Chaim Szmul Lewin (1890 - 1959)

Born 12 Mar 1890 in Końskowola, Puławy, Lubelskie, Polska

Husband of Elka Szajndla (Minkus) Lewin — married 22 Mar 1915 (to before 1940) in Końskowola, Puławy, Lublin, Poland

Died 3 Jun 1959 at age 69 in Bronx, Bronx, New York, United States

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Biography

Chaim was born in 1890 in Końskowola, Puławy, Lublin, Poland.^[1]

In 1912, Chaim immigrated to Argentina, but returned to Poland,^[1] where he married Elka Szajndla Minkus March 22, 1915 in Końskowola, Puławy, Lublin, Poland.^[2]

Chaim and Elka moved to Berlin, Germany with sons Isaak and Jesaia in 1920 to escape Jewish persecution in Poland and their third son Jeremias was born there in 1922. After Adolf Hitler came to power, conditions for Jews deteriorated in Germany. In 1933, against objections of Chaim and Elka, Isaak and Jesaia left for France to prepare for immigration to Palestine.^[3] By 1935, when Elka and Jeremias left Berlin for the United States,^[4] Chaim was living in Vienna, Austria, estranged from his family. After his visa was issued November 5, 1935 in Vienna, Chaim sailed aboard the SS Georgic December 11, 1935 from London, England and arrived in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States December 19, 1935. His nearest relative in Europe was his father S Lewin at Szeroka 52 in Lublin, Poland and he listed his wife Mrs. S Lewin at 9 West 64^th Street in New York City as his arrival contact. Chaim was 5' 4" tall with gray hair and gray eyes.^[5] From then on, he used Samuel as his first name.

When Samuel declared his intention to become a United States citizen February 18, 1936, he was living at 251 West 97^th Street in Manhattan, New York, where he received mail _c/^o Scheier. His wife (shown as Scheindel) lived at 9 West 64th Street in Manhattan, New York with their three sons. Samuel was an author, 5' 3" tall, weighed 135 lbs., and had gray hair and blue-gray eyes.^[2]

In 1940, Samuel (age 50) lived at 3470 Cannon Place in the Bronx, Bronx, New York, United States with Miriam Lewin (age 40), identified as his wife. Samuel was an author and Miriam, an Austrian immigrant, was a private nurse.^[6]

Samuel was living at 3451 Giles Place in the Bronx, New York when he registered for the World War II draft in 1942. He was self employed as an author and listed Miriam Kamp, of the same address, as his nearest relative.^[7]

Samuel lived at 3451 Giles Place in the Bronx, New York when he became a United Citizen January 7, 1952.^[8]

Samuel died June 3, 1959 in the Bronx, Bronx, New York, United States.^[9]

Career as an Author
Samuel began writing early in life, but was first published in 1917. He rapidly achieved recognition in the literary world, both the non-Jewish and Jewish worlds. Some of his writings were published in translation directly from manuscript and only later in Yiddish. He was translated into Polish, German, English, French, Dutch, and Hebrew. Many words of praise have been enunciated by Franz Werfel, Rudolf Rocker, and others. In Nazi Germany, they openly burned his German-language books. Samuel spent his last years in New York, all but completely forgotten.^[1]

Publications

• Lubliner togblat (Lublin daily newspaper)
• Di tsayt (The times) in Kovno
• Folks-tsaytung (People’s newspaper)
• Bikher-velt (Book world) in Warsaw, Poland
• Hatekufa (The epoch) in Warsaw, Poland
• Fraye shriftn (Free writings) in Berlin, Germany
• Dos naye leben (The new life)
• Di tsukunft (The future)
• Morgn-tsaytung (Morning newspaper)
• Tog (Day)
• Ikuf (Jewish cultural association)
• Hamer (Hammer) in New York
• Di prese (The press) in Buenos Aires
• Hamburger Familienblatt (Hamburg family newspaper)
• L’univers (The universe)
• Forum

Books

• A sreyfe, drama in dray aktn (A fire, drama in three acts) (Warsaw: Tsentral-farlag, 1919), 85 pp.
• Far zind, drama in dray aktn (For sins, drama in three acts) (Warsaw: Tsentral-farlag, 1919), 73 pp.
• Gezang fun doyres, roman (Song of generation, a novel) (Warsaw: Brzhoza, 1928), 550 pp.
• Kegn himl (Against heaven), stories (Warsaw: Brzhoza, 1935), 130 pp.
• In goles, drame in 5 aktn mit an epilog (In the diaspora, drama in five acts with an epilogue) (Warsaw: Brzhoza, 1935), 132 pp. (confiscated by the Polish government)
• Khezyoynes (Visions), a poem (New York: Biderman, 1941), 80 pp.
• Tsvishn tsvey thomen, trilogye (Between two abysses, trilogy) (Buenos Aires, 1959), vol. 1, 437 pp.
• Shvarts berg un bloye toln (Dark mountains and blue valleys), vol. 2 (Buenos Aires, 1962), 368 pp.
• Volkn-gedrang (Rush of clouds) (Tel Aviv: Hamenorah, 1970), 394 pp.
• Tsurik in der heym (Back home) (New York: Shulzinger, 1980), 262 pp.
• Chassidische Legende (Hassidic legends), German translation by Arno Nadel, with woodcuts by Y. Budko (Berlin: Rathenau & Horodisch, 1925), 84 pp., three printings
• Dämonen des Blutes (Demons of the blood), trans. R. Beatus (Berlin: Der Syndikalist, 1926), 151 pp.
• Zeitwende, Roman (Turning point, a novel) (Berlin: Soncino Society, 1926), 331 pp.
• Gesichte (Visions), poetry in blank verse (Berlin: Horodisch & Marx, 1928), 127 pp.
• Und er kehrte heim, Roman (And he returned home, a novel) (Vienna-Jerusalem: R. Löwit, 1936), 350 pp., with a preface by Franz Werfel - in Yiddish the novel was known as Der hoyfzinger (The court singer) (New York: Morgn-zhurnal, 1936). In English translation: The Impatient Sages, a Legend (New York, 1948), 79 pp., translated by his son Jeremiah Lewin and with woodcuts by Joseph Budko
• Samuel also translated G. A. Gurev, Darvinizm un ateizm (Darwinism and atheism) from the Russian: (New York, 1931), 226 pp

Unpublished Works

Samuel bequeathed many manuscripts for as yet unpublished novels, plays, and stories to his wife Miriam Lewin, who proceeded to publish them, also translating the books to German. These include:

• “In goles”
• “Gekroynt vert ashmoday” (Ashmodai is crowned)
• “Kdoyshim kemfn” (The saintly ones fight on)
• “Der rebns gese” (The rebbe’s breed)
• “Vunder-erd” (Wonder land)
• “A yid an akshn” (An obstinate man).
• "Between Two Abysses" (A Trilogy, Part 1)
• "Dark Mountains and Blue Valleys" (Trilogy, Part 2)
• "Shining Through the Clouds" (A Trilogy, Part 3)
• "The Turning of the Tide"
• "A Distant Voice: An Autobiography of Samuel Lewin"

Review Excerpts

• “This is a book,” wrote Shmuel Niger, “that lives with what should be, not just with what exists or once existed. It is a dream of the future, which clings to the deepest roots of the past and flutters among the broadest wings of the present. It lights up legends and dreams in ideals. This is what Perets sought so fervently and thirstily. It is, in fact, a continuation of Perets’s idealism, of Perets’s ethical romanticism, an echo of old Reb Shloyme’s song in the ‘golden chain.’”
• “Levin drained the cup of Jewish fate,” noted Franz Werfel, “of the Jewish mission to the very bottom, and so was his talent so great that it dealt with the problem not with a writing voice. Not with laments, not with clenched fists did he make accusations, no! His tone was agreeably quiet. And his hand which leads the reader—strong and sure and gentle.”

Sources

^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]}

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} The Yiddish Leksikon, Sunday, 28 May 2017, biography of Shmuel-Khayim Levin (Samuel Lewin).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} The National Archives at Philadelphia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; NAI Title: Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1/19/1842 - 10/29/1959; NAI Number: 4713410; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number: 21, Image. A paid subscription is required to access this information, which includes:

   Name: Samuel Lewin C/o Scheier [Chaim Szmul Lewin ] [Chaim Szmul Lewin C/o Scheier]

   Address: 251 W 97th Street, New York, New York

   Occupation: Author

   Gender: Male

   Declaration Age: 45

   Description: 5' 3", 135 lbs. gray hair, blue-gray eyes

   Record Type: Declaration

   Birth Date: 12 Mar 1890 or October 1, 1890

   Birth Place: Konska Wola, Poland

   Arrival Date: 19 Dec 1935

   Arrival Place: New York, New York, USA

   Declaration Date: 18 Feb 1936

   Declaration Place: New York

   Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

   Spouse: Scheindel

   Spouse born: August 14, 1894 in Pulavi, Poland

   Married: March 1915 in Pulavi, Poland

   Spouse came to US: February 17, 1935

   Spouse now lives at: 9 W 64th Street, New York

   Children: Isaak, born April 7, 1916 in Poland

                   Simon, born November 8, 1918 in Poland

                   Jeremias, born July 12, 1922 in Germany

   Last Foreign Residence: Vienna, Austria

   Emigrated From: Southampton, England

   Using Name: Chaim Szmul Lewin

   Arrived: December 19, 1935

   Ship: Georgic

   Declaration Number: 371872

   Box Number: 237

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} The Ritchie Boys, Biography of Si Lewen.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957, database with images, FamilySearch (12 March 2018), Jesaic Lewin, 1935; citing Immigration, New York, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), Image, includes:

   Name: Jesaic Lewin

   Event Type: Immigration

   Event Date: February 21, 1935

   Event Place: New York, New York, United States

   Gender: Male

   Age: 16

   Birth Year (Estimated): 1919

   Birthplace: Lublin, Poland

   Ship Name: Olympic

   Departure Date: February 13, 1935

   Departure Place: Cherbourg

   Visa: January 21, 1935, Berlin

   Departure Contact: grandfather, Shajer Lewin, Sziroka UL 54, Lublin

   Arrival Contact: maternal uncle, Morris Minkus, 1740 Amsterdam Avenue, Bronx, NY

   Description: 4' 11", brown hair, gray eyes

   traveled with: Elka Lewin, age 40, born Putawi, visa December 11, 1934, Berlin, 4' 11", brown hair, gray eyes

   Jeremias Lewin, age 12, born Berlin, visa December 11, 1934, Berlin, brown hair, gray eyes

5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Liberty Ellis Island Foundation, Ship Manifest for Georgic arriving New York, New York December 19, 1935, Passenger Record for Lewin, Chain Szmul, includes:

   Name: Chain Szmul Lewin

   Arrival Date: 19 Dec 1935

   Birth Date: abt 1890

   Birth Location: Poland

   Birth Location Other: Lublin

   Age: 45

   Gender: Male

   Ethnicity/ Nationality: Poland/Polish

   Last Residence: Vienna, Austria

   Departure Contact: father S Lewin, Szeroka 52, Lublin, Poland

   Port of Departure: London, England

   Departure Date: December 11, 1935

   Arrival Contact: wife Mrs. S Lewin, 9 W 64th Street, New York City

   Port of Arrival: New York, New York

   Ship Name: Georgic

   Visa issued: November 5, 1935 in Vienna

   Description: 5' 4", gray hair, gray eyes

6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} United States Census, 1940, database with images, FamilySearch (14 March 2018), Samuel Lewin, Assembly District 8, Bronx, New York City, Bronx, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 3-1256B, sheet 9A, line 7, family 168, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 2491, includes:

   Name: Samuel Lewin

   Event Type: Census

   Event Date: 1940

   Event Place: Assembly District 8, Bronx, New York City, Bronx, New York, United States

   Gender: Male

   Age: 50

   Marital Status: Married

   Race: White

   Race: White

   Relationship to Head of Household: Head

   Relationship to Head of Household: Head

   Birthplace: Poland

   Birth Year (Estimated): 1890

   Last Place of Residence: Austria

   Address: 3470 Cannon Place

   Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

   Samuel Lewin Head Male 50 Poland author

   Miriam Lewin Wife Female 40 Austria private nurse

7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, database with images, FamilySearch (8 November 2017), Samuel Chaim Lewin, 1942; citing NARA microfilm publication M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), includes:

   Name: Samuel Chaim Lewin

   Address: 3451 Giles Place, Bronx, NY

   Event Type: Draft Registration

   Event Date: 1942

   Event Place: , Bronx, New York, United States

   Residence Place: , Bronx, New York

   Gender: Male

   Employer: Samuel Chaim/Lewin

   Birth Date: 12 Mar 1890

   Employer: self - author

   Nearest Relative: Miriam Kamp (same address)

8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Soundex Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in Federal, State, and Local Courts located in New York City, 1792-1989. New York, NY, USA: The National Archives at New York City, New York, Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City, 1792-1989 [database on-line], Ancestry.com, 2007. A paid subscription is required to access this information, which includes:

   Name: Samuel Lewin

   Birth Date: 12 Mar 1890

   Age: 61

   Address: 3451 Giles Place, Bronx, NY

   Naturalization Date: 7 Jan 1952

   Residence: Bronx, New York

   Title and Location of Court: New York Southern District

9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} New York City Department of Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com. Digital Images, New York, New York, Death Index, 1949-1965 [database on-line], Ancestry.com, 2017, includes:

   Name: Samuel Lewin

   Age: 69

   Birth Date: abt 1890

   Death Date: 3 Jun 1959

   Death Place: Bronx, New York, New York, USA

   Certificate Number: 6174