Familie Aron Oppenheimer

Family : Aron Oppenheimer

Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer

The story of aliyah and a new beginning in Eretz Israel

Voss Strasse 42

Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer was born in Goch on 22.8.1901 ( 13 Elul 5661), son of Aron Oppenheimer, teacher of the Jewish School (Melamed of the Goch cheder) and his wife Friederike (neé Cohen) from Calcar. Arthur was the sixth of eight children. Thankfully they all recognized the signs of the times, and most were able to emigrate to the USA or Palestine (later to become Israel). He attended both elementary and grammar school in Goch. In 1920 (5680) he passed his "Abitur" (higher school-leaving examinations) at grammar school in Krefeld. He then studied medicine in Halle-Wittenberg and Wuerzburg, where he qualified in 1924. Then he moved to Gotha where he practised in the city's main Dental Clinic. There he met his wife Gerda. In 1927 he opened a dental practice in Zwickau. His first son Micha was born in Zwickau in 1924

Gerda and Arthur Oppenheimer were members of a Zionist organization "Jung-Jüdischen Wanderbund" (lit.:Young Jewish Hiking Association) and had always intended to emigrate to what was then Palestine. From his time in Zwickau Arthur already had made contact with Kibbutz Ein Harod, where he intended to settle after getting to Palestine. He was however instructed by the kibbutz to remain in Germany as long as possible, so to improve his professional skills

Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer was a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) being active in the left-wing of the party. After the Nazis came to power, he was no longer safe in Germany due to both his political activities and his Jewish faith. He had to leave the country at the first opportunity. In 1933 with his son Micha he managed to emigrate to Palestine (Eretz Israel). Months later a friend informed Arthur that the Gestapo had had plans to capture him, but thankfully he had already fled Germany.

His wife Gerda was at the time in late pregnancy and could not accompany him. She went to stay with an aunt in Berlin. It was there that the second son Uri was born in July 1933. A few months later Gerda and Uri managed to rejoin her husband in Palestine. The family settled in Kibbutz Ein Harod, where Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer became the local and regional dental practitioner. Gerda changed her name to Warda.

After the end of WW2, very many Jews attempted to get to Palestine. The country was at the time still under British mandate. The British were very restrictive in respect of Jewish immigration and imposed strict controls. "Illegal Immigrants" were being interned in camps on Cyprus. Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer was sent there in 1947 to ensure medical care for the internees of these camps.

After the establishment of the State of Israel (14 May 1948 / 5 Lyyar 5708) Arthur returned to Ein Harod. Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer became the regional supervisor for the General Worker's Sick Fund in respect of all matters concerning dentistry in the agrarian settlements, a position which he held until his death. At the close of the 1950's Arthur and his wife divorced and he later moved to Haifa with his second wife. He passed away there in 1987 at the age of 86.

Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer (dec. 1987) was blessed with 3 children, 13 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. These numbers alone show clearly how life for families which emigrated developed and formed branches. In grim contrast the lives of Jews from Goch who were deported are suddenly cut off, the entire family history often ceases in 1941 with a date of deportation. The example of Dr Arthur Oppenheimer displays how those families might have developed had Germany not produced the National Socialists.

Family tree of Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer

The life of Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer

date c.e.	event
22.08.1901	Arthur Oppenheimer born in Goch, son of Aron Oppheimer and Friederike Oppenheimer (née Cohen)
until 1911	Attends Elementary School, Goch
1912	Attends Grammar School in Goch
until 1920	Attends Grammar School in Crefeld, passes school-leaving exams (Abitur)
until 1924	Studies medicine at Halle-Wittenberg and Wuerzburg
June 1924	Completes his studies in dentistry at Wuerzburg University.
November 1924	Graduation in Würzburg (doctorate on "Experimental examinations of blue-line in cats")
1. July 1925 - Dec. 1926	Opens practice under aegis of "Allgemeinen Ortskrankenkasse" (local health-insurance) in Gotha.
8.September 1927	Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer marries in Gotha Gerda née Fackenheim and moves with her to Zwickau in Saxony.
1927-1933	Appointment as dentist for the "Arbeiterkrankenkasse" (worker's health insurance) in Zwickau
1933	Practices: Marienplatz 1 Residence: Schlachthofstrasse 32
April 1933	Listed in "Jüdische zu boykottierende Geschäfte" (Jewish businesses to be boycotted) in Zwickau
7.07.1929	Birth of son Micha Aron
	Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer was a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) being active in the left-wing of the party. The married couple were members of a Zionist movement. They had already had made contact with Kibbutz Ein Harod, where they intended to settle. The Kibbutz told him to remain in Germany as long as possible to acquire further knowledge in dentistry
27.06.1933	Hitler came to power in January 1933, thus, due to both his political activities and his Jewish faith, Arthur had to leave Germany at the first opportunity! In 1933 with his son Micha he managed to emigrate to Palestine. His wife Gerda was at the time in late pregnancy and could not accompany him. She went to stay with her aunt who ran a home in Berlin Some months later a friend informed Arthur that he was lucky to have already escaped as the Gestapo had plans to capture him. NB - after the Reichstag burning on 27.2.1933, member of the KPD & SPD were rounded up. i.e. Franz Schneider - member of the KPD in Goch was taken into custody on 12.03.1933. He was tortured in prison in Cleves. Six weeks later he died as a result of this mistreatment. In June 1933 the SPD was banned
9.07.1933	Uri Oppenheimer. second son of Dr. Arthur and Gerda Oppenheimer was born in Berlin
End 1933	Some months after the birth of Uri, Gerda Oppenheimer & children managed to reach Palestine. The family settled at Kibbutz Ein Harod, where Dr. Oppenheimer practised dentistry. Gerda changed her name to Warda.
10.04.1940 / 2 Nisan 5700	The youngest brother Benjamin (Benni) was born in the Affula hospital, near to Ein Harod
1947 / 5707	Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer is sent to Cyprus to assist with medical care for so-called "illegal" Jewish immigrants to Palestine, being held by the British authorities in camps on that island
1949 / 5709	After the foundation of the State of Israel and the 1st Arab-Israeli war, the camps are disbanded and Dr Oppenheimer returned home
from 1950	Dr. Oppenheimer became the regional supervisor of the General Workers Sick Fund, for dental practitioners in agrarian settlements & kibbutzim
End of the 1950's	Dr. Oppenheimer and Warda Oppenheimer divorced. He left Kibbutz Ein Harod and moved to Haifa with his second wife. He passed away there in 1987

Professional documents of Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer

family name	name	c.e. date and place of birth	c.e. place of death	domicile	spouse	children	comments
OPPENHEIMER	Arthur	22.8.1901	25.10.1987 Haifa	Voss-Str. 42 Ein Harod, Haifa	Gerda Fackenheim, born 14.05.1904 in Sept. 1927	Micha Aron, 7.7.1929 Zwickau Uriel, 9.7.1931 Berlin Benjamin, 10.4.1941 Affula, Israel	Dentist, initial practice in Zwickau. Emigrated 1933, not only due to his faith but also because of his political affiliation to the banned SPD. Practised in Palestine (Eretz Israel) as dentist in Kibbutz Ein Harod. Later became regional dental supervisor. Divorced his wife late 1950's moved to Haifa with second wife.	e
FACKENHEIM	Gerda (Warda)	14.5.1904 in Mühlhausen Thüringia	2001 / 18 Heshvan 5762 Ein Harod, Israel	Ein Harod, Israel	Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer	Micha Aron, 7.7.1929 Zwickau Uriel, 9.7.1931 Berlin Benjamin, 10.4.1941 Affula, Israel	From Mühlhausen (Thuringia) Married Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer in 1927 and moved to Zwickau. Pregnant with their second child - she remained in Germany (Berlin) when he and their first son went to Palestine in 1933. She and her newborn son followed them late that year. She lived in Kibbutz Ein Harod until passing away in 2001 / 5762 until her death in 2001	e
OFIR (prev.: Oppenheimer)	Dr. Micha Aron	7.7.1929 Zwickau		Rehovot	Shoshana 13..3.1931 Tel Aviv marriage: 19.6.1956	Noga Chana, 16. 2. 1958 Ehud, 21.3.1961 Nili, 18.10.1962 Tirza, 20.3.1968	Studied Plant Sciences at Hebrew University Jerusalem (1951) - PhD 1970 - employment as a scientist at Rehovot University's agricultural faculty until retirement in 1994. Still active in research with many papers published Studied from 1951 at Jerusalem University	e
OFIR (prev.: Oppenheimer)	Uriel	9.7.1931 Berlin		.				e
OFIR (prev.: Oppenheimer)	Benjamin	10.4.1940 Affula 2 Nisan 5700
OFIR née. Avraham	Shoshana	13.3.1931 24 Adar 5691 Tel Aviv		Rehovot	Dr. Micha Ofir Tel Aviv marriage: 19.6.1956	Noga Chana, 16. 2. 1958 26 Shevat 5718 Ehud, 21.3.1961 4 Nisan 5721 Nili, 18.10.1962 20 Tishri 5723 Tirza, 20.3.1968 20 Adar 5728
SOLNIK née. Ofir	Noga Channa	16.2.1958 26 Shevat 5718		Moshav, Israel	Moshe Solnik	4 children	Noga lives with husband Moshe Solnik in the "Moshav" settlement - Golan Heights
Ofir	Ehud	21.3.1961 4 Nisan 5721		Christchurch, New-Zealand	Vered	3 daughters	Ehud lives in Christchurch, New-Zealand
WAZANA née. Ofir	Nili	18.10.1962 20 Tishri 5723		Jerusalem	Shmuel Wazana	3 sons & 1 daughter	Nili lives in Jerusalem where she is Lecturer in Biblical Science at the Hebrew University
ORBACH geb. Ofir	Tirza	20.3.1968 20 Adar 5728		Rehovot	Arie (Arik) Orbach, Veterinary surgeon	3 sons & 1 daughter	Tirza lives in Rehovot

Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer and son Micha (walking strong at one years old) in Zwickau, 1930/1931
photo courtesy of Dr. Micha Ofir

1935 (5695) The family takes a walk to hills in the vicinity of Kibbutz Ein Harod
(which is visible in the distance)

Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer (aged 34)) his wife Warda (31) witj their sons Micha (king of the mountain - aged 6) and Uri (aged 2).
photo courtesy of Dr. Micha Ofir

Dr. Micha Ofir with his wife Shoshana (2005)
Photo courtesy of Dr. Micha Ofir

Civil marriage certificate of Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer and Gerda née Fackenheim / born in Mühlhausen in Thuringia.

(certificate dated 8. September 1927 : Gotha)
Courtesy of Dr. Micha Ofir

Quellen:

Neben den im Impressum angegebenen allgemeinen Quellen sind hier insbesondere zu nennen:

Angaben zur Familie Dr. Arthur Oppenheimer erhielten wir per Email von Dr. Micha Ofir (früher Oppenheimer), der uns netter Weise oben stehende Angaben zur Verfügung stellte.
Gesamtverzeichnis des deutschsprachigen Schrifttums 1911-1965; hg. von R. Oberschlep, 150 Bde. München 1976, Bd. 97. S. 63
Führer durch die Jüdische Gemeindeverwaltung und Wohlfahrtspflege in Deutschland 1932-1933, Berlin 1933, S. 330

Dateiname:	foppenh1_l.htm
Datum:	27.01.2007
Erstellt von:	Ruth Warrener
Translation:	Graham Warrener
Fotografien, Bilder:	Dr. Micha Ofir