The sweep of family history across the generations
During the first five years of Hitler's reign of terror, Jewish families of Berlin faced one repression after another.
Herman Ringel and Walter Ruby wore opposing uniforms in the Great War
From 1880s to the 1930s, the Ringel family prospered in the garment trade in the German capital. Herman made men's outerwear.
Schija Ringel came from Poland to seek his fortune in Berlin’s old Jewish district.
Joseph Rabinowitz’s mother was Bertha Yesersky. Was she related to Sora Yesersky, the wife of Rabbi Elchanon Spektor?
The Ringel sisters, Betty Twiasschor and Rosa Schattner, lived with their children in adjacent apartments on Lothringerstraße.
Walter thought he had proved the family legend of descent from the celebrated Kovno Rav, Rabbi Yitchak Elchanon Spektor. Later facts emerged that suggested a more tenuous connection.