Fernbach Family

The Fernbach Family originated in Galicia, Austria-Hungary, now Ukraine.  Leib Fernbach, born in 1821 and died in 1886 in Kolommya, and Perl Kransler, born in 1830 and died in 1901 in Kolommya, had two children that we know about -- Babcie Cirl Fernbach (1850-1896) and Hillel Fernbach (1865-1935).We do not know anything about Babcie Cirl and will feature the family of Hillel and Elsie Mandel Fernbach.  Elsie, born in Bukachevtsy in 1872 was the daughter of Meshulam Zalman Mandel and Sura Rivka Holler, both of whom lived and died in Bukachevtsy.  See the Mandel Family page for more on the Mandels.
 



 

Hillel Fernbach, son of Leib Fernbach and Perl Kransler, was born in 1865, probably in Tyzmenitza, Austria-Hungary, now Ukraine.  He came to the U.S. in 1913 on the SS Kaiserin Augusta Victoria from Hamburg.  He died in New York City in 1935.

He had three children with his first wife, Chana.  They were Babka (nothing is known except for a name), Max (1888-1964) and Harry (c.1891 - 1957).

Elka (Elsie, Elcha) Mandel Fernbach was born in 1872 in Bukachevtsy, Austria-Hungary (now Ukraine) to Sura Rivka Holler (1857-1883) and Meshulem Zalmen Mandel (1846-1902).

She emigrated to the U.S. in 1920 on the SS Leopoldina from LeHavre, France.  She had eight children with Hillel - Mendel (1891-1891); Sarah (1895-1972); Leah (1897-1898); Clara (1899-1952); Lillian (1901-1972); Tillie (1903-1985); Sidney (1905-1974), and Bernard (Ben) (1913-1986).

World War I intervened between the emigration of Hillel in 1913 and Elsie in 1920.  She had to survive and support her children on her own during the war years.  To learn more about Tyzmenitza during World War I, read the selection in the Yizkor book Tysmienica: A Memorial to the Ruins of a Destroyed Jewish Community about this time period.



 


Standing in back, l to r: Lillian, Clara, Sarah, Tillie Fernbach

Standing in front:  Sidney, Bernard (Ben) Fernbach

Sitting:  Elsie Mandel Fernbach

This photo is undated, but based on the ages of the children, it was taken around 1916.

Elsie Mandel Fernbach's passport - dated 1920 - listing her as a Jewish woman, married to a farmer, living in Tyzmenitza.  Keep in mind that her husband, Hillel, was in the U.S. since 1913 and certainly wasn't a farmer.  On his arrivals records from 1913 he was listed as a butcher.



 


 

L to R:  Harry, Sarah, and Max Fernbach

(Harry and Max are the sons of Hillel and his first wife Chana.)


Wedding of Clara Fernbach and Meyer Prebutt, June 26, 1925 in New York City. 

Clara was the daughter of Hillel and Elsie Mandel Fernbach.  She was born in Kolomyya, Austria-Hungary in 1899 and died in Queens, NY in 1952.

 



 

(Thanks to Elaine Fernbach Cole for these photos)

 

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