Cheering on favorite Olympians isn’t the only fun had this summer. There’s been plenty of pool and beach time, along with trips to a variety of exotic, and even more not-so-exotic (yet perfect), destinations. For some in Tidewater, time away also incorporated a Jewish component to a trip, camp, or activity. Here, we highlight a few such ‘Jewish Summers’ or ‘Jewish Moments.’
New Die Einsteins museum highlights Vanessa Freihofer’s family: the Einsteins
My family and I had the opportunity to travel to Ulm, Germany this summer for the opening of Die Einsteins museum.
As descendants of Albert Einstein, we were invited to view the completed museum along with relatives from across the map. It was our first time meeting many of these relatives, so it was incredible to hear their stories and the stories of their families in Ulm before and during WWII. Making these connections, hearing about the businesses our great grandfathers owned together, and walking the streets of Ulm where they once lived and owned businesses, was both an incredible and emotional experience.
The city hosted many events for us, including the ribbon cutting ceremony. We joined Lord Mayors, rabbis, museum staff, and family outside the historic building to celebrate what has been years in the making.
The museum highlights our Ulm family, showing what life was like before, during, and after Nazi persecution. As I walked through the museum, I saw a picture of a beautiful young woman on the wall. It was my beloved grandmother, Elsie Hirsch. Next to her picture is a copy of her police clearance certificate, allowing her to leave the country. Elsie, along with her parents, were able to leave only after Albert Einstein wrote an affidavit to the German government, requesting safe passage to the U.S. Albert worked tirelessly to get all of his family out of Ulm, but not all were as lucky. To see these pictures, letters, and documents was so moving. It really gave me a sense of what they had to go through on a much deeper level.
We are grateful to the city of Ulm for this once in a lifetime trip, for the strengthened family ties, for the stories told, and for sharing the beautiful city with us. Now the legacy of our family will have a permanent place for locals, tourists, and future generations to learn about the Einsteins.
