Hans Harry Tobias was born on november 29, 1921 in Gießen to Julius Tobias and Lementine „Lilli” Löwenberg. Lilli’s parents Louis and Johanna Löwenberg lived in Schupbach near Limburg, today part of Beselich. Julius‘ mother Rosa also came from Schupbach, her mother was Klara née Löwenberg. Lilli had worked at the department store Salomon in Weilburg until she married Julius Tobias. The marriage was broken short after the birth of their son Harry and Julius went back to Hamm, because he felt mistreated by his parents in law.
Harry was the youngest jewish child in town and his grandmother Johanna was the last one burried in the jewish cemetery in spring 1938. The family suffered from the boycott of their cattle- and furtrade at Schupbach. After the pogrome in november 1938 the 71 year old grandfather Louis was interned at Buchenwald. The jewish women and children were kept in an old mill outside of town for several days.
After his release in december 1938 Louis Löwenberg moved to Frankfurt with his daughter Lilli and his grandson Harry. The insufficient proceed from the sale of his house in Schupbach didn’t last out to assure Louis declining years at the jewish senior home of Frankfurt. He worked at the municipal timber yard until 1941. He died in 1942 from an apoplectic stroke and following up a rumour he’s been slayed at work. Lilli was deported to the east in 1942 and considered missing.
source: Mit der Thorarolle im Gepäck, der 9. November 1938 in Schupbach (Britta Gaedecke, BoD 2010)
Harry at first came to a labor camp in Frankfurt, but in october 1941 got to Barcelona. In february 1943 he was interned at the camp Miranda de Ebro by the Gestapo and freed two months later. In july 1943 he finally managed to emigrate to the USA via Lisbon. On february 24, 1944 he joined the US Army and after the war settled at Hartford/Connecticut as a carpenter, where his father Julius lived since 1937.
Harry H. Tobias, 77, of Hampton Lane, Bloomfield, formerly of West Hartford, died Monday, (August 2, 1999) at Hartford Hospital. Born in Geissen [Gießen], Germany, he was the son of the late Julius and Lilly (Lowenberg) Tobias. He was a Holocaust Survivor and an Army Veteran of World War II. Mr. Tobias was the owner of L&H Wood Finishing of Bloomfield. He was a member of Congregation Tikvoh Chadoshoh of Bloomfield, B’nai Brith and the Jewish War Veterans. He was predeceased by his first wife, Leah (Ratner) Tobias. He leaves his wife, Bernice (Basch) Spector Tobias; two daughters, Lynnette Litwin and her husband Alan of Monroe, and Cyna Reisman and her husband Dovid of Sharon, MA; three stepchildren; and seven grandchildren.
source: Obituary for Harry Tobias, Hartford Courant, August 4, 1999
Family tree:
Generation 1
- Hans Harry Tobias (1921-1999) Hartford/CT
Generation 2
- Julius Tobias (1892-1966) Hamm/Sieg ∞ Lilli Löwenberg (1898-?) Schupbach
Generation 3
- Hermann Tobias (1865-1940) ∞ Rosa Levy (1861-1935) Hamm/Sieg
- Louis Löwenberg (1867-1942) ∞ Johanna Wolf (?-1938) Schupbach
Generation 4
- Jakob II. Tobias (1833-?) ∞ Knendel „Hannchen” Tobias (1840-1866) Oberdreis/Puderbach
- Jakob Levy (1816-1898) ∞ Klara Löwenberg (1822-1890) Schupbach
- Simon Löwenberg (1829-1916) ∞ Henriette „Jettchen“ Adler (1834-1900) Schupbach
- unknown
Generation 5
- Herz Tobias (1798-1860) ∞ Olisa Herz (1801-1864) Oberdreis/Puderbach
- Jakob I. Tobias (1803-1864) ∞ Malchen Benjamin (1815-1861) Oberdreis/Puderbach
- Heymann Levi ∞ Rifka Katz
- Gumbrich Löwenberg ∞ Lea Josef, Schupbach
- Gumbrich Löwenberg ∞ Lea Josef, Schupbach
- unknown
- unknown
- unknown