| Born: | 05-26-1918 |
| Faculty: | Philosophical School |
| Category: | Expelled student |
Alexander SPITZER (later: SPENCER), born on May 26th, 1918 in Gumpoldskirchen/Lower Austria (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Gumpoldskirchen/Lower Austria, Citizenship 1938: Austria), son of Artur Spitzer (1880–1944, leather manufacturer in Gumpoldskirchen) and Lenke Spitzer, née Popper (1894–1944), lived in Gumpoldskirchen/Lower Austria, Wiener Strasse 2.
In 1936 he had passed his school-leaving examination (Matura) at the Realgymnasium in Baden, Biondekgasse, and he was enrolled in the spring term of 1938 at the Philosophical School in the nd year of his studies and took courses in chemistry.
After the takeover of power of National-Socialism in 1938 he was forced to quit his studies for racist reason without a chance to graduate. He requested to continue his studies at least for three months in the context of the 2% numerus clausus of Jewish Students, but was rejected and was forced to leave the University of Vienna.
Already a few days after the Anschluss, the local SA and SS had commandeered large parts of Spitzer's apartments as headquarters. The successful leather factory "Alexander Spitzer and Sons", which was jointly run by the father Arthur and his brother Alfred Spitzer, was a sought-after medium-sized business in 1938, and many "deserving penniless National Socialists" but also industry experts fought over its expropriation ("Aryanization") until 1940.
Alexander Spitzer's parents Arthur and Lenke Spitzer, his uncle Alfred and his nephews Erich and Otto Spitzer were no longer able to pay the "Judenvermoegensabgabe" (Jewish property tax) and the "Reichsfluchtsteuer" (Reich flight tax) due to the expropriation and the rapid downsizing of the business and were not able to emigrate in time. They were deported to the concentration camp Auschwitz [Oswiecim/Poland] in 1944 and murdered there.
Alexander Spitzer and his sister, Dr. Josefa Spitzer (1914-1986, later Gerstman, she had studied archaeology with Prof. Camillo Praschniker and received her Ph.D. in July 7th, 1937 at the University of Vienna), were the first and only members of the family to escape in time after they were able to obtain passports for Czechoslovakia in September 1938. There they were accommodated by their mother's brothers on farms located in that part of Slovakia which, according to the Munich Agreement, was to fall to Hungary rather than the German Reich. At the beginning of May 1939 Alexander Spitzer managed to obtain a "trainée permit" for England, lived in Hendon, Middlesex, England in 1939 and was not interned as an enemy alien. His sister was able to join him just two weeks before the start of World War II - both survived.
Alexander Spitzer continued to live and work in Hendon, England, married Doris E. N. Dymock and they changed the family name from Spitzer to Spencer and had a son, Michael Spencer (later married to Helen Caudwell).
Alexander Spencer, nee Spitzer, died on December 1st, 2002, at the age of 84 in Hillingdon, Middlesex, England/UK.
Lit.: Archives of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") PHIL 1937–1938; IKG-Wien Archive of the Jewish Community Vienna, birth records Baden 2 1918, fol. 82, Z. 6; Ulrike FELBER, Arisierung und Liquidierung von Betrieben der oesterreichischen Leder erzeugenden Industrie, in: dies. u.a., Oekonomie der Arisierung 2: Wirtschaftssektoren, Branchen, Falldarstellungen (=Publications of the Austrian Historical Commission 10,2), Vienna et al. 2004, 248-258; Gerhard A. STADLER, Das industrielle Erbe Niederoesterreichs: Geschichte, Technik, Architektur, Vienna, Graz, Weimar 2006, 285; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 480; http://www.juedischegemeinde.at/Familien/Spitzer.htm; www.genteam.at; courtsey of Dr. Gudrun Wlach, Vienna 01/2014.
Herbert Posch
