Hans Wessely

Hans WESSELY, born on January 8^th, 1913 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Vienna/Austria, citizenship 1938: Austria), son of Eugen/Jenoe Wessely (private civil servant) and Gisela Wessely, née Kohn (1880-19??), lived inVienna's 2^nd district, Untere Augartenstraße 26, was enrolled finally in the fall term 1937/38 at the Medical School in the 5^th and last year of his studies ("Absolutorium" was certified on July 15^th, 1938).

He was forced under National Socialism after the "Anschluss" for racist reasons to discontinue his studies or the examination procedure and to leave the University of Vienna.

Hans Wessely had to flee Vienna and, like his older brother Dr. Fritz Wessely (1911-1980), who had been able to earn his doctorate at the University of Vienna in 1936, managed to emigrate to England in January 1939. After a few months' stay, his brother was able to emigrate to the USA in 1939, while Hans Wessely tried to complete his education in England. However, after the beginning of the Second World War he was interned as an enemy alien and deported to Canada with the SS Ettrick on July 3^rd, 1940. He gave as his occupation at that time: medical student and trainee laboratory assistant.

He returned to England from Canada, married Zelma Apfelbaum (1914-2004), who was born in Krakow, Poland, and also emigrated to England, in Manchester, Lancashire, in 1942, and moved with her to the USA after the end of the war: they departed from Southampton on the SS Queen Mary in early 1952 and arrived in New York City, NY/USA on February 5^th, 1952.
He received American citizenship in May 1957 and was then living in Bronx, New York City, NY.

John H Wessely died in the USA on July 18^th, 1993.

Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") MED 1937–1938; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 499; REITER-ZATLOUKAL/SAUER 2023 (zum Bruder Fritz Wessely), information courtesy by Dr. Barbara Sauer, Vienna 03/2023; www.ancestry.de, www.myheritage.at.

Herbert Posch