Helene Kramer’s Relatives:

Helene Kramer, my great-grand aunt, who was the sister of my great grandfather Max Kramer and the aunt of my Oma, Else.

Helene grew up in the orphanage founded by Bertha Pappenheim in New- Isenburg. When Helene became an adult Bertha made her the director of the orphanage and the two of them remained life-long associates and friends. Helene was there on Kristallnacht when most of the orphanage was set on fire.

Bertha Pappenheim was a force of nature. In her early days she was a patient of Sigmund Freud that was given the pseudonym of "Anna O". It was Bertha who came up with the term Talking Cure and the concept of talking psycho-therapy. At the time women with certain traits were considered hysterical and were treated with morphine and Chloral Hydrate. Her early life was a hell. But she gets better and Sigmund publishes a lot of literature on hysteria and talking therapy. Bertha is also a Feminist and works in the Movement to help women, especially young Jewish women, to deal with the patrimony of the time, especially the issue of prostitution. There are books written about Bertha Pappenheim and I suggest you read some. In her day she was more famous than Sigmund Freud. Of course, the whole issue of lesbianism is not discussed.



This is a photo of a necklace that Bertha Pappenheim gave to Helene Kramer. My Oma was there too and witnessed it. (An appraiser thought that Bertha may have actually made the necklace herself.) When she told me the story I asked her to please write it down and she did. It is now in the Bertha Pappenheim Haus Museum in Neu-Isenburg in one of the remaining buildings of the orphanage. The Nazis burnt down the rest of the orphanage on Kristallnacht. Helene Kramer gave testimony about the destruction of that night. Helene saved a portrait of Bertha Pappenheim and later brought it to France, Portugal, Cuba, and donated to the Leo Baeck Institute in NYC in 1960.



This is a photo of the note written by my Oma, Helene's niece.



This is a photo of the Obituary in the Aufbau for Helene Kramer .



This is a photo of Helene and one of the orphans.



This is a photo of Helene and a group of mothers and their children at the Home. Helene is in the center.



This is a photo of Rabbi James of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah saying a prayer by the grave .



This is a photo of Rick Landman and Sandy Hahn Lanman standing next to the grave of Helene Kramer. Sandy's mother was one of the orphans who grew up in the orphanage under Helene's care.



This is a photo of Helene's life long friend and associate Bertha Pappenheim .



This is a photo of the portrait of Bertha Pappenheim that Helene saved on Kristallnacht and brought with her to France, Portugal, Cuba, NYC and donated to the Leo Baeck Institute .

The following photos were given to me by Sandy Hahn Lanman, whose mother was a toddler at the Home in Neu Isenberg until she was adopted before the war.

Photo of Helena's niece and her husband. (Else and Martin)

If you would like to read stories and see photos about Rick's Mother's Side of the Family from Uffenheim, Friedberg, Neu Isenburg, and Nurnberg.
This is a photo of my greatgrandfather Max and greatgrandmother Paula holding my mother in Nurnberg in 1927.



This is a photo of Max when he was younger.



This is a photo of Max and Paula. Max is Helene's brother and Else's father.



We are not sure, but this may be Max's and Helene's mother Janet.



This is a menu cover from Harry Kramer's restaurant at 118 Cedar Street in Lower Manhattan called Ye Old Chop House.



This is the affidavit that Harry Kramer filed to allow his brother and sister-in-law to come to America. My Oma, Opa and mother were derivatives of this affidavit.



The birthplace of my grandmother (Elsie) in Friedberg Germany. Photo taken around 1910.



This picture shows the ground floor of my great grandparents store called David Groedel & Soehne. It was a kitchen store.



This is a picture taken around 1930 with my mother standing in front of the store on Kaiserstrasse.

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This is a picture of my mother standing in front of the store in 1989. It still sells kitchen things. But with new owners.



This is where the Mikvah from 1620 is located. My grandmother (who was the daughter of the Cantor for the Synagogue) used that Mikvah.



This shows the steps down to the running water, which was a Ritual bath.



This shows the Jewish cemetery, which I believe was bombed during the war.



This is a plaque for the Jews who died in WWI.


This is the stateless passport that my grandmother got in France in 1933. She then came to America in 1939.



This is a picture of my mother Lisa before she got married right after WWII.



This picture was taken in the early 1960's at the pier of the S.S. United States terminal. It shows my grandparents and mother and me picking up my grandparents from one of their trips back to Germany.
My grandfather only lived around 5 more years after this picture was taken. He is walking slowly off to the side with a cane.



This is the picture of my family today in New York. It shows Henry and his wife Lisa and their two sons, Rick and Bob.
Bob has a wife Bonnie and three children named Jaimee, Darra and Michael. Else, Lisa's mother, my maternal grandmother, is also in the picture. The picture was taken in 1992, she has died since.


The following photos are of Helene Kramer and her descendants. First, is her niece Else, and then Else's daughter Lisa, and then Lisa's son Rick.

Helene's niece and my Oma.

My mother.

Me.