Dora (Löwenstein) Silberbach (1908)

Born 3 Aug 1908 in Meudt, , Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Ancestors

Biography

Dora (Löwenstein) Silberbach ’s life was impacted by the Holocaust.

Dora was born August 3, 1908 in Meudt, Rheinland-Pfalz, Deutschland. Her parents were Jakob Löwenstein and Ida (Scheuer) Löwenstein.^[1]

Dora married Fritz Silberbach, before 1936, probably in Deutschland (see Notes). Dora and Fritz immigrated from Deutschland before 1936, as Nazi persecution of Jews was building shortly before the start of World War II (see Notes).

Dora, Fritz, and their first two children, Nathan Harry and Jacob (see Notes), left Portugal and emigrated to Canada. After their travel papers were issued March 22, 1944 in Lisbon, Portugal, they left from there the next day aboard the SS Serpa Pinto and arrived at Pier 785 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States April 6, 1944. Fritz, a butcher, was born in Deutschland and both sons were born in Portugal. Their final destination was Canada and they expected to be in transit in the United States for two days.^[2]

Dora and Fritz had one more child, Maureen (see Notes). before Fritz died (see Notes).

As a widow, Dora obtained a Canadian passport May 6, 1952 and promptly applied for a visa for permanent residence for herself and her three children. Her visa was granted June 4, 1952 by the Vice Consul of the Brazilian Embassy in Montreal, Canada.^[1]

Although they had been granted permanent resident status in Brazil, Dora and the children only stayed a few months. According to the passenger manifest for Pan American Airways flight 206/14 on October 14, 1952, Dora, Nathan, Jacob, and Maureen Silberbach traveled from Sao Paulo, Brazil to New York, New York, United States.^[3]

Notes

Dora's husband, Fritz Silberbach was born about 1901 in Schottmar, Deutschland. In Portugal, he worked as a butcher.^[2] Dora and Fritz are presumed to have been married before the birth of their first child 1936. Although it is not known where they married, it is believed more likely to have been in Dutschland, before they emigrated to Portugal. Fritz probably died in Canada between his arrival there in 1944^[2] and 1952, when Dora's Brazilian visa identified her as a widow.^[1]

Dora's children were:

• Nathan Harry - born about 1936 in Lisbon, Portugal^[1]
• Jacob - born about 1938 in Lisbon, Portugal^[1]
• Maureen - born about 1944, probably in Canada^[1]

There were at least two other people named Dora Lowenstein, both of whom emigrated from Deutschland to the United States. Information about all three Dora's is mixed together in a single record in an online family tree.^[4]

• One other Dora Lowenstein was born April 19, 1835 in Deutschland.^[5]

She emigrated to California, United States, where she died October 5, 1966.

• Another Dora Lowenstein was born

2. Some of the gedcom information matches a Pedigree tree.^[4]

• Pedigree has parents Jacob and Ida Lowenstein, but shows only Martha and Martin as siblings.
• Pedigree shows 3 birth dates for Dora
  • birth - April 19, 1885 in Meudt, Germany with source "California Death Index, 1940-1997 , Database online."
  • birth - 1835 in Deutschland with source "1870 United States Federal Census," Database online. New York Ward 10 District 1 (2nd Enum), New York",
  • birth - 1885 with source "California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1893-1957 , Database online."
• Pedigree shows immigration as "ARRIVAL 23 July 1932 California" with source "California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1893-1957 , Database online."
• Pedigree shows death as October October 5, 1966 in Los Angeles, California with source "California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1893-1957 , Database online."

All above sources listed in the Pedigree record indicate Ancestry.com as the publisher.

There is an 1870 census record that shows a Dora Lowenstein who was born in 1835 in Germany, living with her husband Kaskel and their four children. This is obviously a different Dora Lowenstein.^[5]

There is a California Death Index record that shows Dora Lowenstein as having died October 15, 1966 in Los Angeles, California, United States. The record shows her birth date as April 19, 1885 in Germany.^[6] Although the birth date sounds right, it seems strange that she would have reverted back to her maiden name.

There is a Find a Grave record that matches the California death record. This shows that Dora Lowenstein was born in 1885 and died in 1966 in the United States. It also identifies her spouse as Isidor Lowenstein (1881 - 1949), which makes it clear that the person who died in 1955 in California is a different Dora Lowenstein.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} Brasil, Cartões de Imigração, 1900-1965, Group 8 > 004915113 > image 82 of 203; Arquivo Nacional, Rio de Janeiro (National Archives, Rio de Janeiro), graphically enhanced by G-CUBE Computer Services.

   (click here for full size)

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Passenger Lists, 1883-1945, database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 21 January 2016), 177 - v. 294, Jul 1, 1943-May 27, 1944 > image 661 of 763; citing NARA microfilm publication T840 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957, database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 21 January 2016), 8226 - vol 18002-18003, Oct 14, 1952 > image 1150 of 1254; citing NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Pedigree Resource File, database, FamilySearch (accessed 2015-06-25), entry for Dora /Lowenstein/, (accessed January 21, 2016). A more reliable source for this information is required.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} United States Census, 1870, database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 21 January 2016), Dora Lowenstein, New York, United States; citing p. 63, family , NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,523.
6. ↑ California Death Index, 1940-1997, database, FamilySearch (accessed 21 January 2016), Dora Lowenstein, 05 Oct 1966; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
7. ↑ Find a Grave, memorial for Dora Lowenstein, (accessed January 20, 2016).

• Aron, Dennis, Impact of the Holocaust on the Descendants of Jakob Moyses and Sara of Meudt. October 2012. Archived Link October 2012 page 96.

• WikiTree profile Löwenstein-35 created through the import of Loewenstein Descent.ged on Sep 18, 2011.