Vera Freudenfeld (Armstrong)
| Born: |
05-17-1916 |
| Faculty: |
Philosophical School |
| Category: |
Expelled student |
Vera FREUDENFELD (married ARMSTRONG), born on May 17
th, 1916 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), daughter of Dr.phil. Mag.pharm. Arthur Freudenfeld (pharmacist, died 1964) and his wife Dr.phil. Mag.pharm. Paula (1893-1973, nee Reif, pharmacist). The family lived in Vienna's 18
th district, Gersthofer Straße 61 and owned the Gersthof pharmacy "Zum hl. Leopold" there. Vera Freudenfeld was enrolled finally in the spring term 1938 at the Philosophical School in the 4th and last year of her studies and took courses in Pharmaceutics and Chemistry.
She was forced to leave the university without graduation in times of National Socialism. Her parents were disseized of their pharmacy ("aryanized") and the family was forced to leave Austria. Vera Freudenfeld emigrated on August 27
th, 1938 via Italy to the USA, later her parents emigrated to Cuba, to await the quota system and then went to Chicago and to Los Angeles/USA. Vera Freudenfeld first lived with her mothers sister Grete and her husband, both doctors, who already lived in Chicago at that time, later in San Francisco. She was able to continue her studies and succeeded to graduate in New York on July 3
rd, 1946. Back in Austria it took until February 28
th, 1958 before she was gaining formal recognition for her academic title from abroad ("Nostrifikation") at the University of Vienna. After succeeding in taking the pharmacist-examination ("Aspirantenprüfung") in Vienna in 1961 she worked in the pharmacy of her parents which has been "aryanized" in 1938, and given back to the family only on March 18
th, 1960.
Her parents came back to Austria in 1948 but didn't get back their pharmacy. So her father had to work in his own pharmacy, which still belonged to "aryanizer" Franz Dittrich, first as an employee (since 1948), than as an assistant head (since 1950). Four years after getting back his pharmacy in 1960 Arthur Freudenfeld died on December 29
th, 1964 and Vera Armstrong ran the pharmacy since then.
She died in summer 2005 in Vienna.
Lit.: FRITSCH 2007, 41, 64, 87; MEJSTRIK 2003, 266; LEIMKUGEL 1999, 219; TEMPL 2001, 121, information from her grandniece Jennifer Reif/USA 2014; KNIEFACZ/POSCH 2017c.
Herbert Posch
