Flora Felsenburg
Biographische Notizen
Auszüge aus dem E-Mail-Verkehr bezüglich Flora Felsenburgs, zwischen Dorothy Gotlieb
(Enkelin Flora Felsenburgs) und Hugo Brainin (wiedergegeben mit der freundlichen
Erlaubnis der Verfasser)
----- Original Message -----
From: Dorothy Gotlieb To: Hugo Brainin Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 1:41 AM
Subject: Re: Einladung
Yes. Flora Jelinek Felsenburg was my paternal grandmother and Elfriede ("Jelinek",
eingefügt von GH) )is my second cousin.
Here is the story that I sent to Ms. Elisabeth Ben David-Hindler:
Flora Felsenburg, nee Jelinek, was born on February 26, 1876, in Uherské Hradište,
Czechoslovakia (now, the Czech Republic), to Isidor and Betty (Bertha Duschak)
Jelinek, the second of 8 surviving children out of 12. She met her husband, Adalbert,
while singingin the synagogue choir and, after they married, in 1903, settled in
Vienna,Austria. Their only child, a son, Walter, was born in 1904. After her husband, a
prominent journalist,was arrested, in 1938, Flora remained in Vienna
(Liechtensteinstrasse 56),until ordered to report for a transport to the Jewish ghetto in
Kielce, Poland,on February 19, 1941. She was subsequently sent to her death, on
January 20, 1942, (according to a Red Cross telegram) most likely inthe Treblinka
extermination camp.
As I said, Flora and Adalbert (also known, to the family as Bela) became acquainted
when he happened to travel to the Czech town where she lived because he had been
told that he could "buy" a high school diploma there (!) (He hadn't been much
interested in school subjects.) Anyway, to meet people, he joined the choir and found
Flora. After returning to Vienna, he corresponded with her, and soon after, they decided
to marry.
Ths is the rest of my grandmother's story:
Adalbert's family was, however, unhappy with his choice of a wife, since Flora's family
was of a much lower economic status than theirs. Flora's father, Isidor Jelinek, had
been a stationmaster (trains). He had developed pleurisy and been forced to retire.
After that, the family, which included 8 surviving children (out of 12), lived on Isidor's
pension, plus Betty's limited extra earnings as a midwife.
Eventually, though, Flora's in-laws did come to accept her because she was such a
lovable person and because she would always bring them very nice gifts.
After Flora and Adalbert married, in 1903, they settled - due to Adalbert's journalism
career - in Vienna, Austria. Flora soon became pregnant, and then, as her mother was
a midwife, she returned to her parents' home in Czechoslovakia, in early January,
1904, to give birth to her baby, Walter.
At the time, Adalbert, whose news beat focused on the performing arts, adopted
several traits of the theater crowd, including keeping irregular hours. Because of this,
he convinced Flora not to cook, so - except on rare occasions - they would eat at the
restaurant that was downstairs from their apartment, called Zur Flucht Nach Egypten
(The Flight to Egypt).
Anyway, when Adalbert was arrested by the Nazis (on the first transport to
Buchenwald, due to his prominence), Flora loyally waited for his return. Soon after
Adalbert was taken, however, her son Walter's wife, Clary, insisted that Flora come
and stay with them, which she did, but not until after leaving her forwarding address in
her apartment, so that if her husband returned home, he would find it and know where
she was. Unfortunately, it was the Nazis who discovered her new location and began to
harass Walter and Clary,
When the two of them (Walter and Clary) decided to leave Austria, Flora refused to go,
opting instead to stay and wait for her husband to come back home. As previously
reported, she continued to live in her apartment on Leichtensteinstrasse until she was
arrested and then sent off to Poland and, subsequently, to her death.
I have attached a picture of my grandmother to this email.
Siehe auch "Stein der Erinnerung", Wien 1090, Lichtensteinstr. 56
Meldeunterlagen Wien (u.a.) zu Flora Felsenburg
aus Stationen der Erinnerung im Alsergrund, eine Initiative des Vereins Steine der Erinnerung
Auszug aus geni.com
Flora Felsenburg © 2018 Elfriede Jelinek
