5 years old until he mar- mother. So Clint dressed some time on the computer He told her he had not used ried and left home. She told himself and walked out of the each day doing his favorite the dictionary and he did us after Clint graduated from clinic. He took the streetcar pastime, genealogy. have a very extensive vocabu- dental school that she never home. lary. He made her a proposi- knew anyone with such an On February 24, Clinton died. tion that for the next two extensive vocabulary. I told As he walked in the front He was 92 years old and had weeks she have a word for her she should have sat at door his father came in the a long and fruitful life. He him each day. He would, the dinner table when both of back door. Mom was setting was a great husband, a good without a dictionary tell her Clint's parents were living the table and she turned to father and a wonderful den- the meaning, the origin and and listened to the three of Clint and said "Clinton Brown tist. His family loved him and use it correctly in a sen- them. I was lost after about you are late. Where have you will miss him but he is now tence. If he could do that she five minutes until I started been?" And then she said, resting without pain and I am would change his grade. She using the dictionary. "OH.MY.OH" and fainted. sure in a much better place. accepted his proposition and He got his stubbornness from she informed the class what The other story is that Clint the Mendelsohn side of his There are a couple of stories she was going to do. She needed to have his tonsils family. Clinton was very about him that I like very came in each day with some removed when he was thir- proud of his Mendelsohn much. When Clinton started word that no one else in the teen. His mother made the heritage. And he passed that college in 1954 he took an class knew but Clinton was appointment to take him to on to his children He left English course. The instruc- able to give her the definition, the outpatient clinic at 8 am behind his wife of 65 tor gave them an assignment origin, spell it for her and use on a Friday morning. Clint years, six children, 19 grand- to write a two-page paper on it in a sentence. She could told his mother he was old children, 25 great grandchil- any subject they chose. Clin- not believe he actually knew enough to go alone. He did dren and one great-great ton wrote his and handed it all of those words. She gave not need his mother to hold grandchild. ™ in. The following day she him an A on the paper and his hand. So she dropped handed it back with a big fat she continued to come in him off at the clinic at 8 am

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Any additional contribution you could make would be very much appreciated and thus enable the American Friends to continue to make important contributions to the Museum at Hohenems as well as to other endeav- ors designed to contribute During the meeting of the can Friends of the Jewish dants living in America and to knowledge of the descendants of Jewish fami- Museum Hohenems, Inc. supports the Jewish Museum Hohenems Jewish Commu- lies from Hohenems in 1998, emerged. The association of Hohenems in various ways. nity as it was when our an- the idea to found the Ameri- unites the numerous descen- cestors lived there. ™ In Touch Page 11

I N MEMORIUM - ALICE H. BERGMAN D ESCENDENT OF THE REICHENACH FAMILY

Alice H. Bergman passed under Swiss law because University. At first she away on May 10, 2008 in Ernest Bergman was an worked in the Univer- State College, PA. USA, after emigrant who had to leave sity College of Agricul- a courageous battle with Switzerland “at the earliest ture Library and then Parkinson’s disease and possible date.” He left in transferred with it to Osteoporosis. She was September 1946 and they the Life Sciences Li- born February 7, 1918 in became engaged by mail in brary. St.Gallen, the daughter of 1947. As soon as Alice Carl Adler and Olga Adler could obtain a visa for the She enjoyed traveling, Reichenbach. Her father USA, she came to the USA, and visited her parents was a partner in the embroi- arriving in January 1948, in Switzerland every dery business Reichenbach and they were married year. Furthermore, she L. Bergman; a niece Judith & Co. and her mother came three weeks later, on Feb- accompanied her husband Taylor, of Geneva, Switzer- from a long line of the Rei- ruary 15, 1948 in Manhat- on his many foreign assign- land; a nephew Dr. Eric chenbachs from Hohenems. tan. At that time Ernest ments and to national and Haywood & family of Dub- Her great grandfather Mar- Bergman had a job in Ore- international conferences. lin, Ireland; and brother-in- tin Lazarus Reichenbach gon where they lived until law, Willy Bergmann and emigrated to St. Gallen from 1955. Alice Bergman be- Alice was a member of the his family of Silver Spring, Hohenems and became a came a U.S. citizen after Congregation Brit Shalom, MD. Swiss citizen in 1869. the legal years of waiting, State College, PA and also of but retained her Swiss the American Friends of the In addition to her parents Alice graduated from City citizenship. Interestingly, Jewish Museum Hohenems. her sister Nelly Haywood High School for Girls, Talhof, her desire to retain Swiss She and her husband visited and brother-in-law Gus St.Gallen in 1935. After a citizenship led to one of the the Museum in Hohenems a Haywood predeceased practical and theoretical early decisions by the Swiss few times and donated pic- her. ™ apprenticeship, she re- Supreme Court in which tures and documents of the ceived diplomas as dieti- Swiss women secured Reichenbach family. cian and social worker in rights that theretofore were 1939 in St.Gallen. She also limited to men. Among others, she was a took language courses in member and secretary of England and spoke four For three years, Alice Berg- Centre County Chapter of languages. man was in charge of the the United Nations Associa- She was an ardent Girl Marion County Tuberculosis tion, Faculty Women’s Club, Scout, and loved skiing and Registration in Salem Ore- International Hospitality mountain climbing. In gon and then worked in the Council and the League of 1936 she signed up as a Library of the School of Women Voters. She also Girl Scout for Swiss military Forestry, Oregon State Col- taught German to students service in case of war, since lege, Corvallis OR. at the Junior Museum. For Switzerland at that time had many years she was in no women in its army. She In 1955, she and her hus- charge of the annual UNICEF was called to active duty on band moved to East Lans- Christmas card sale in State Sept. 2, 1939 and served, ing where she worked for College. on and off, for 431 days in Michigan State University Swiss Military Hospitals. In while her husband at- In 1999, she received the between, she held various tended graduate school. At George F. Hixson Award from positions in her chosen field that time, she also tutored the Kiwanis International including working for Hilfe & graduate students in Ger- Foundation for her service to Aufbau in Zürich and the man and French, lan- the community. Alice loved Joint with the late Saly guages of which either one to play bridge and was a fine Mayer. was a requirement for the cook. She enjoyed helping Ph.D. others and especially help- Alice was married to Ernest ing to organize the get- L.Bergman for 60 years. Since 1958, the Bergmans together of the Swiss in They had known each other lived in State College, PA State College. for many years while they where her husband was both lived in Switzerland, Professor of Plant Nutrition She is survived by her hus- but were unable to marry of The Pennsylvania State band of 60 years Dr. Ernest Hast du meine AlPHn gesehen? Eine jüdische Beziehungsgeschichte Fotografie von Michael Melcer und Patricia Schon, Davos 2008 | Grafik: www.stecher.at

Schweizer Str. 5 | 6845 Hohenems | Tel. +43 (0)5576-73989-0 | [email protected] | www.jm-hohenems.at Eine Ausstellung des Jüdischen Museums Hohenems und des Jüdischen Museums Wien in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Österreichischen Alpenverein

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