Family genealogy
Chwast Family
The Chwast family, on Grandfather's mother's side
The Chwast genealogy in Warsaw, fortunately, was preserved in the few districts not affected by the destruction of the city.
We had known, when we were little, a cousin Hélène, who was close to my grandmother and my mother.
After investigation it turned out that she was one of Léon Alter Chwast's daughters.
Hélène was born in Paris in 1908 and her sister Justine in 1910.
Hélène (1908-1989) married Jacques Goldenberg (1903-1990) in 1929.
They had no children.
I don't know why, but in the 1960s, they decided to change their surname. They became "Laurent".
This photo dates from after the 1939-1945 war.
From left to right: My aunt Annie, Justine Chwast, Jacques Goldenberg, Hélène Chwast. Seated below, the mother of the two girls: Fajgla (Fanny) Kresser (1889-1960).
Jacques Goldenberg and Hélène Chwast after their marriage in 1930.
Justine was registered as Justin (certainly due to a mispronunciation by Léon-Alter, her father).
She married twice, first to a René Longuet in 1931 with whom she had a daughter, Jeanine Longuet, born in 1934.
Then, she married André Eugène Vauthier in 1942.
We never knew either Justine or Jeanine.
We never met her. My mother never spoke to me about her, yet they lived in the same building when my mother was born.
She was 16 years old when my mother was born; she was old enough to babysit my mother.
Sara Scheindle's parents and ancestors
Sara Scheindle's father was named Israel-Hillel (1821-1883) and was married to Maryem Furazerka (1816-1892).
I have some doubt about his surname.
Nevertheless, I have counted 5 children:
Ayzik and Abe, twins born in 1847. Ayzik died in 1877 and there is no information available for Abe.
Aron Lajzor (1846-1900) married Estera Culang (1846-1898). They had four recorded children:
* cousin Léon - Alter (1882-1946) who left Warsaw in 1907 and arrived in Paris in October.
He was religiously married to Fajgla Kresser (1890-1960) since June 11, 1907.
Léon-Alter's naturalization file tells us little about Léon-Alter's life in Poland, nor about the reasons for his departure from Poland, nor about his choice of Paris.
He married Faïga Kresser, a native of Grodno, in 1890.
When he made his declaration in 1924, his mother had died and his father was living in Warsaw.
Faïga's mother had also died and her father was living in Vilna.
At that time, he had opened a leather goods factory in 1918, at 68 rue de Turenne. His daughter Hélène worked with him.
He was discharged from the Russian army on August 22, 1914 (left arm broken in 1903, deformed shoulder blade).
He stated that he had two brothers and a sister abroad.
* Abraham-Fajwell (1871-?)
* Szymon (1865-1871
* and a sister whom I have not identified.
Baruch/Barnet Chwast was born in 1856 and died in 1940 in New York. He married Lena Grossinger and they had two children in Poland.
Isidor was born in 1889
and Mary / Mae in 1892, who would become Schochet through marriage.
They arrived in New York, Barnet in 1896 and the mother and children in 1901.
I haven't yet done any research on this great-great-uncle, brother of my great-grandmother!
Israel-Hillel's father was named David-Lewek (1796-?) and was married to Estera Ruchlaz Bilgorajer (?-?).
They had six recorded children.
Thus, Israel-Hillel had 5 sisters of whom I have only been able to find their civil records, which speaks volumes about infant mortality at that time:
Dwora-Brandel (1821-1836)
Gitla-Lala (1825-1825)
Szyndle (1828-1828)
Bina-Pessah (1830-?)
Sura-Fajgla (1838-1839)
