World’s Fair
When my mother’s family escaped from Germany they went to New York first for 10 days, before moving on to Milwaukee. When they were in New York my mother went to the World’s Fair.
Honeymoon
For my parent’s honeymoon they went to New York, after first going to Chicago. In New York they stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. My father had lived in New York before moving to Milwaukee. He took my mother to his favorite Italian restaurant, Enrico & Paglieri. My mother had never before eaten spaghetti and I remember my father telling me that he was a bit embarrassed because she thought that she had to cut it with a knife and fork. My father did show her the correct way though.
Hilde with Opa’s cousin Hans Alfred Pfifferling
This is the picture that is on the front side of the one that says “Souvenir of the New York World’s Fair 1939”.
From my mother’s story:
On July 20th 1939 we departed from Cuxhaven and arrived in New York on the 28th of July. We stayed there 10 days at an aunt of my mother in Manhattan. We were there at the time the World’s Fair was. One day a cousin of my father took me there and showed me all around. I remember I had a good time.
Hans Alfred Pfifferling was born in 1904 in Leipzig, Which is not far from Halle/Saale. He emigrated to New York in 1929 and became the head waiter at The Latin Quarter. My Opa Karl visited him in New York. Unfortunately, I do not know how they were cousins.
Jan 1, 1944
My father on leave from the army with with Peter and Harold.
July, 1945
Uncle Walter with Peter (7) and Harold (3) a few blocks from their home in The Bronx. In the background of this photo is the Kingsbridge Armory.
SS New York
The Hamburg – Amerika Line was Germany’s oldest and largest steamship company.
2710 Sedgwick Ave.
This is the building in the Kingsbridge neighborhood in The Bronx, New York where my father, Erich Samenfeld, lived. The family moved here in July 1938. Besides my dad, the family consisted of my grandmother, Dina Samenfeld, my aunt and uncle, Irma & Walter Jacobsohn, and my cousin Peter Jacobsohn. My cousin, Harold Jacobsohn, was born in 1942.
Kingsbridge
Please see the description in the above image for 2710 Sedgwick.
The Bronx
Please see the description in the above image for 2710 Sedgwick.
Peter & Harold
My cousins, Peter and Harold Jacobsohn in The Bronx. They’re dressed in replicas of their Uncle Erich’s army uniform.
SS New York
This is the Hamburg-America Line ship that brought the Pfifferling family to America.
From my mother’s story:
On July 6, 1939 we were called to the American Consulate in Berlin. Our quota number was being called and our papers were ready to come to the United States. So, 4 weeks before the war broke out we sailed with the last German boat, the SS New York to this country. On July 20th, 1939 we departed from Cuxhaven and arrived in New York on the 28th of July.
S S Westernland
This is the Holland-America Line ship that the Jacobsohn & Samenfeld family left Germany on.
From Uncle Walter’s story:In 1938, the American economy was not at its best, and work was hard to find. Oma was able to sell some Leica cameras and a few other saleable items and had a little money. A wedding present from Uncle Louis in the amount of $100 came in very handy. We had asked him to keep it in this country until we arrived. We all lived in a two bedroom apartment at 2710 Sedgwick Avenue, in Bronx, New York. At times, this created some problems, but somehow we managed.
Kingsbridge Armory
There is a photo in this album of my Uncle Walter Jacobsohn with Peter and Harold. They are standing in front of the Kingsbridge Armory, which was only a few blocks from where the family lived in The Bronx.also, in the background is the Jerome Ave. elevated.
History Of The Samenfeld/Pfifferling Family 