Magdalena Weingeist, verh. Meisels
| Born: |
11-18-1914 |
| Faculty: |
Philosophical School |
| Category: |
Expelled student |
Magdalena WEINGEIST (married MEISELS), born on November 18
th, 1914 in Budapest/Hungary wasn't enrolled at the Philosophical School any more in 1938, but was preparing for the final examinations/viva voce ("Rigorosen"). She registered for the final exams in German language and literature Studies on October 18
th, 1938, and passed the first viva on October 22
nd, 1938. Her dissertation "
Goldoni, Gozzi und das Wiener Theater" was accepted on October 27
th, 1938, and she also passed the second "Rigorosum" on October 29
th, 1939.
Thus, after a long period of uncertainty, she was able to complete her studies and obtain her doctorate on October 31
st, 1938 under numerous symbolic discriminations in the context of a "Nicharierpromotion", while at the same time being banned from working in the entire German Reich.
She was forced to flee Vienna, but before leaving the country on November 22
nd, 1938, she married her fellow student
Josef Meisels (1911–2001), who had to abandon his studies at the School of Philosophy of the University of Vienna in 1938 and leave the university without a degree.
After her marriage, she was able to flee to relatives in Stockholm/Sweden, while her husband still had to wait for visa and affidavit before he was able to emigrate to the USA in time in early 1940. Magdalena Meisels meanwhile traveled from Stockholm through the Soviet Union to Vladivostok, from there on via Japan and two years later came to the USA where she reunited with her husband in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1941 and they had two daughters - Linda Brion-Meisels (1945) and Ellen Meisels (1948). Her husband, after some difficulties, was able to study again, changed to social work and studied in Nebraska, Pittsburgh and Minnesota, earning a "Ph.D." in Social Work.
They became U.S.-citizens she lived with her family for a long time in Kansas City, Kansas/USA where she worked as a teacher and reference librarian. Together with her husband, she was also deeply involved in social justice and civil rights issues, as well as in the Kansas City fine art scene.
In 1968, the family moved to Boston, where Magdalena Meisels taught German Studies at Boston University and her husband became Dean of the School of Social Work.
Dr. Magdalena Meisels, née Weingeist, died in the age of 70 on August 23rd, 1985 in Newton, MA/USA und is buried at Sharon Memorial Park, Sharon, MA/USA.
Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") PHIL 1937-1938; POSCH 2009, 368; www.ancestry.de; obituary in Boston Globe from September 23rd, 1985, 47.
Herbert Posch
