I admit it: It sometimes takes me a while to unpack from a trip. On my recent return to Tucson from New York, I didn’t need the winter clothes I’d brought with me (nyah nyah); only an underwear shortage inspired me to retrieve the contents of my suitcase. It sometimes takes me even longer to… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: Schmerling family
My Family’s Butcher Shops
When I started this blog, I knew that my mother’s uncles in Vienna had butcher shops, plural, and that one of them sold meat — kosher meat, my mother said — to Sigmund Freud’s wife. It wasn’t until I did a lot more research that I was able to put names to the butchers, however,… Continue Reading
Of Photo Identification & British-to-American Translation
I often feel deficient in the genealogy department. When it comes to tracing documents, I have been spoiled by help from others, by getting gifts of fish, as the old saying goes, rather than fishing lessons. But I recently discovered that I’ve learned quite a bit about my mother’s family in the past year — which… Continue Reading
The Mystery of the Schmerling Name — Solved!
I won’t try to claim that name changes pose a greater challenge to Jewish family historians than those of other groups — although I’m convinced they do. I just don’t have a sufficient basis for comparison to prove it. Unique Genealogical Circumstances I can, however, assert that those searching for Eastern European Jewish ancestors will… Continue Reading
A Reboot, A Rabbi & A Reunion
…walk into a bar. Just kidding. But that title cried out for it. The Reboot I had a wake up call recently, thanks in part to a comment by guest poster and Viktor Frankl biographer Anna Redsand. Who are all these people you’re writing about? she asked. You need a scorecard — or at least… Continue Reading
Coming Attractions!
I’m back. Yes, I needed a break after the daily deadlines of February’s Family History Writing Challenge, but I miss the structure and accountability that the challenge provided. I thought if I told you what’s upcoming on my blog I would be committed to write about those topics or, as you’ll see, shame others into… Continue Reading
