| Notes |
- RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. Per email of 17 Jul 2007 from Nina Kossman www.ninakossman.com . Nina is a descendant of Klara/Robert/Joseph/Lemchen/Joseph Herzenberg. Note that Mitau, Courland was part of the tsarist empire, but later it became known as Jelgava, Latvia.
A. "A photograph of Klara Herzenberg (daughter of Robert Herzenberg) can be seen at <http://www.ninakossman.com/leonidkossman/brenson_herzenberg.html> [underscore between brenson and herzenberg]. It should also be noted that in Piltene, where our 18th century Herzenbergs lived, there is an old Jewish cemetery in which almost all are Herzenbergs." Nina is coordinating an effort to restore the Piltene cemetery and please contact her if you are able to assist financially.
B. Children of Robert Herzenberg and Emilie Kahn:
a. Daughter Rosete (Rosa), b. 14 Apr 1854 in Mitau, d. 2 Nov, 1862 in Mitau.
b. Daughter Seba, b. abt. 1856, d. 1859 in Mitau.
c. Daughter Feige/Fanny, b. 26 Jul 1857 in Mitau, d. 31 Oct 1862 in Mitau.
d. Daughter Klara, b. 4 Dec 1859 in Mitau, m. 12 May 1883 in Mitau, d. 17 Jun 1939 in Riga. Husband Isidor (Isac-Aisak, Itzig), son of Isak-Aisik (Itzig, Isidor) Brensohn, b. 27 Sep 1854 in Mitau, d. 31 Dec. 1928 in Riga. (Photo of Isidor and Clara on file with me.) Of Isidor's and Clara's four children - Ruth, Ellen, Theo, and Robby, only one - Theo - survived the war as he was not living in Latvia at the time (photo of the four children on file with me).
i. Ruth Brenson (1889-1941) was born in Yelgava, Latvia. While temporarily staying in Moscow she met Stephan Kossman, whom she married around 1910. she had two children: Nora (b. 1911) and Leonid (b. 1915). Ruth was killed by the Nazis in Riga, Latvia. (Photo of Ruth on file with me.) The family lived in Moscow, at Chistye Prudy 11, in a ten-room apartment in a five-story building; later they moved to an apartment on First Meschanskaya. Since Stephan Kossman was a merchant of the Frist Guild, it was no longer safe for his family to live in the city after the Bolshevik takeover. The Brenson-Kossman family left Moscow for Riga - where Ruth's father lived - in the beginning of 1918. Stephan Kossman was born in 1877. When he was about seven years old his father, Leontii Kossman, took him to live in London where Leonitii had started a fur business. After Leontii's death, Stephan took over the business. His job took him all over Europe and in the very beginning of the 20th century he lived in Leipzig for several years, in Berlin, in London, etc. He married Ruth Brenson in 1909 and came back to Moscow to live. Eight years later, following the October Revolution, the family left Russia. He died in Riga, Latvia, in 1928. This couple had two children: Leonid and Nora.
1. Leonid Kossman is a philologist, writer, and teacher whose language textbooks have helped millions of people. Born in Moscow in 1915, as a child in Riga, Latvia, he spoke German and Russian at home and Latvian in the neighborhood. After graduating from a German high school he studied law at the University of Latvia and worked as a drama critic for a Latvian Newspaper, Tsinia. When the Nazis occupied Riga he escaped into Russia, soon joined the Soviet army, and was severely wounded. He spent the rest of the war in Kazakhstan where he slowly regained sight and movement. After the war he studied English and western literature at Moscow State University, graduated, and taught English and German at the Maurice Thorez Linguistics Institute (which later became the Moscow State Linguistics University, or MGLU). During this period his two textbooks for Russians learning German were published. With his wife and two children he emigrated to the US via Israel in 1972, and worked here as a college languages teacher and as a writer for the German-American Daily Staatszeitung and for the German-Jewish American weekly, Aufbau. In the late 1970s he started writing books to help other Russians in learning English. In authorized, and pirated, editions of these books have circulated very widely, and have even been adopted by American university Russian courses. Most recently he has been writing short stories and he published a historical novel "Above Water" in 2003 (the book deals with the effects of Nazism on the life of a Harry Rosen, a Latvian Jew).
2. Nora.
ii. Ellen was born 188? and died 1941; she was an orthopedic phsysician and he rhusband, Yakov Meltzer, was a pianist; they had a son Anatol and all three were killed by Germans in Nazi-occupied Latvia (photo of the three with son at age 6 on file.)
e. Son David, b. 17 Jul 1864 in Mitau, m. 7 Jan 1890 in Mitau, d. bef 1935. Wife Sophia, dau. of Abram Herzenberg, b. 20 Aug 1869 in Mitau, d. 1941 in the "ghetto."
f. Son Alexander, b. 16 Apr 1866 in Mitau.
g. Son Leonhard, b. 24 Jul 1868 in Mitau.
2. Courland (Kurzeme in Latvian, Kurland in German) is the historically distinct area of modern day Latvia bounded by the Baltic Sea to the west, Lithuania to the south, and the Dvina River (now Daugava) to the North. Its historic capital was Mitau (now Jelgava). It had ice-free Baltic ports with commercial and strategic importance. At its height Courland was a prosperous and cultured German-speaking Duchy. Courland was a separate Gubernia (Province) of the Russian Empire from 1797-1918. 50-60% of the Jews living in Riga just north of Courland had family roots in Courland. The names of the various towns have changed now that the area is part of Latvia (new-old as of early 1900s):
Aizpute-Hasenpoth
Jelgava-Mitau
Kuldiga-Goldingen
Liepaja-Libau
Piltene-Pilten
Talsi-Talsen
Ventspils-Windau
3. Website of Peter Bruce Herzenberg of London, England (since relocated to South Africa). Website is no longer functioning as of 7 Aug 2007. Copies of much of his data from the website in my possession. He indicates references by codes, which pertain to the original source and file held in his database, which I have not seen. I have no key to the sources except HL is Leonardo Herzenberg, HG is Gail Herzenberg, PC is probably Piltene Cemetery records, LA is probably Latvian Archives, FA is probably Aleksandrs Feigmanis (Latvian researcher hired by Harold Hodes), and YL is Len Yodaiken (Israeli researcher hired by Harold Hodes); however, he lists the main researchers and their contributions in a lengthy report which I include in full in the notes of the earliest Herzenberg of this database. In regards to this individual:
YL 014 shows Clara m. Brewsohn.
4. Received a copy of the following from Irene Gottleib Slatter entitled "Archival Reference about Brenson Family. It was prepared for Nina Kossman Dec 2006 and is report no. 3-K-7622; 7794N by Latvijas Valsts Vestures Arhivs (Latvian National Archives), Slokas iela 16, Riga, LV-1007:
"The records of the archival fonds "Collection of Passports of Riga Prefecture," "Riga City House Registers," the birth records of the Jewish community in Mitau for 1854-1855, 1857-1858, 1862, 1864-1883,1886-1889, 1892, 1895, 1900, 1902-1904, the marriage records of the same community for 1854, 1856-1868, 1872-1873, 1875, 1884, 1886-1887, 1889-1891, 1893, 1895-1897, as available at our archives (the birth marriage and death records for other years have not survived), the birth marriage and death records of the Jewish communities in Riga for 1854-1905, the revision lists of the Jewish families belonging to Mitau for 1834, 1858, 1887, the recruits' enlistment register of the Jewish families belonging to Mitau for 1845, 1875, for Pilten for 1848 contain the following information:
Doctor of medicine, the Hereditary Honourable Citizen Isidor (Isak-Aisik, Itzig), son of Isak (Itzig) Brenson (Brennsohn in German) was born on September 27 (Gregorian calendar) of 1854 in Mitau (see Appendix No. 1 and his photo from the Latvian passport for 1927).
His father Isak-Aisik Juda (or son of Juda) Brenson, obviously Isidor's father died before his son was born (Isidor was the only child of his parents).
His mother Beile-Dore, daughter of Peisah (Peisak) Kretzer, born in ca 1833 (aged 1 in 1834, aged 42 in 1875). Her father was Peisah, son of Hirsch Kretzer, born in ca 1788 or 1794 (aged 23 in 1811, however in the revision lists for 1834 he was registered as 38 years old, see Appendix No. 2), he was registered in the Jewish community in Mitau at least since 1811. Peisach died on September 24 of 1863 in Mitau, aged 80 (we would like to draw your attention to the fact that very often the age of person was determined by their outward appearance and was stated in some documents rather approximately. Beile's mother Gutte (maiden name is not stated) was born in ca 1805 (aged 29 in 1834). We did not manage to find any information that Peisach and Gutte have children besides Beile.
Isidor's wife Klara, daughter of Robert Herzenberg was born on December 4 of 1859 in Mitau (this date of birth was stated in her Latvian passports and in the house register, unfortunately, the birth records for 1859 have not survived, se her photo from Latvian passport for 1927. Their marriage was registered on May 12 of 1883 in Mitau.
The family of Isidor Brenson lived in Mitau and then moved to Riga, where they lived in their own (since 1910) houses at Dzirnavu Street 64. [Irene adds note: "This is the house where my great grandparents lived. My sister and I went there.]
Isidor Brenson died on December 31 of 1928 in Riga.
Klara died June 17 of 1939 in Riga.
Isidor and Klara had children.
- son Robert, born on February 27 (Julian calendar) of 1889 in Mitau. His occupation - correspondent. On February 23 of 1924 in Riga he married to Elli Olga, daughter of Gustav nee Donbergs, born on December 25 of 1903 in Riga, she was German (when Robert married to Elli Olga, he was written down as a divorced). Robert had children:
- son Erik, born on December 18 of 1917 in Moscow.
- son Enar-Theodor, born on October 17 of 1926 in Riga.
Since May of 1928 they lived in Riga at Dzirnavu Street 64, apt. 1. Elli Olga was struck off the house register on November 1 of 1933 where not stated. Robert and Elli Olga were divorced and in 1934 she married to Rosenthal (name not stated). On June 27 of 1936 in Riga Robert married to Benita-Mathilde-Elisabeth Brensohn, nee Isakowsky (Izakowsky), born on March 27 of 1913 in Riga,she was German. They were divorced on April 19 of 1939 in Riga.Beneta-Mathilde-Elisabeth was struck off the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 on January 18 of 1939 as moved to Elizabetes Street 8. She left for Germany on December 5 of 1939. There is a note in the house register of Dzernavu Street 64 that Robert and his son Enar 'have taken away' on July 12 of 1941, Erik 'have taken away' on July 25 of 1941. The museum "Jews in Latvia" keeps the lists of Central prison's inmates, set up on August 4 of 1941 (during Nazi occupation), where Erik, son of Robert Brenson registered under Nr. 196.
- son Theodor (Feodor)-Wilhelm, born on November 15 (Julian calendar, 27 November - Gregorian calendar) of 1892 in Mitau (see his photo from the Latvian passports for 1920, 1939). His occupation - engineer architect. On July 30 of 1932 in Paris he married to Wally Marie Georgia Grell (she was a widow, according to the marriage certificate Theodor was a widower and divorced, born on August 11 of 1903 in Riga, according to the house register her occupation - actor. In 1936 they were registered as living at Dzernavu Street 64, apt. 4, on September 21 of 1936 they left for Paris. In 1939 Theodor arrived to Riga and was registered as living at Dzernavu Street 64, apt. 4, he struck off the house register on August 28 of 1939 as moved to Paris.
- daughter Ellen-Benita, born on December 23 of 1895 (Julian calendar, Gregorian calendar - January 4 of 1896) in Mitau. She was a doctor. Her 1st husband Aron Patursky (their marriage was registered on December 19 of 1922 in Riga, see her photo from the Latvian passports for 1922, 1927, 1931). They had no children, their marriage was divorced in 1931 in Riga. Her second husband Jacob Melzer was born on May 5 of 1891 in Minsk. Their marriage was registered on September 8 of 1931 in Riga. His occupation - musician. Their son Anatol Melzer was born on June 26 of 1933 in Riga. Before the Second World War they lived in Riga at Brivibas Street 23, apt. 6. They were struck off the house register on September 30 of 1941 as moved to ghetto. Their address in ghetto - Lazdonas Street 11, apt. 1.
- son Otton-Osip, born in 1897, died on August 9 of 1897 in Dubbeln, buried at the Jewish cemetery in Mitau, aged 3 weeks, cause of death - inflammation of the lungs (see Appendix No. 3).
- daughter Ruth Paulina, born on March 28 (Julian calendar) of 1885 in Mitau (however later in the house register her date of birth - April 9 (Gregorian calendar of 1886 in Mitau). In 1909 in "Riga she married to Schebsel Kosman (entry No. 59 in teh marriage records of the Jewish community in Riga). Their children:
- son Leonid Kosman, born on September 24 of 1915 in Moscow. His wife Tereza, nee Yacoby (daughter of Johan/Janis, son of Adolph Yacoby and Jenni, nee Heiman) was born on July 5 of 1918 in Moscow (see her photo form the Latvian passport for 1935). Since September 14 of 1935 a widow Ruth Kosman and Leonid lived in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 1. Leonid was struck off the house register on June 30 of 1940 as moved to Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 1. Tereza was struck off the house register of Elizabetes Street 27 on August 14 of 1941 as moved to Maskavas Sttreet 171, apt. 4 together with her parents and two sisters. Obviously later they were sent to ghetto. According to the records of the Soviet Extraordinary State Commission for 945 Jenny, Tereza and Ruth Yacoby, living in Riga at Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 1 were killed in 1941.
- daughter Eleonora Kosman, born on April 15 of 1911 in Moscow. Her husband Wilhelm (Wolfram), son of Eduard Gottlieb, born on June 6 of 1907 in Riga (see his photo from the Latvian passport for 1925). His occupation - journalist. They were registered as living in Riga at Dzernavu Street 64, apt. 4 since July 20 till August 12 of 1935 when they arrived from London to visit their relatives. Wilhelm's father was the candidate of commerce Israel/Eduards, son of Shanis Gottlieb was born on January 16 of 1870 in Riga. His wife Haja Sara (Sora), daughter of Mowscha.Mosus Kaschdan, a watch-maker from Borisov, and his wife Lina, was born on January 27 (Julian calendar, February 7 - Gregorian calendar) of 1880 in Riga (see her photo from the Latvian passport for 1924). Their marriage was registered in 1906 in Riga (entry No. 2 in the marriage records of the Jewish community in Riga for 1906. They had also daughter Herta Gottlieb, born on November 1 (Julian calendar, 14 November - Gregorian calendar) of 1909 in Riga. In 1924 the family of Israel/Eduard Gottlieb lived in Riga at Dzernavu Street 66, apt. 52. Before the Second World War they lived in Riga at Brivibas Street 33 (unfortunately, the house registers for the time period before October of 1939 have not survived, therefore we cannot trace fate of Haja and Herta. The museum "Jews of Latvia" keeps the lists of Central prison's inmates, set up on August 4 of 1941, where Eduards, son of Zhanis Gottlieb was registered under Nr. 67.
We suppose that Klara's father was Robert (Ruben), son of Joseph (Jossel) Herzenberg a merchant from Pilten, born in ca 1826 (aged 22 in 1848, see Appendix No. 4) and mother Emilie (Amalie), daughter of David Kahn, born in ca 1830, died in 1903. Robert Herzenberg lived in Mitau and had his firm 'Robert Herzenberg,' he died before 1887 (the death records of the Jewish community in Mitau, as available at our archives do not contain information on his death).
Ruben had at least two brothers Laser and Jacob (unfortunately, females (daughters) were not registered in the recruits's enlistment registers of Pilten). His parents: father Joseph (Jossel), son of Lemchen Herzenberg was born in ca 1809 (aged 39 in 1848), mother Zippe (the age is not stated). His grandparents: Lemchen, son of Joseph Herzenberg, born ca 1780, died in 1840. He belonged to the Jewish community in Pilten at least since 1834, his wife Schore (the age is not stated).
Klara had brothers and sisters:
- sister Rosete, born on April 14 of 1854 in Mitau. Rosa Herzenberg died on November 2 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 8-1/2, cause of death - measles. We suppose that Rosete and Rosa was one and the same person.
- sister Feige/Fanny, born on July 26 of 1857 in Mitau, died on October 31 of 1862 in Mitau, aged 5, cause of death - measles.
- sister Seba, died in 1859 in Mitau, aged 3.
- brother, David, son of Robert Herzenberg, born on July 17 of 1864 in Mitau, 2nd guild merchant, since 1915 - 1st guild merchant, the Hereditary Honourable Citizen. His wife Sophia, daughter of Abram Herzenberg was born on August 20 (Gregorian calendar) of 1869 in Mitau. According to the birth records Klara Herzenberg was born on August 8 (Julian calendar) of 1869 in Mitau, her father was Abram Herzenberg and mother Teresa, daughter of Joseph, nee Herzenberg. We suppose that Sophia and Klara might be one and the same person. The marriage of David and Sophia was registered on January 7 of 1890 in Mitau. They had children:
- son Robert, born on December 13 of 1892 in Mitau.
- daughter Jenny (Eugenia), born on October 18 of 1896 in Mitau.
- daughter Flora, born on February 8 of 1898 in Mitau.
Since 1935 a widow Sophia and her daughters Eugenia and Flora lived in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 11. In 1939 Robert Herzenberg, a correspondent by profession, his wife Beila and son David-Harry were registered as living in Riga at Lacplesa Street 9, apt. 11. They left for Sweden in August - September of 1939. Eugenia married to Lev Wolozhinski, born on January 15 of 1891 in Riga. Sophia, Eugenia, Lev were struck off the house register of Lacplesa Street 9 in July 19-21 of 1941 (during Nazi occupation), obviously they were sent to ghetto. Lev Wolozhinsky was killed in July of 1941. Flora married to Nechemy/Nikolay Friedlender, born on December 21 of 1880 in Mitau. They lived at Elizabetes Street 27, apt. 2 and were struck off the house register on August 14 of 1941 a moved to Maskavas Street 171, apt. 4. According to the records of the Soviet Extraordinary State Commission for 1945, Nechemy and Flora were killed in 1941.
- brother Alexander, born on April 16 of 1866 in Mitau. He was registered as a merchant of top guild of Mitau. Since January 12 of 1899 he was registered as a Moscow merchant of top guild.
- brother Leonhard, born on July 24 of 1868 in Mitau.
All dates are stated according to the Julian calendar.
For the better clearness the composition of the Herzenberg family is prepared also in the form of the genealogical table.
In case only age of a person for a concrete year is indicated in the documents, his/her date of birth is stated approximately. The place of birth (marriage, death) is given only in a case if it is specified in the document. In a case we will find any additional information, tables can be corrected and supplemented.
REFERENCE:
fond 5024, inventory 2, files 331, 351, 375, inventory 1, file 88.
fond 2942, inventory 1, files 4109, 2130.
fond 630, inventory 2, files 220, 221.
fond 4349, inventory 2, file 6.
fond 445, inventory 1, files 2035, 2038.
fond 2996, inventory 9, file 520, inventory 12, field 14498, inventory 7, files 25343, 25280, inventory 2, files 41162, 41163, 41164, 41171, 41175, 41185, 41186, inventory 15, file 4449, fond 472, inventory 5, files 628, 826, 1574.
Enclosure: genealogical table - 1 table, copies of the documents - 26 sheets.
Director: N. Rizovs, Head of Department: I. Veinberga., Researcher: J. Polovceva."
BIOGRAPHY:
1. 28 Jul 2007 Http://www.herzenberg.net/leo/htmlrh/Content.html copyrighted by Leo Herzenberg:
"An meinen Sohn (To my son) Leonhard Herzenberg von (from) Robert Herzenberg. Memoirs written during the 1940's." Translated during the 1990's by Leonardo (Leonhard) Herzenberg. The entire memoir is quite lengthy and included in its entirety in my notes with Joseph Herzenberg, the original known ancestor, in this database. The following is only the portion dealing with this part of the family:
"Great Uncles on Mother's Side
[60] Of the great uncles, the siblings of my grandmother on my mothers side, I can report very little. The oldest, Robert, after whom I was named, I could not know, because he died on my parents' wedding day, but I knew most of his children.
Great Uncle Robert lived in Mitau, neighbor of his brother in law, great uncle Abraham. He was married to Emilie Cahn. The firm continued still long after the world war. I knew the children David, Alexander, Leo, Clara and Helene; Fanny, Seba, Sara died early from smallpox. of David I wrote already on p 54-55. Leo was a lawyer in Russia. I met him in Germany after the war. He was already quite white-haired when he married the piano virtuoso Jenja Rappaport. He then lived [61] as a lawyer in Riga and died there a few years ago. There the sisters Clara and Helene also lived and died before the second world war.
Clara was married to Isidor Brensohn, and had children Ruth, Ellen, Robert, and Theo. Theo has a pretty good calling as a painter and etcher, having exhibited in Paris and Rome.
Helene was married to Jeannot Taube, with children Harry, Alice and Erna. Harry Taube I still knew as a student."
2. Email from: "Nina Kossman" Aug 16, 2007 and Aug 19, 2007. She has memoirs written by Isidor Brenson in German. Currently it is being translated into Latvian by Riga's Museum of the History of Medicine. It is also being translated into English for Nina:
Yes, I know of that family [David and Sophie Herzenberg]. In fact, I had stones installed in the Rumbuli forest in memory of Sophie Herzenberg and her two daughters, Yevgenia and Flora, as well as in memory of the daughters' husbands. In the latest installment (part 3) of the translation of my g.gfather's memoir there is a mention of a historical "Herzenberg" house (Herzenbergsche Haus) in Jelgava and, a few pages later, of his meeting, in the summer of 1872, a thirteen year girl, Clara Herzenberg (his future wife), in the home of her parents where he accepted a position as a tutor. But so far there isn't much detail about the Herzenbergs; only that years before 1872, as a seven and eight year old boy, he had played with Clara's little sisters, Rosa and Fanny, until his visits to the house were discontinued due to their illness (and subsequent death). There is a paragraph that describes the historical meaning of the Herzenberg House, yet it doesn't seem that the events that took place there in 1726 have anything to do with the Herzenbergs per se.
Later email: "Here's the translation of the passage from my g.g.father's memoir which mentions the "Herzenberg House":
"Among the oldest buildings of the city which have historical importance is the Herzenberg House (Herzenbergsche Haus) on the corner of Catholic St. and Big St. This house is a historical landmark building because it was there that in 1726 Moritz Saksonski was hiding from the Poles. He was freed by the life guards of the duchess Anna Ioanovna. Moritz Saksonsky was invited to the palace, but due to his thoughtlessness, he lost the good will of his benefactors and had to flee, disguised as a coachman, from his last place of refuge on the Usmas island, which, by that time, was surrounded by the Russians." I couldn't find anything on Google about Moritz Saksonsky. Usmas is a camping site in present-day Latvia. I'll keep you posted if I find anything else that gives clues to the past of the Herzenbergs."
3. See notes of Ruth Brenson for an autobiography of Irene Gottleib Sattler who is the great-granddaughter of Isidor and Klara Brenson, in which she mentions her memories of this couple.
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
1859 - 1939 (79 years)