Siegmund Kauf

Siegmund KAUF, born on June 9^th, 1917 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Vienna/Austria, citizenship 1938: Austria), son of Hersch/Hermann Kauf (merchant, October 9^th, 1880 Lemberg-July 26^th, 1939 in Vienna) and Johanna Kauf, née Steiner (January 25^th, 1882 Vienna-October 9^th, 1943 Auschwitz) and lived with his parents in Vienna's 2^nd district, Zirkusgasse 28/6. He had graduated from the Bundesrealgymnasium Vienna 2 (Kleine Sperlgasse 2c) in 1936 and then began studying medicine at the University of Vienna. He was last enrolled in the spring term of 1938 at the Medical School in the 2^nd 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 (Leaving certificate ("Abgangszeugnis") was issued on May 17^th, 1938). His younger brother Friedrich Kauf  (1919-2008), who studied at the Medical School, too, was also expelled from the University of Vienna.

Siegmund had to flee Vienna and was able to emigrate to the USA in time via Le Havre/France on the SS Georgic, arriving in New York/NY on May 12^th, 1939. Like his brother, who was also able to emigrate to the USA, he was unable to continue his studies under the conditions of emigration. On June 20^th, 1943 in Brooklyn, NYC/NY he married his wife Regina, who had been born on December 20^th, 1919 in Rantzow/Poland and they lived at 43 George Street, Babylon, Suffolk/NY in 1939. He found employment in a department store, later on Long Island in a factory that produced P-38 fighter planes. After the war, he went back into retail and acquired two department stores in the 1960s.

Siegmund died on August 27^th, 1975.

Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") MED 1936-1938; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 414; letter from his brother Friedrich KAUF dated May 14^th, 2003.

Herbert Posch