Josef Heftler
| Born: |
01-09-1919 |
| Faculty: |
Law School |
| Category: |
Expelled student |
Josef HEFTLER, born on January 9
th, 1919 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), son of Dr. Jakob Michael Heftler (1883-1944, lawyer) and Taube Liebe Heftler, née Altschueler (1884-1944), lived in Vienna's 2
nd district, Freilagergasse 5, was enrolled finally in the fall term 1937/38 at the Law School in the 1
st year of his studies.
In 1938, after the takeover of power of National-Socialism he was forced to quit his studies for racist reason and to leave the University of Vienna.
Josef Heftler had to flee Vienna in 1938 after his father, who had received his doctorate in law from the University of Vienna in 1908 and had had a law office in Vienna's 2
nd district, Freilagergasse 3 since 1918, was struck off the list of lawyers for racist reasons after the National Socialists seized power in 1938. Josef was able to emigrate to England/Great Britain in time, where he lived in London. From there, after obtaining his U. S. visa, he left on the
SS American Trader on November 9
th, 1939, and arrived in New York City, NY, USA on November 20
th, 1939, with the intention of moving to Albany, NY, to live with his uncle Joseph Halpern and his wife Rose. He was still living there in 1940 and working as a teacher, or at the Colonie County Club in Albany, NY, when he was drafted into the U. S. Army on January 16
th, 1941.
His parents were unable to emigrate from Vienna in time and were deported from Vienna's 2
nd districtUntere Donaustraße 39/16, to the ghetto or camp at Theresienstadt [Terezín/Czech Republic] on July 22, 1942. His father died there on April 12
th, 1944, and his mother was further deported to the German concentration and extermination camp at Auschwitz [Oświęcim/Poland] on October 9, 1944, where she was murdered.
Joseph Heftler remained in the U. S. Army until October 16
th, 1945, became an American citizen and then lived until the end in Schenectady near Albany, NY/USA and had also married his wife Eleanor Klein (1920-1986) there on December 21
st, 1947.
Joseph Heftler died on July 10
th, 1997 in Schenectady, NY/USA and is buried at the Free Jewish Cemetery in Rotterdam, NY, USA.
Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") IUR 1937-1938; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 402; SAUER/REITER-ZATLOUKAL 2010, 174; www.genteam.at; www.ancestry.de; www.doew.at.
Herbert Posch
