Zelma Apfelbaum (Wessely)

Born:	06-07-1914
Faculty:	Medical School | Medical University Vienna
Category:	Expelled student

Zelma APFELBAUM (married: WESSELY), born on June 7^th, 1914 in Kraków/Poland (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), daughter of Jonas Apfelbaum (agent), lived in Vienna 1^st district, Koelnerhofgasse 3/15. After she had graduated from high school, Zelma Wessely began to study medicine at the University of Vienna. During her studies she married Hans Wessely. She was enrolled finally in the fall term 1937/38 at the Medical School in the 5^th year of her studies ('Absolutorium' was certified on September 12^th, 1938). After the "Anschluss" 1938 Zelma Wessely was able to emigrate to Great Britain and settled in Manchester, where her uncle’s family lived (Her father’s brother, Isidore Apfelbaum (born in Kraków), had emigrated early to Manchester/Great Britain, where he later met his wife, finally settled and had six children). She continued her studies in 1938 at the Manchester University and later became a pathologist. In 1950 she returned to Vienna for two years and then emigrated to the USA via Manchester in 1952, where she settled in Bronx in New York City and was licensed to practice as a physician in New York in 1954. Later she worked as a pathologist at Queens General Hospital in New York City. In 2002, when she already suffered from severe dementia at the age of 78 years, she became a victim of theft. Her home health care attendant stole 1,5 Million Dollar from Wessely‘s assets, private pensions etc. Zelma Wessely died on May 22^nd, 2004 in Bronx, New York at the age of 89 years.

Lit.: GOLD 1971; crestleaf.com; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 356, 499; Timothy WILLIAMS, Home Aide Convicted of Stealing $1.5 Million From Doctor, 88, in: The New York Times, 7/15/2006; information from Michael Brunert, her nephew second degree (grandson of her uncle Isidore Apfelbaum), UK, 2015.

Katharina Kniefacz