Studio portrait of the Ottenheimer family.
Overview
- Caption
- Studio portrait of the Ottenheimer family.
Pictured are Klara Ottenheimer (Nov 4, 1892), her daughter Ilse (April 26, 1922), and son Fritz (Mar 18, 1925). Father is not shown born Dec. 3, 1886. - Date
-
July 1925
- Locale
- Konstanz, [Baden-Wuerttemberg] Germany
- Photo Credit
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Fritz Ottenheimer
Rights & Restrictions
- Photo Source
-
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Copyright: United States Holocaust Memorial MuseumProvenance: Fritz Ottenheimer
Keywords & Subjects
Administrative Notes
- Biography
- Fritz Ottenheimer is the son of Ludwig and Klara Ottenheimer. Fritz was born on March 18, 1925 in Konstanz, Germany on the Swiss border. Fritz's only sibling, an older sister Ilse, was born on April 26, 1922. His father volunteered for the German army during World War I and was injured. Ludwig owned a men's wear store in the center of Konstanz with many loyal customers, both Christians and Jews before the war. Fritz was eight years old and a student at St. Stephen Elementary School when Hitler came to power. At first the townspeople supported Fritz's father and his business. However, once it became too dangerous for Germans to associate with Jews, the family lost the support of their non-Jewish friends and customers. Even though Konstanz was less Nazified owing to its proximity to Switzerland and availability of anti-Nazi newspapers, there were still many restrictions and dangers brought by the Nazi regime. The family had to be very careful when writing to their family, Aunt Flora and Uncle Sieg in America for sponsorship because mail was opened and read by a German censor. After Germany's annexation of Austria in March 1938, the Ottenheimer's house became a stop on an escape route into Switzerland. Over 200 Austrians placed their lives into the family's hands in hoping to escape into the bordering town. The family meanwhile tried to leave as well and immigrate to the United States. Ilse applied for an American visa separately from the rest of the family and left Germany on her own at age 16 on the SS Manhattan. The United States however turned down the family's first visa request on account of Ludwig's war injury. While the family was waiting for a second response from the US consulate about immigration papers, Fritz's grandmother Fanny moved in with the family. On the night of Kristallnacht the Konstanz synagogue was set on fire with the help of the town's pro-Nazi volunteer fire-fighters. Also Fritz's father was arrested and sent to Dachau for a month under constant harassment before being released and reunited with his family. In 1939 the family finally received their papers. Fritz, his mother, father, and grandmother departed for America just three and half months before the war began. They lived in the Bronx were Fritz attended Public School #73. After learning English, excelling and skipping a grade Fritz got accepted into the Bronx High School of Science. He was involved in many clubs and eventually went to City College to study engineering. During his schooling he volunteered for the US Army and was sent back to Germany on what used to be the US Manhattan to fight in the war. His translation skills were highly valued, and he continued his work until September 10, 1946 when his military career came to an end. Fritz soon met his wife, Goldie on a blind date and had one daughter, Marcie and one son, Danny. He worked for Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Pittsburgh before retiring after thirty years.
- Record last modified:
- 2008-04-10 00:00:00
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/pa1165370
