| Notes |
- Paul considered himself to be a good German, and was a Calvary Officer in World War I. He trained men and horses for combat.
"Before the beginning of World War II, Paul and his two sons, Manfred and Erich were interned in the Buchanwald Cancentration Camp. I have heard of a couple of stories about how they got out. I am led to believe that my Father, Manfred escaped through the front gate of the camp somehow. My Uncle Erich and Grandfather were in a line up for roll call, and Paul was spotted by an officer in the camp that he served with in WWI. The officer took Paul and his son Erich behind a building and talked to him. He made arrangements for them to escape the camp. He told Paul that they had fought together in the war and had men die under their command, and he couldn't let this happen to him. In discussing their situation, he told them that they had to get out of the country, because Hitler was going to Kill all the Jews. He gave them a bit of money and a change of clothes, and made it so that they could get out through the fence. So I suspect that the fence was cut or lifted up so they could go through or under it.
The other story about how they got out was from my cousin Bert. He is the only son of my Uncle Erich. He told me that the Red Cross had put pressure on the Hitler Government to allow veterans of the first World War to go home. According to Bert, this is how they got out. Perhaps it is a combination of the two stories that meld together to reveal the truth.
They all three made it back to their home town of Themar, and began to prepare to leave the country. My Father, Manfred told me that he was already at home and about to leave when his Father and Brother arrived. How it played out, I am not sure. They gathered what they could together, and left.
My Grandmother, Berta and her brother Oskar Schwab, my Father Manfred Erich, my Uncle Erich and my Grandfather Paul began their journey to Genoa, Italy. Once in Genoa, they all secured passage to Shanghai, China.The last place in the world that stateless people could go. They traveled on May 30, 1939 aboard the Italian luxury linear, "Conte Biancamano". [the Conte Biancamano, was renamed the S.S. Hermitage, when the ship fell into the possession of the U.S. Navy, the ship was renamed once again once it was back in civilian hands to Conoco No.1 and was I believe back in service with the Italian Company ].
On the night of Kristallnacht, one of the brothers took the Sefer Torah from a local Shul in I think Themar, and hid it. I am led to believe he died as a result of hiding the Torah and not telling where he hid it. I do not know which brother it was.
Erich,(and possible Manfred), new where the Torah was hidden. Bert told me that his Father took the Torah with them on their journey to Genoa, Italy and gave the Torah to a Rabbi Meyer Ashkenazi, of the Ohel Moshe Synagogue, located at No. 62 Changyang Road of the Hongkou District of Shanghai, China."
"When they left China, they traveled to San Francisco, California on the converted troop carrier, "S.S. Marine Adder". The trip took twelve days, from July 15 to July 27,1947."
-from Andrew Rosengarten 2004
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, d. 1 Nov 1987, Martinez, California