HAUPTMANN family in Delitzsch (Germany)

[Sharon73]

Hello !

I am a new member on this forum looking for ancestors in Germany-Poland.

I am searching informations on my GdGd parents who lived in Delitzsch, Germany (Prussia at the moment).

Preissig HAUPTMANN, carpenter, had made some wood work in the Delitzsch Castle.
married with Zierel NEUMANN.
Both were Jewish.
They had a son Szyla-Wolf born in 1919 september 10th (see document).
They emigrated to Palestine (Israël)  in 1925 or 1929 as stated in the document inclosed (sorry it's written in hebrew).
My family in Israël don't know the origins of Hauptmann-Neumann.

I  hope somebody can help me about this subject !
Thanks

Sharon.

[JustinL]

Hello Sharon,

Welcome to Rootschat.

Szyla-Wolf was born on 9th December 1919.

Judging by their given names, I would say that Preissig and Zierel were Polish, rather than German. German Jews of that era were highly assimilated, and used German names.

The surname Hauptmann was very common in former eastern Galicia, a region that was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1918. The region is know in the Ukraine.

Was Preissig's Hebrew name Pesakh?

Does the immigration document list other children? Can I make Yitschak, Khava and Yehuda?

Do you know the names of Preissig's and Zierel's fathers? From their death records perhaps?

Do you have any idea when they were born?

Justin

[Sharon73]

Hello !

Thank you for your answer.

Yes, Preissig hebrew name was Pessah.
I have sent the document for a translation, unfornutatly I don't read or speak hebrew.
I have asked for the death certificates of Preissig and Zierel, I don't know where they were born.

Szyla-Wolf married my Gdmother Chaya born MELZAK.
According to the family, she was born in Warsaw, her parents were killed, she passed time in an orphanage and was adopted by Itzhak Nozik (I think he was a man of theatre). They emigrated to Israël too.
When Chaya and Szyla-Wolf (hebrew name Zeev) married in Israël, they changed the name Huaptmann into Hoftman.
I was born Hoftman.

I hope this will help us !

Sharon.

[JustinL]

Hello Sharon,

I assumed you were writing from Israel. Where are you then?

Any information that you gather together will help in the quest.

The surname change may have come earlier. On that immigration document, the surname has been written הופטמן which would normally be Romanized as Hoftman.

However, in cursive script, the Hebrew letter פ (pey/fey) serves as a 'p' and or as an 'f'.

The German dipththong 'au' (pronounced ow as in how) does not exist in Hebrew. However, it is usually rendered literally as או (i.e. aleph-vav = au) or as וי (i.e. vav-yud = oy as in toy).

Justin

[Sharon73]

Hello Justin !

I was born in France (Israeli father and french mother), and lived a few years in Israël when I was young (Rehovot).
After my parents's divorce, I went back to France until today.
My father still lives there.
Unfortunatly, I have forgotten hebrew language ...
I am waiting for an answer of the family about the translation and the death certificates.
So, I understand that the change of name was earlier than I thought.
I thank you to try to help me in my researches, I have tried for many years.

Sharon

[JustinL]

Bonjour Sharon!

I think I may have located Pesakh's burial!!

http://www.kadisha.biz/ShowItem.aspx?levelId=59689&template=18&ID=202409 is the burial of Pesakh son of Yonah Hoftman, b. 1897 Poland, came to Israel in 1925, d. 31 Jan 1979 (aged 82), bur. Holon Cemetery

Ze'ev son of Pesakh Hoftman died on 14 Mar 1971 and was buried in the same cemetery.

Pesakh's wife may be the Tsileh Hoftman, daughter of Yitschak, b. 1890 Poland, came to Israel in 1925, d. 20 Apr 1952 (aged 63).

However, the name given on the two records you posted were Zierel and Zurl, both are Yiddish derivatives of Sara. The name Tsileh has different origins.

Justin

[JustinL]

One more thing, I think your grandfather's full name was Szyja Wolf, nor Szyla Wolf.

Szyja is the Polish spelling of Shaye, a deminutive of the Hebrew names Yehoshua or Yeshaya.

[Sharon73]

Hello !

Thank you for the informations, I have transmitted them to the family.
I am waiting for a confirmation !

Szyja-Wolf (Zeev) had two sisters : Rosa and Chaya.
He has been in the british army in Palestine.

Have a good day !
Sharon.

[JustinL]

Hi

It will be very interesting to hear what your family has to say.

The children listed on the immigration record are:

Yitschak, Reza/Roza, Khaya, Yehoshua (יהושע)

So the last child listed was your grandfather Szyja Wolf aka Ze'ev. His Yiddish double name had been dropped in favour of a Hebrew double name - Yehoshua Ze'ev. I assume you realise that ze'ev is the Hebrew word for wolf.

I suspect that the same thing happened with Zierel, and that she was known as Tsila in Israel.

If Zierel was the Tsila Hoftman who died in 1952 and she was the daughter of a Yitschak, then it would make sense that one of her sons would be named Yitschak. I wonder what became of him.

Justin