There have been several Braunhart men who have served in the military. And yes, some served in the German army in World War I.

In honor of all who served, no matter the country, here are a few photos of them in uniform.

There is much to this letter from Alexander Braunhart, wife Helene. and daughter Selma to their daughter (and sister) Anna Braunhart Tulman. 

There are the usual comings and goings of the family, whether it be in Schubin or in Berlin.

As always there is the discussion of money and the help that Anna and her family provide to their parents. And Alexander, as always, talks about the high cost of goods in Schubin. as well we find out that Alexander is working as a furrier.

The most interesting portion of the letter, however is the discussion of Jakob's whereabouts. He is suspected by his parents to be in Alaska where he resided after (it was written) that his wife died. Alexander's sister Sara, who was residing in Oakland, California reported that to them.

Jakob traveled to San Francisco shortly after his arrival in America in 1904. He was there with his Uncle Samuel on that fateful day in April, 1906 when San Francisco exploded in fire as a result of the Great Earthquake, which had Samuel succumbing a month later.

We know from the 1910 census records as well as San Francisco city directories that he was in the city in the 1910's. He married Pearl Rawson in 1913 and he worked as a tailor in San Francisco.

But things got weird starting in 1915. Pearl was arrested with another man in Spokane, Washington. In 1918, Jakob enlisted in the US Army and had an FBI file opened because he had brothers in the German Army and he visited the German consulate to make sure that he was "OK" with Germany - so to speak.  A file was opened and in the file was a document that stated that his wife had left him in August, 1918.

Furthermore, Pearl married a couple of other men as evidenced by marriage and census records and died in Los Angeles at the ripe old age of 90.

So the question is - did Pearl and Jakob divorce in 1915 or thereabouts? Did Jakob marry again after Pearl, or is Pearl the wife who left him as mentioned in the FBI file in 1918? And lastly did Jakob lie to his Aunt and to his parents and family about her "death" because of embarrassment? Or is the death of the wife a subsequent wife after Pearl? Perhaps we will never know.

Below is the original letter, followed by the English translation:

Thanks to our terrific translator Matthias Steinke, below is the English translation of the letter:

Schubin, 25.12.19

[from Selma]

My dear sister,

My first letter you will probably have received in the meantime. We are all healthy and hope from you, your husband and child the same. The main reason for my letter today is to send you my heartiest wishes to your birthday. The dear God may give you good luck and blessings and preserve you with husband and child in the best health. The 23rd this month we got again a letter from you. We are always pleased if we get messages. We were such a long time like cut off  from the world.

Congratulate to the house purchase, may God further give luck and blessing.

Aunt wrote that Jakob is now in Alaska, he went there after the death of his wife. Give me the addresses of S.F. German newspapers. I will try whether I can get special calls concerning Jakob.

Due to the case, that all still want to write again all good and hearty greetings and kisses for
all by your Selma

[from Helene]

Dearly beloved daughter!

Receive also from me to your birthday the heartiest congratulation. God let you and your beloved in good health and give you the best luck on earth.

We enjoy the pictures you, Anna sent us. Looks like the boys of Karl. God let them have joy as they grow up.

Frieda is in Labischin. The father, Selma and Frieda drove there on Sunday, for pleasure Hanukkah-fest, so they stayed there. There it isn't so bad.

Julius is healthy, also Dorka and child; he is thanks God fine. The boys from Berlin should arrive today
but it's not so easy. The train traffic from and to Germany shall be stopped. 

Why isn't Martha letting us hear from her? Hope they are all healthy, please report. These letters are also for Sternbachs.

Thousand hearty greetings and kisses to all and also to Martha and family.

[from Alexander]

Dear good daughter Anna!

Congratulate to the birthday. May all the wishes which we have for you and also yours be fulfilled. Greet you, Harry and the little one as also Martha, Benny and the boys. Your little (daughter), our youngest grandchild, looks in the pictures like a picture-perfect ... child. May she be preserved for us.

Received your registered letter, and will as far as it is peace leave Schubin. At the moment its not possible because due to lack of apartments and huge cold. If we move, we don't give up our furniture indoors. We want to be independent from the children here and also don't want to take advantage from you. You have to support your own families. 

We expect Theo and Philipp daily. It will be very difficult if they want to go back to Germany again. I assume, that Theo wants to wait for your sendings first. Have you sent him the money via a German bank? Which one, with exception of the "Dresdener Bank", doesn't matter. The cheques will be sent by the bank to the receiver, and the money occasionally picked up.  I don't want with it say, that you shall send money. We have enough for living by your sending. If we need something, I will write.

You shall get a picture of Theo, Julius and Moritz. How it is Moritz going, you will see in attached letter.

From Aunt received a long, long letter. Complains about all, all and (writes about) travel-experiences. She is old and doesn't want to realize it. If one thinks about it, she has a good heart; but nervous like all Braunharts. 

She doesn't know something about Jakob and also from the bank. I am thinking a lot of Jakob.

Also from Cecelia Markheim got letter, complains that you and Martha behave so strange. You will have your reasons. I will answer her letter.

Mum behaves good. You will get our pictures as soon as Bromberg is open.

Business is going better sometimes, mainly with furrier-works. Due to my eyes its hard for me to work. But what is to do? By the work the time is going by a little bit faster. We suffer no distress, although everything is expensive. But you can get everything. But whether it will be so? I notice again, that our letter is also for Martha.

Now dear daughter fare well and be again hearty greeted by your dearly loving father.

This letter is from father Alexander Braunhart to daughter Martha Braunhart Sternbach, who had immigrated and was living with her husband and children in Brooklyn, New York.

Based on travel records, Alexander had visited New York twice in the early 1880s. It is unknown why he did not immigrate. But in this letter he mentions a desire to immigrate, yet he states that his wife Helene likely does not wish to do so.

He also remarks about the ongoing strife in Schubin, with the conflict between the Poles and the Germans ebbing, but not yet over.

Finally, he discusses the dilemma of the Jews still in Schubin, and the fact that no matter what they do - they are still undergoing ill treatment.

Below is the original letter, followed by the English translation:

Thanks to our wonderful translator Matthias Steinke, the English translation is below:

Schubin, 7th. September 1919

Dear children and grandchildren!

Like to inform you that the parcel arrived. Best, best thanks. The parcel which was very necessary for us, caused here a stir. The parcel contained:

2 cans of tinned fish
1 can of sardines
2 packages rice
1 package tea
3 chocolate bars
1 can oil

After the description it was probably more in. If you can't afford it so good, don't send anymore to us, because the postage costs so much and the content is also expensive. In my time over 40 years ago everything was very cheap 
over there. 

Our detailed letter as answer to yours you will probably already hold in your hands .In any case write very often. Anna and Jakob let nothing hear from them. I wrote to them and also to Aunt in Oakland, to which I enclosed Jakob's letter, because I don't know his address. Greet Anna, Harry and the little one and Anna shall write finally. Or did something happen? To the turn of the year we congratulate. 

Otherwise everything is calm here. Whether it will be that way? May God protect us against the experiences we already made in the past.

Cylli's husband will probably be released [from POW camp] in Berlin these days. She is already there. 

Karl, wife and children start this week. They made good money. I hardly think, that it will be in Germany so good. We also want to move. But where? Have to wait.  We don't like to be at the children, but "independent". 
With the currency is going worse from day to day. Even the insurances have an end. Everything is going to Polish hands. The Polish government is very loyal, but the population is still very agitated. I have never been 
hostile against Poles.

The Prussian state has done many sins to the Poles and the Jews. The Jews are the worst off. If they go right, its not good; if they go left the same, and if they stay neutral they are gutless and untrue. Frankly speaking  the Jews have also sinned a lot, namely to persons who said them the truth. But what is to do? One is in the soup after all.

Apart from that the ours are doing well. Is Leo learning good? Speak the boys also German? Harold has probably to go to school now. If the times are better and Bromberg open, you will receive our pictures. How would it be if we come overthere? Mum probably doesn't want, and it doesn't give so much money for the journey. Otherwise, if the 
bank would pay.


Now farewell and be greeted hearty by your loving parents.

The earliest photos of Braunhart babies and children are from 1900 on. Just for fun, here is a selection of some of them:

In the early 20th century, several of the Braunharts of Schubin immigrated to America. Some were married in Germany and some in the United States. There were many more weddings in the mid-20th century as their sons and daughters tied the knot.

Since this is the time of the year when many weddings occur, we celebrate their nuptials with the photos of these happy events, focusing on those from 1900 through the 1920s. There are more, however many wedding photos have not turned up as yet.

As the title suggests, one is quite the eery photograph - but it is a capture of the wedding party certainly, even if many weren't looking, or were pretending to be asleep.

So raise your glass and Mazel Tov!

In the course of discovering one's ancestry - it certainly is a journey and many times a trek (a journey with obstacles). If we consider Lewin Jacob Braunhart and his wife Wilhelmine Zadek as the first generation of Braunharts; and Bernhard, Samuel, Sara, and Alexander as the 2nd, then the 3rd generation would be the seventeen surviving children of Bernhard, Sara, and Alexander. These I have previously written about as quite an admirable group of ancestors in The Memorable Seventeen.  The 3rd generation was exemplified by immigration and escape.  Half of the 17 immigrated to America, and half escaped from Schubin to Berlin, and many of those escaped Germany from the Nazis, although two were unsuccessful.

So what about the next generation - the fourth? There were a total of 35 children born to the 17 grandchildren of Lewin and Wilhelmine.  Who were they and what makes them special? These 35 were exemplified by the majority being born in America as a result of their parents immigrating. However, holdovers from the 3rd generation still occurred, as a few of these 35 had to also escape Nazi Germany. 

The birth years range from 1892 to 1936 - quite a span. Here is a list, followed by names and photos. Truly an impressive bunch:

• 5 died in childhood (4 via illness, 1 by drowning)
• 2 spent several years in the Shanghai Ghetto
• 1 was murdered at Auschwitz
• 1 escaped to Palestine
• 1 was a vaudeville pianist
  
• 1 was a statistician
• 1 served in both World War 1 and World War 2
• 7 were housewives
  
• 1 broke the record for typewriting speed and broke one of the first electric typewriters
• 1 designed clothing and was an award winning smoothie dancer
• 1 built clocks, watches, and custom furniture
• 3 were attorneys
• 1 was a jazz musician
• 1 was a singer
• 1 was a shoe designer
• 1 was a captain at a world famous hotel
• 2 were successful amateur boxers
• 1 owned a bicycle shop
• 1 was a legal secretary - her sister a secretary
• 1 was a school teacher
• 3 served in the US Army
• 2 were stenographers
• 1 owned a luncheonette for 40 years
• 1 was a track star in high school and college
• As of the date of this publication, 3 are living

And here they are:

Over the last month or so - with the help of Martha Lesnitzer Zucker and some contributed photos by family members, new albums have been created and populated with the photos that have been shared.

The Tulman and Sternbach Family Albums have added over 90 photos each and the Brunn Album has also had some additions.  A Gandel Album has also been added.

To see all the new albums - go to the Photos tab at the top of this page and select the album you wish to view from one of the drop down choices.

And remember - these albums do not get new photos added unless you contribute. Hint. Hint.

On this Father's Day we remember our deceased Braunhart fathers. Some of us knew you and all of us wish we had met you. 

Alexander Braunhart - Father of Moritz, Jakob, Anna, Martha, Theodor, Carl, Selma, Cecelia, Julius, Philipp, Frieda, Caesar, and one unknown 

Harry Tulman (Husband of Anna Braunhart) - Father of Mildred, Muriel, Stanley, and Helene 

Bernard Sternbach (Husband of Martha Braunhart) - Father of Leo, Harold, and Regina

Carl Braunhart - Father of Hanna and Heinz

Jacob Braunhart - Father of Erna, Margaret, and Herbert

Philipp Braunhart - Father of Horst, Gisela, and Bernhard 

Salo Brunn - (Husband of Frieda Braunhart) - Father of Henry and Miriam 

Max Markheim (Husband of Cecelia Bernstein) - Father of Arthur, Robert, Minnie, Pauline, Leo, and Edith

Isidor Heyman (Husband of Ernestine Bernstein) - Father of Celia, Martha, Arthur, Robert, Leo, and Mynette 

Julius Braunhart - Father of Lilly and Lothar 

Unfortunately we do not have photos of the following Braunhart fathers: 

Bernhard Braunhart – Father of Harry

Aaron Bernstein (Husband of Sara Braunhart ) - Father of Amalie, Ernestine, Cecelia, Hattie, Max and 2 others unknown

William Fried (Husband of Hattie) - Father of Leo

William Brock (Husband of Amalie) - Father of Teresa, Regina, and Eric 

Anna Braunhart was the second girl (and the third child of Alexander and Helene Braunhart) to immigrate to America. At age 19, by herself, she made the voyage from Germany to America.  As her sister Martha did earlier, she worked in the home of Max Markheim and Cecelia Braunhart Markheim, Anna's cousin.  She met her future husband, house painter Harry Airman Tulman, in a paint store owned by her sister Martha and her husband Bernard Sternbach as he shopped for supplies.  They were married in 1915 and stayed together for 43 years until Harry's passing in 1958.

Together, Anna and Harry opened a hardware store.  While Harry continued painting houses for a living, Anna ran the business while raising 4 children.  Anna taught herself English by reading newspapers.  She learned the real estate business and went on to buy and manage several apartment buildings while also making money in the stock market. Overall, Anna was very accomplished for a self-taught immigrant.

The following quotes from her children and grandchildren describe this remarkable woman:

• A contributor to a Jewish organization, she traveled frequently to Washington, DC in her efforts to bring German relatives to the US.
• Anna taught herself English by reading the New York Times, Post, and Daily News. She continued reading them daily until July 1, 1986, when she was hospitalized. One month later, on August 1, she passed away at age 96-1/2 in her home of more than 60 years at 8411 21st Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, an apartment building she once owned.
• She made sugar cookies from scratch. While she often overcooked or burned them, her appreciative family and friends still found them to be delicious. Instead of a cookie cutter, she used the lid of a mayonnaise or instant coffee jar.
• She always served fruit, insisting that every visitor eat one, even if it was close to overripe.
• Anna owned several apartment buildings, including one with 37 units and another with six. Three of Anna's children lived with their own families in the apartments for years.  She also provided German family members who immigrated to America with units from the time they arrived until they found jobs and established their new lives. Anna and Harry also purchased a family summer home near Monroe, NY in the 1940s, which provided many years of enjoyable country life for their children, grandchildren, and extended family.

A few years before she passed away, Anna summed up her philosophy of how to live an honest life when she said in a taped interview:

"I believe that you have to live a good life and enjoy as much as you can and be honest and fair and square to everybody. You should honor your father and mother and everybody belonging to you. Don't take anything that's not yours. If you can't do good for somebody, don't ever do them any harm. That's the best way to be."

From granddaughter Martha Lesnitzer Zucker’s interview with Anna B. Tulman, taped in Brooklyn on August 31, 1983:

Early Days in America
My father had to go to the mayor, they call it "to give consent" that I could go to America because I wasn't old enough to go without it. I think it must have been in 1909.

One day Harry Tulman came for a can of paint and asked me for a date and that was that. When I had my bunions removed, he came every day to see me in the hospital. We went to City Hall and got married. The Goldsteins, who were friends of Harry’s, made a wedding party for us in their house at 33 Chestnut St., in Brownsville. 

My husband was a painter and didn't make much. One day I said to him, "let's look for our own store." I had $200.00; we looked for a store and found one on 18th Ave. The walls weren't finished and it was wet from the plaster but we had nowhere to go so we slept across the street. There was a shoe store, the name was Horowitz, so we slept over there and we paid them rent. When our store was finished, the walls still wet, we moved in over there, behind the store.   Whenever anybody came and they asked for something, I wrote down what they asked for and then I ordered it.  I have a big story to tell.

Anna’s Parents
My mother was a very good woman who had a hard life. She had 11 children, including a baby boy who died. My father was well educated.  I used to send money home to them. They didn't need it too much because my father used to be like a lawyer. People came to him who were in trouble of some kind - with their husbands or they had money problems. My father used to go right to court with them. He was like a lawyer here. He was very much educated.  

His brother, Samuel Braunhart, was a state senator in San Francisco who was often in the newspaper. There was a big fire in San Francisco in 1906. My brother Jacob, who came to America with Martha, was there with my uncle when the fire broke out. Jacob carried my uncle out but he died after in the hospital.  My father had another brother. His name was Bernhard. He had a wife and a son.  

Child Rearing
I hope you have the best life anybody could have, and after a while you'll have a family. You make your children to order, not by accident. I didn't know at that time how happy I was when I had those twins at the same time. I would wish it to anybody if they want to. So maybe if I had them at the beginning, maybe I wouldn't have any more children, but it's better it happened that way. 

Before I had Mildred we didn't plan to have any children yet because it wasn't our time. So then the war came and they said, "Mrs. Tulman, you have a business and you have no children, so your husband's gonna be first to go to war." That's what they told me. So I thought to have children because I didn't want my husband to go..... I had to start to have children before they would take my husband. And then, I had Mildred.

My husband loved us and he took Mildred everywhere. Wherever he went, they know her better than him. Then I worked hard and he worked hard painting. He used to come home all sweaty from work and give me the money to buy material that the people wanted. He worked hard. Maybe if he didn't work so hard he would have lived longer. 

But then we had to be in the store, I had servants for the children. My husband went to Pennsylvania to pick up the servants. To Cementon I think it was. I used to order, I used to pack, I used to climb up and put the stock away and all and my husband used to work and bring in the money. I like to sleep in the morning so my husband opened up the store and he used to holler, "ANNA, where's this? where's that?” because he had to work and I put it away, so I used to tell him I know upstairs where the things were. 

I had Mildred and Muriel about 3 1/2 years apart. I said to my husband that I must have another child and name it after my mother. I want my mother's name, so he obliged me and God blessed me with twins. I didn't know that was a happy day. That was the happiest day of my life. Helene and Stanley. But Helene was alright. She was a beautiful baby. But Stanley, I think he must have weighed a pound and a half. So at that time they had home nurses. My husband got one for me and she used to take care of me and take care of the children. I couldn't nurse. I never nursed my kids. Helene took the food but Stanley was so weak that he couldn't even take the food so the woman said to me, "the girl eats but the boy don't wanna eat," so I went up and I stood there with a spoon about a half an hour and I fed him till he took it down. So when the doctor came and he saw Stanley, he laughed to beat the band. He couldn't get over that Stanley's living. That's how weak he was. And I think you should have a son like Stanley.

Raising a Family
I believe in having a family. You don't want to be without children. Have them while you're young.  You have friends and you have patience and you have everything. When they grow up, you take a rest. 

God
I believe there's a God in heaven, I do believe. And He watches over you.

On this Mother's Day we remember our deceased Braunhart mothers. Some of us knew you and all of us wish we had met you. 

Sara Braunhart Bernstein - Mother of Amalie, Ernestine, Cecelia, Hattie, Max and 2 others unknown 

Helene Baszynska Braunhart - Mother of Moritz, Jakob, Anna, Martha, Theodor, Carl, Selma, Cecelia, Julius, Philipp, Frieda, Caesar, and one unknown 

Anna Braunhart Tulman - Mother of Mildred, Muriel, Stanley, and Helene 

Martha Braunhart Sternbach - Mother of Leo, Harold, and Regina 

Hedwig Bukofzer Braunhart (Wife of Carl) - Mother of Hanna and Heinz 

Ilse Gass Hart (Wife of Jacob) - Mother of Erna, Margaret, and Herbert 

Else Schmalenbach (Wife of Phillip) - Mother of Horst, Gisela, and Bernhard 

Frieda Braunhart Brunn - Mother of Henry and Miriam 

Cecelia Bernstein Markheim - Mother of Arthur, Robert, Minnie, Pauline, Leo, and Edith 

Hedwig (Hattie) Bernstein Fried - Mother of Leo 

Ernestine Bernstein Heyman - Mother of Celia, Martha, Arthur, Robert, Leo, and Mynette 

Dorka Asch Braunhart (Wife of Julius) - Mother of Lothar and Lilly  

Unfortunately we do not have photos of the following Braunhart mothers: 

Rosa Levison Braunhart – Mother of Harry

Amalie Bernstein Brock - Mother of Teresa, Regina, and Eric