Wolfgang Isaac Rauner
Vita
(RS) Residence Trier
Residence Luxembourg
Departure 10 Jun 1941 Luxembourg
Arrival 21 Jun 1941 New York, NY, von Lissabon
Heirat 1956 New York City: Rosa Ruth Rose Stern (1934–)
(W) Wolfgang Rauner was born on November 26, 1928, to Aron and Hedwig (Neddy) Kahn Rauner in Trier, Germany. (...)
Wolfgang had three older siblings: Edgar (1923-1966), Ludwig, born in 1924, and Gertrude, born in 1926. The family lived comfortably and had a housemaid and a non-Jewish governess, Gretchen, whose aunt had been their father’s governess. His paternal grandmother lived with the family, but passed away on January 29, 1933. Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany that year. Anti-Jewish laws were soon enacted and Jewish businesses were boycotted. In January 1935, Aron returned to his hometown in the Saar to vote in the reunification plebiscite. When he returned, he was shaken by the events he had witnessed there and told the family they must prepare to leave Germany before it was too late. The Rauner family left for Luxembourg in September 1935 with most of their furniture and other belongings. Neddy’s sister, Minna and Arthur Hanau, and their sons Walter and Ernest and her brother Simon and his family resided in Luxembourg City. (...)
In 1939, the Rauner family’s citizenship was revoked by Germany, making them stateless. That September, Germany occupied Poland. On May 10, 1940, Luxembourg was occupied by Germany. Wolfgang had to leave school. The German civil authorities confiscated their valuable belongings. Life became very difficult as Aron’s work did not bring in much money. Aron’s sister Hedwig came to live with them. Her husband Cesar had recently died in France where they had fled after the invasion. Circa early 1940, Neddy’s siblings Simon and Minna, and a cousin Dr. Paul Kahn sponsored affidavits of support for the family so they could secure US visas; they also paid for their ship passage. On June 10, 1941, the Rauner’s sailed on the SS Mouzinho from Lisbon, Portugal, arriving in New York eleven days later. The family settled in the Washington Heights section of New York City. Edgar enlisted in the US army in April 1943 and was deployed overseas with the US Seventh Army. He was one of the Ritchie boys, native German speaking, mostly Jewish, refugees, trained in special intelligence and interrogation techniques. Aron was in poor health when he arrived in America and found it difficult to start over. Wolfgang later served in the US Army during the Korean War (1950-1953.) He married Rosie Stern. Wolfgang’s mother Hedwig, age 69, died in 1962. Aron, age 78, died on July 15, 1963.
Q: https://portal.ehri-project.eu/units/us-005578-irn49917-irn59307
Notes
(RS) Vater Aron Rauner 1885–1963
Mutter Hedwig Rauner geb. Kahn 1893–1962
Geschwister:
Edgar Leopold Rauner 1923–1966
Ludwig Louis David Rauner 1925–1993
Gertrude Trudy Rebekka Rauner 1926–2010
Ehefrau Rosa Ruth Rose Rauner geb. Stern 1934–