Biography from Granddaughter Judith Stein

Judith Stein writes about her “Omi” Fanny

Fanny Fleischmann, my grandmother on my mother’s side, was born in 1877 into a family with six siblings. Growing up in Frankenwinheim she had a close supportive family.

She excelled in school and was well behaved. She grew up to be a beautiful, ethical and religious young woman.

She married Simon Fleischmann who had a grain and feed business in Nuremberg, They had two children Edith and Max.

Unfortunately, her husband and son died so early it was only possible for my grandmother Fanny and her daughter Edith to escape to the USA.

I recall now many things that shaped Fanny Fleischmann's character and outlook on life. In my youth, walking home from school, I looked up to my third floor bedroom window and saw my grandmother reading. I discovered it was a book she brought with her to the United States titled “Stunden der Andacht “ (The Hours of Devotion) by Fanny Neuda.

My grandmother had times of sadness having lost her husband and son in 1929. There were happy times with family until the Nazis restrictions on the Jews began. Her daughter and Albert, her fiance, left Germany in 1934. They lived three years stateless, trying to find work in France and England. Eventually they arrived in the New York thanks to a relative who sponsored them.

At this time, Fanny was still in Germany. By late 1940, she was being hidden in the back of the closed business in Nuremberg. When her travel papers came through in early 1941, at the age of 64 Fanny courageously traveled by herself to Lisbon, Portugal and boarded a World War I ship called Seboney. It stopped in Bermuda and arrived in New York on March 27, 1941.

A new life and a new language awaited. I think that prayer book offered comfort for all that she went through.

Fanny helped to raise me. She cooked delicious dishes like Sauerbraten with raisin sauce, Zwetschgenkuchen - plum cake, and Gesundheitskuchen. She also brought a bed time story book called Struwwelpeter. These bedtime stories always frightened me when she read them. On Jewish holidays, she took me to Temple services. She was a very caring Omi who lived with us for 23 years.

One of the few things of true value that she brought from Germany are our family photos. They allow all of us to know our family and connect stories to our past.

As the much loved matriarch of our New York Hirsch family, we gathered every year to celebrate Fanny's birthday. Her great granddaughter is named Melissa Tifanny after her.

May we all live in peace.

Judith Stein