Link to Family Tree to understand family relationships.
Sister and Brother
This photo from October (or November?) 28, 1926 shows Eva at 5-1/2 and Harry at 2-3/4 years old. The photo was taken at the Hella Katz photo studio, which was located at Stubenring 18, a short walk from their stationery store at Stubenring 2 – a photo of the store’s location can be seen in the June 11 post.
Helene’s children had a special shared history. As children in Vienna, they saw the city through their mother’s eyes – a magical place filled with music and conversation. At the same time, they experienced anti-Semitism in school and never felt that they fit in – in addition to being Jewish, their father was foreign, which made them foreign too. They were Turkish citizens, yet never visited Istanbul until going there in 1939 to get passports. They left their parents and Europe behind in 1939 to come to the U.S., where they lived apart with American relatives who seemed to have no understanding of their experience. They became Americans as quickly as possible, in order to fit in and to hopefully find a home where they felt welcome and safe. This was far easier for Harry, who immediately lost his accent. Eva had a German accent all her life, so the moment she opened her mouth, people knew she was not from here.
Eva adored her brother, who brought her joy throughout her life. Although they lived relatively near each other, for the most part, they lived very separate lives. However, I think that the place that most felt like home for them was with each other.
I believe this photo must have been taken on Treasure Island at the Golden Gate International Exposition — see October 23 post:
Photos of Eva and Harry from the 1920s to 2011:
