THE DESCENDANTS OF JOZSEF ( YECHEZKEL) TAUB
My paternal grandfather, Jozsef (Yechezkel) Taub, z"l, and his family lived in Bodrogkeresztur. He was the son of Mihaly (Yechiel) and Braindel Taub and was born in Munkacs in 1838 but left Munkacs as a teenager after the death of his mother, as he could not along with his new step mother. He died and was buried on 25 January 1920 in Bodrogkeresztur.
Jozsef initially lived in Bodrogkisfalud, adjacent to Bodrogkeresztur where he was supplying and selling accessories to commercial fishermen fishing in the river Bodrog. He continued as a trader when he moved to Bodrogkeresztur. In 1891 he was a butcher but in 1895 he became the owner of the local quarry. After his death the quarry remained the property of his widow but managed by her married daughter Sarah Friedman and her family.
Jozsef married Rachel Safir, daughter of Gyorgy Zerach Safir and Rose Brand from Tarcal situated close to Bodrogkeresztur. Rachel was born in 1851 in Tarcal but died at the age of 32 on 21 April 1883 in Bodrogkeresztur.
Children from this marriage were all born in Bodrogkeresztur, except Majer. They are:
1. Majer who was born in Tarcal on 1867but died as a 7 year old child on 3 April 1874.
2. Etti born in 1873 in Bodrogkeresztur and married Mendel Schwarcz from Budszentmihaly.
3. Mindel born on January 1876, died as a baby in November 1876.
4. Jeno Jacob was born on November 1877 and married Fani Friedlander from Kisvarda. Nine children were born from this marriage. Except Yehuda Leib Taub, all perished in Auschwitz. Yehuda Leib settled in the USA after the Holocaust.
5. Max born on April 1880, died as a baby April 1881.
6. Fulopp born on October 1881, died as a 4 year old child on August 1886.
After the death of Rachel Jozsef married Rachel’s sister, or his past sister in law, Julia Tobi Safir who was born in 1863 in Tarcal and died at the age of 78 years old on May 1941 in Bodrogkeresztur. The marriage took place in Bodrogkeresztur on 8 July 1883, just over 2 months after the death of his first wife Rachel!
Children from this second marriage were all born in Bodrogkeresztur. They are:
1.Rezsi was born on May1884 and died in Auschwitz. She married Herman Deutsch from Abaujszanto. Six children were born from this marriage in Abaujszanto. Three off springs died in Auschwitz with their families while the other three children settled in Canada after the Holocaust.
2. Saul was born on October 1885 and died in Auschwitz. He married Berta Weinberger. Eight children were born out of this marriage in Bodrogkeresztur. Five off springs perished in Auschwitz with their families while the other three children migrated to the USA after the Holocaust. A son Zoltan who was born in 1913 married his cousin Iren Deutsch from Abaujszanto.
3. Sarah was born on July 1887 and died in Auschwitz. She married Sandor Friedman from Kisvarda. Seventeen live children were born out of this marriage. They all lived in Bodrogkeresztur. Only six single girls survived the Holocaust. They married and settled in Bodrogkeresztur after the war but eventually they migrated to the USA and Israel with their families.
Sarah and some of her daughters took over the management of the quarry after the death of Jozsef in 1920.
4. Herman, father of the author, was born on July 1889. He married Rebecca Engel from Hajdudorog. Five children were born out of this marriage in Hajdudorog. After the death of Rebecca he remarried to Irene Moskovits from Kisvarda. Two children were born out of this marriage (me and my sister). He died in Sydney, Australia.
5. Hillel was born on Jun 1891 and died in Auschwitz. He married Eva Dancziger from Sarospatak. Eight children were born out of this marriage all in Sarospatak. Except three children, who migrated to Canada after the Holocaust, all perished in Auschwitz.
6. David was born on March 1893. He married his sister in law Zali Friedman, sister of Sandor, from Kisvarda. Nine chidren were born out of this marriage in Kisvarda. He died in Auschwitz together with all his family. No survivors.
7. Zerach was born on September 1895. He died at a young age.
8. Arpad was born on March 1901. He married Gizella Kaufman from Tarcal. Seven children were born out of this marriage in Tokaj. He died in Auschwitz with his wife and two children. The five other siblings migrated to Israel.
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9.Bertha was born on June 1903 and died on October 1988 in Brooklyn, USA. She married Izidor Kremer from Miskolc. Four children were born out of this marriage. Izidor died at the age of 31 years old. Bertha and three of her children survived the Holocaust and eventually migrated to the USA. The fourth child died in Auschwitz.
