Frank's Life Story: The Leyens Family

This is a collection of photographs, anecdotes and other items concerning the Leyens family of Erkelenz and Schwanenberg. My mother-in-law Laura Leyens came to England with the kindertransport in 1939.

Hannalore Leyens with two unknown relations or friends

This partial family tree shows the earlier generations of the Leyens family. A very full, extended family tree has been compiled by John Raphael, husband of Trudy Leyens. This has not been included as it contains a great deal of information about living family members.

The Maternal Ancestry

[I believe this was written by Fritz Nathan, son of Julie Leyens and Moritz Nathan]

The first person known to me of my maternal ancestry was my great great grandfather Andreas or Anschel Leyens who lived in the Schwanenberg-Erkelenz area. He was a merchant, and his wife Helene (in Hebrew Leah) Nathan came from Lentholt, a village near Schwanenberg. He must have been the first member of the family to adopt the surname Leyens. In his day every Jew had to assume a surname. Summoned by the mayor, he declared, "I should like to adopt my wife's name as I love her so much." From "die Leie" came "der Leien" and hence "Leyens". Their son Lambert, in Holland in the Netherlands, was certainly the first to write the surname thus, as "-ey-" is a Dutch form. I was unable to discover anything about the ages of my great great grandparents. They are both buried in the cemetery at Lentholt.

Their children were Josef, Chajim, Abraham and Lambert. They must all have been tall handsome men. Josef fought for liberty in the Battle of Katzbach as a volunteer. He was wounded and consequently died young. Returning from the campaign he married Sibille Heymann from Tetz, near Jülich, which is near Cologne. From their union sprang five children.

Their daughter Eva became my grandmother. Berta married Levi Salomon; they lived in Matzerath near Erkelenz, though the husband came from the Upper Rhine. They had eight children. Sabine stayed unmarried, with her mother and her brothers Hermann and Gottschalk. The mother lived till she was well into her eighties. I can still remember "uncle" Hermann and Gottschalk very well. They spent their declining years at their nephew's home, my uncle Gottschalk Leyens in Schwanenberg.

The second son of my great great grandparents, Chajim, married a woman from Holland named Ethel. he must have died quite young. My mother does not remember him. Aunt Ethel was a refined, educated lady who spoke only High German, a rarity at that time. She was like a Dresden figure, always dressed in white or bright colours.

The third son, Abraham, lived in Gerderhahn near Schwanenberg. he was married. I used to know his son Andres. His daughter Ester became my grandfather's second wife. She died towards the end of 1894.

The last son, Lambert, was my great grandfather. When young he was placed as an apprentice at Sittard in Holland, in the Netherlands. He must have been remarkably handsome, with fair hair and blue eyes. His master's daughter, Veronika Frederike, fell in love with him. It's said that the parents and wealthy relations objected to the match, but the girld did not give in, and one fine morning the couple had gone. The parents accepted their love and later gave them permission to wed.

Meanwhile Lambert enlisted as a soldier in Berlin. My mother, his granddaughter, told me that once on a High Holyday he was going to the synagogue when he met the King, Frederick William IV. "Whither are you going, grenadier?" he asked. "I am going to pray, Your Majesty", he replied. "Then say a prayer for me, grenadier." "Certainly, Your Majesty", he answered.

My great grandparents' marriage was blessed with two sons, Isak and Heinrich, and a daughter, Julie (Gudullah), all of whom were born in Sittard. The mother dying first, the father removed with his two children to Schwanenberg, to join his married son Isak, all living together in the same house.

Lambert Leyens lived till he was eighty-five years old. To the end he maintained an upright posture. He always spent a long time in front of the mirror brushing his long hair in the military manner till he had it just right, just like old Emperor Wilhelm.

His brother Heinrich settled in Grambusch, near Schwanenberg. Some of his grandchildren still live in Wesel. His sister Gudula (Julie) died young in Schwanenberg, the widow of one Wolff.

From the beginning of the nineteenth century it is clear most members of the family lived in Schwanenberg and nearby villages. By the 1900s Schwanenberg was already a comparatively big district, as is demonstrated by the huge Leyens family.ere Jews were allowed to move and work freely, unlike Erkelenz where Jews were unable to settle and do business. In Schwanenberg-Lenholt were situated - just as they still are - the synagogue, the mikveh and the burial ground.

After this short digression, I shall return to the family chronicle, to Lambert's oldest son, my grandfather Isak. He was born in 1823 in Sittard, and moved away early on. he was a butcher and tradesman. In his youth he was a soldier in Koblenz. He often used to tell the tale of a four-week leave. He had to make his way home on foot. On his farlieu it was prescribed how many kilometres he had to march daily, and where he should spend each night. Food and accommodation was provided gratis. He spent only six days at home, then he had to set off marching back to be in Koblenz on time. Grandfather twice married a cousin. The first, the afore-mentioned Eva, who bore him seven children, one of whom was my mother. As my grandmother died in 1864, when my mother was just one year old, the marriage lasted fifteen years.

[Translation incomplete]
Die mütterliche Seite

Der erste, der mir aus dem geschlecht der Mutter bekannt wurde, ist der Ur-Urgrosvater Andreas (Anschel) Leyens, der in Schwanenberg Kreis Erkelenz, wohnte. Er war Handelsmann und seine Frau Helene (Leie auf Hebräisch) Nathan stammte aus dem dorf Lenholt bei Schwanenberg. Er soll der erste Träger des Namens Leyens gewesen sein. Zu seiner Zeit musten die Juden Familiennamen annehmen. Vor den Bürgermeister gerufen, erklärte er: "Ich will nach meiner Frau heißen, da ich sie so gern habe. Aus "die Leie" wurde so "der Leien"und später Leyens. Der Sohn Lambert in Holland hat sicher den Namen in dieser Form zuerst geschrieben. Über sas Alter der Ur-Urgroßeltern konnte ich nichts erfahren. Sie ruhen Beide auf dem Friedhof zu Lentholt. Ihre Kinder waren: Josef, Chajim, Abraham und Lambert. Sie sollen alle schöne große Männer gewesen sein. Josef hat die Schlacht an der Katzbach als Freiwilliger Freiheitskämpfer mitgemacht. Er wurde verwundet, und an den Folgen starb er schon in jungen Jahren. Nach der Rückkehr aus dem feldzuge hatte ehr sich mit Sibille Heymann aus Tetz bei Jülich verheiratet. Ihrer Ehe entsprossen fünf Kinder. Die Tochter Eva wurde meine Großmutter. Berta heiratete den Levi Salomon aus Matzerath bei Erkelenz, wosie wohnten. Der Mann wahr jedoch vom Oberrhein gebürtig. Sie hinterließen 8 kinder. Sabine blieb unverheiratet bei den Brüdern Hermann und Gottschalk und der Mutter. Diese wurde weit in 80 Jahre alt. An die "Onkel" Hermann und Gottschalk kann ich selbst mich noch gut erinnern. Ihren Lebensland beschlossen Sie im Hause ihres Neffen, meines Onkels Gottschalk Leyens in Schwanenberg. Der zweitgenannte Sohn der Ur-Urgroßeltern Chajim, der eine Holländerin namens Ethelgeheiratet hatte, müß früh gestorben sein. Meine Mutter kann sich seiner nicht mehr erinnern. Tante Ethel war eine feine, gebildete dame, die nur hochdeutsch sprach. Eine Seltenheit in jener Zeit. Sie sah aus wie ein Rokokofigürchen und war stets weiß oder hell gekleidet. Der dritte Sohn Abraham wohnte in Gerderhahn bei Schwanenberg. Er war dort verheiratet. Seinen Sohn Andres kannte ich auch noch. Seine Tochter Ester wurde die zweite frau meines Großvater, die erst 1894 starb. der letzte Sohn Lambert war mein Urgroßvater. In jungen Jahren war er nach Sittard in Holland in die Lehre gekommen. Er muß sehr schön gewesen sein. Helles Haar und blaue Augen. Die Tochter seines Brotherrn, Veronika Friederiker verliebte sich in ihn. Man erzählt, daß die Eltern und die reiche Verwandtschaft damit aber nicht einverstanden waren. Das Mädchen habe aber nicht locker gelassen und eines schönen Tages sei das Paar verschwunden gewesen. Die Eltern, von der Tiefe der Liebe wohl überzeugt, gaben dann später ihre Einwilligung zur Heirat. Inzwiwar Lambert Soldat in Berlin. An einem Feiertag war er auf dem Wege zur Synagoge - so erzählt seine Enkelin, meine Mutter - da begegnet ihm der König Friedrich Wilhelm IV. "Wo geht er hin Grenadier?" "Ich gehe bäten, Majestät." "Dann bät er auch für mich, Grenadier!" "Zu Befahl, Majestät". Der Ehe der Urgroßeltern waren 2 Söhne, Isak und Heinrich und eine Tochter Julie (Gudullah) geschenkt, die alle in Sittard geboren wurden. Die Mutter starb zuerst. Darauf zog der Vater mit seinen beiden Kindern nach Schwanenberg, wo sich inzwischen sein Sohn Isak verheiratet hatte. Sie wohnten in gemeinsamen Haushalt. Lambert Leyens wurde 85 Jahre alt. Bis zuletzt hatte er einem aufrechten Gang. Er stand lange vor dem Spiegel um in militärischer Weise - eine Tolle vor den Ohren wie der alte Kaiser Wilhelm - seine langes Haar zu kämmen und zu bürsten, bis es die richtige Lage hatte. Sein Bruder Heinrich machte sich später in Grambusch bei Schwanenberg ansässig. Enkelkinder von ihm leben heute noch in Wesel. Seine Schwester Gudula (Julie) starb früh in Schwanenberg als eine verwitwete Wolff. Überhaupt hat der größte Teil der Familienmitglieder bis dahin, nachweislich vom Beginn des 18 Jahrhunderts an, in Schwanenberg und dessen Nachbarorten, die wenige Minuten entfernt liegen, gewohnt. Schwanenberg war schon in Anfang des 19 Jahrhunderts eine verältnismäßig große Gemeinde. (Denkt man nur an die vielkopfige Familie Leyens). Hier durften die Juden sich schon früh frei bewegen und betätigen, wogegen in der Stadt Erkelenz keine Juden sich niederlassen konntn, vielweniger sich geschäftlich aufhalten durften. In Schwanenberg-Lentholt war- genau wie heute nochauch die Synagoge, die Mikwe und der Friedhof.

Nach diser kurzen Abschweifung kehre ich zur Familiengeschichte zurück, zum ältesten Sohn des Lambert, zu meinem Großvater Isak. 1823 war er in Sittard geboren und zog als erster von dort vort. Er war Metzger und Handelsmann dabei. In jungen Jahren war er Soldat in Koblenz. Er hat oft die Geschichte erzählt, wie er einmal vier Wochen Urlaub bekam. Zu Fuß mucte er in die Heimat wandern. Auf dem Urlaubs schein stand vermerkt, wieviel Kilometer er täglich marschieren sollte wo und bei wem er Nachtquartier bezog. Dies und das Essen war frei. Sechs Tage nur war er zuhause, dann mußte der Rückmarsch angetreten werden damit er zur rechten Zeit wieder in Koblenz eintraf. Großvater heiratete zweimal eine Kusine. das erste Mal die oben genannte Eva, die ihm sieben Kinder, darunter meine Mutter, schenkte. Als verheirateter Mann machte mein Großvater den badischen Aufstand im Landsturm mit. Als die Großmutter im Jahre 1864 starb-meine Mutter war gerade ein Jahr alt - hatte die Ehe 15 Jahre bestanden. Am 10 Januar 1866 nahm er eine andere Kusine Ester, Tochter des Onkels Abraham in Gerderhan, zur Frau. Beide Großmütter habe ich nicht gekannt, während ich die Brüdermir, wie oben schon erwähnt, als alte Männer noch gut vorstellen kann. Die Kinder der Großeltern waren: Albert, Leopold, Josef, Gottschalk, Josefine, Berta, Julie, Helene, Max. Die elletzten waren der zweiten Frau. Fine, Berta und Leopold haben nicht geheiratet. In den bisherigen Ahnenreihen waren alle Männer Metzger oder Handelsleute von Beruf. Unter den kindern der Großeltern sehe ich erstmalig eine Abweichung. Wahrscheinlich hatte der Geist der nachmendelssohnschen Epoche auch im Hause der Großeltern Einzug gehalten, die neuen Möglichkeiten in der Mitte des 19 Jahrhunderts für die Betätigung der Juden waren auch hier zukunftverheißend erkannt worden. Das Staunenswerte an dieser Tatsache ist besonders, daß die neuzeitlichen Ideen in einem verlassenen Erdenwinkel, der noch bis vor wenigen Jahren in jeder Hinsicht sein patriarchales. Dasein lebte, fernab vom Verkehr, schon Wurzel gesclagen hatten. Alle Knaben hatten die höhere Schule besucht. Selbst Albert und Gottschalk, die vor ihrer Verheiratung und Selbständigmachung im väterlichen geschäfte notwemdig gebraucht wurden, denn die Familie war ja groß. Der Dorfpastor hatte sie meistens in jungen Jahren schon vorgebildet; erst älter geworden traten sie dann den Weg zur Stadt schule an. Hier brauchten sie dann nicht mit der untersten Klasse anzufangen. So wurde Leopold auf dem Seminar zu Düsseldorf unter dem sel. Dr Plato zum Lehrer herangebildet. Josef wurde ein Fabrikant und Kaufmann, Max ein Bankbeamter. Die Familie besaß ein großes Haus mit Gärten und Weiden, die im Laufe der Zeit, wie die Familie sich zersplitterte, verkauft worden sind.

Brana Thorn (based on an interview with Hilda Laskey, nee Samuel, c. 1980)

Erna Leyens, nee Gerson, my grandmother, was one of six children. There were four girls and two boys. The eldest daughter was Hilda's mother, who married a Mr Samuels, and had four children: Hilda, Werner, Heinz and Helga. The family lived at Hüls, near Krefeld. Hilda was sent by her parents to England as a young woman in her 20s in order to find work and a home for herself, and her two brothers. She managed to find work for Heinz, the elder of the two sons, but their mother forbad him to come to England, because she did not want the two boys to be separated. In fact they were both captured and sent to a concentration camp where, because of their strength and youth, they were able to survive. Heinz met his wife in the Camp, and married her when they were liberated by the Russians before the end of the war, and sent to Sweden. Werner met his love in the Camp, and lived with her and her two sisters in Sweden after they were liberated. Their relationship was ended by the intervention of Hilda who quickly realised what the situation was going to be for her younger brother. Werner's fiancee was responsible for her two younger twin sisters, and so Werner was having to work extremely hard to support his fiancee and her sisters. They were also using Werner as a way to get themselves out of Sweden and into Israel.

Hilda was employed by the Laskey/Blum family and spent time caring for the old woman, and when she died, she told Hymie, her son, that he should either marry her, or she would go to Australia, to be with her brothers. She had to lend him some money at the Register office to pay for the stamp.

Werner and Heinz had been separated in the Camp, and neither knew if the other had survived. They were reunited completely by chance. Heinz was put in an isolation hospital in Sweden with tuberculosis, and when he was discharged, the person who was moved into his bed was Werner, who also had tuberculosis.

Jeni and Erna Gerson

Jenni Gerson married, and has two sons: Hors (George) and Albert, who live in America. Albert De Vries was a cattle dealer with a farm near San Francisco. He had two daughters. Hors lives in Los Angeles, and plays the piano. He is married with three sons: Gerry (married with children), Bobby (the youngest) and Danny.

Tante Jenni

Another sister, Zelma, married Otto Strauss, and lived in São Paolo, Brazil. Their son Werner died young, He died young of a heart attack in Rio de Janeiro. A son was involved in coffee planting, Their other son Helmut was killed in Holland, at the time of the Arnhem bombings. Their daughter Elsa is married with a daughter, Ruth. Ruth has two sons, who are said to be very intelligent.

Zelma Strauss, nee Gerson, and her husband Otto

Erna Leyens was the youngest, and the most beautiful and vivaceous of the sisters.

One brother, Felix, married Anna and they had three children. Before the war they moved to Holland. (There is a photograph of them outside their house in Holland with their servants.) They all died in the Holocaust.

The other brother, Georg, married and had two children. They all died in the war.

Georg and Felix Gerson

There are two pictures of their father, my great grandfather, in which he appears to be a very smart and upright man. Hilda confirms this. Erna, Mummy and I look like him.

Josef Gerson as a young man

Jenni, Karoline nee Kaufmann, Josef and Erna Gerson

Erna Leyens was a beautiful, strong woman who never ceased to amaze people with her energy and joyfulness. Hilda and Werner said that Mummy becomes more like Erna as she gets older. She was engaged to be married to max, the brother of Jenni's husband (two sisters were to marry two brothers). Max was wounded in combat, and lost his leg. Erna's father forbad her to marry Max as he was no longer respectable [presumably this made it difficult for him to work]. Max was heartbroken at the loss of his love, and quickly disintegrated. He took to drink and stealing. He eventually married an older woman, but never completely recovered, and was always down and out.

Jeni and Erna Leyens with a soldier friend

Erna was always stunning people. Hilda was 12 when Erna was to marry Leo Leyens, and was her chaperone before the wedding. The two had a warm, close relationship, and were never parted, more like sisters than aunt and niece. Hilda cried when Erna married, because she didn't want to lose her. The Leyens family were very well known, and much respected family in the area, and far more religious than the Gersons. Hilda says that Erna changed Leo's life in that respect. Leo had inherited the family business, cattle dealers, and also a large drapery business. Before they were married Erna used to run the drapery business, and lived in the house with Leo for a while, which was why Hilda was her chaperone. The house they lived in was enormous. There is a picture of Erna and her daughter, Mummy, outside the big house with the servant girls. There was a blue room, a pink room, a green room and so on. Hilda can remember going out with Erna on business to the wholesalers to buy stock for the drapers. She recalls how all the people were happy when in Erna's company, and Hilda was treated with great respect by all. Once they went into a patisserie and were invited by a male stranger to join him for coffee and cakes. Hilda never mentioned anything afterwards, because it was not 'right' - Erna was engaged, and was being chatted up. The man bought Hilda an enormous Easter egg.

Karoline Gerson, nee Kaufmann, Erna's mother

Hier ruht meine innigstgeliebte Gattin unsere unvergessliche gute Mutter

Frau Karoline Gerson geb. Kaufmann

geb. 2.7.1854

gest. 2.11.1919

und unser unvergesslicher guter Vater

Herr Josef Gerson

geb. 22.12.1851

gest. 4.8.24

Erna and Leo were married in 1923 [?], and Mummy was born on November 30th, 1924. They lived in the big house for a couple of years, and then the troubles for the Jews commenced. They were forced to leave their big house because of the circumstances. (Not, as Elsa Metzger, commented, because Leo was not a good businessman, like his father, and had let the family business run down.) The rise of Nazism forced them to move, to a smaller house, but circumstances continued to grow worse for them, so that they moved again, to an even smaller house, which they had to share with another family. [In fact, they lived wuth Alfred Rubens, the widower husband of Helene Leyens, half-sister of Leo's father Gottschalk.] Mummy remembers the Nazis coming and smashing their shutters, and taking away her father. Mummy and Gerry made one unsuccessful attempt to leave Germany at night, but were unable to get out to Holland. Eventually, in April 1939, Mummy and Gerry escaped to England. Mummy's certificate from Nazi Germany has the swastika on it, and she is named Hanna Leonora, with the addendum that she has the forename Sara, added by the Nazi race laws.

I asked Hilda why the rich relations on Leo's side of the family did not help, people like Marta and Max. She said that they were difficult times for everyone, and that everybody had to fight so hard for themselves and their immediate family. The others were too distant, and also had no real power to help. Hilda fought desperately to get her two brothers, her younger sister and her parents out. Her parents and younger sister died.