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A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel

Article about: I have a broad collection of US service documentation and associated medals and awards. This, very modest set of documents, has to best illustrate what I consider to be a fantastic story of

  1. #1

    Default A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel

    I have a broad collection of US service documentation and associated medals and awards. This, very modest set of documents, has to best illustrate what I consider to be a fantastic story of a family doing its best to survive under terrible conditions.

    Henry Detlef Fischel was born in Leipzig, Germany, on the 29th September 1925 to a Jewish family. The first set of documents record his examination results taken at the Höhere Israelitische Schule (Higher Israelite School) in Leipzig for the years 1936-38.

    Under the Third Reich, the situation for Jews at the time was becoming decidedly untenable, for in Leipzig in October 1938 the first mass deportation of Jews was undertaken with those deemed to be of Polish extraction sent to Poland. November 1938 would see even worse events, for on Kristallnacht (9th-10th) Synagogues and Jewish properties were attacked. It was probably at this time the Fischels decided to leave Germany.
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel   A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel  

    A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel  

  2. #2

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    We now move on to 1940, and the Fischels have obviously managed to escape to France. Young Henry has now completed his Primary Education in Lyon on the 1st June, though with the war raging in Europe, the country is about to fall to the Germans. Time for the family to escape again!
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel  

  3. #3

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    The Fischels managed to settle in the United States, and Henry has managed to complete four years study at Erasmus Hall Evening High School in New York in January 1944. With war raging around the world, he joins the US Army, commencing Federal Service on the 15th March 1944. He would be naturalised on the 9th May later that year.
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel  

  4. #4

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    We now move on to Henry's Honorable Discharge Certificate and Separation Qualification Record. He saw service in the European Theatre of Operations from the 9th November 1944 as a Pioneer, returning to the USA on the 29th August 1945, and discharged from Federal Service on the 26th April 1946. His service would see him earn the following awards:-

    Army Good Conduct Medal
    American Campaign Medal
    European-African –Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with campaign stars for Rhineland and Central Europe
    WWII Victory Medal

    Marksman Badge – Rifle

    1 Overseas Service Stripe
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel   A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel  

    A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel   A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel  


  5. #5

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    The last documents I have record his marriage to Freddie E Hoffner in New York on the 29th December 1950. Hopefully for Henry, a happy ending at last, after an astonishing decade of travels.
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel   A Story of Survival - Henry Detlef Fischel  


  6. #6

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    This is some amazing documentation and left breathless. Well done
    Thankyou for sharing this with the community. Some of our Doc researchers would love to see this.

    Regards Larry
    It is not the size of a Collection in History that matters......Its the size of your Passion for it!! - Larry C

    One never knows what tree roots push to the surface of what laid buried before the tree was planted - Larry C

    “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” - Winston Churchill

  7. #7

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    Yes a very interesting collection of documents. Surprising the family stayed in Germany as late as 1938, by then for the previous five years things were getting more and more nasty for Jews as each year passed. Many Jews would have already left for France, Britain or the US if they could, but perhaps the visa into those countries was the problem for the Fischel family.

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