Gerta Weiss (Schwarz)
| Born: |
06-12-1914 |
| Faculty: |
Medical School | Medical University Vienna |
| Category: |
Expelled student |
Gerta WEISS (married SCHWARZ), born on June 12th, 1914 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), daughter of Rudolf Weiss (Printer in the Ministry of Railways, later retired railway official, born on October 1st, 1882 in Vienna) and his wife Jeanette, nee Schneider (born on April 12th, 1888), was raised together with her younger brother Karl (born in 1917) in Vienna 2nd district, Leopoldsgasse 39/2/8.
After she had graduated from high school ('Realgymnasium') in Vienna 20th district, she moved into her own apartment in the same house in Vienna 2nd district, Leopoldsgasse 39/3/8 and began to study medicine at the University of Vienna in fall term 1933/34. During her studies she met her future husband
Hans Schwarz. Weiss was finally enrolled in spring term 1938 at the Medical School of the University of Vienna in the 5th year of her studies (Leaving Certificate ('Abgangszeugnis') was issued on May 3rd, 1938).
After the "Anschluss" Gerta Weiss deregistered from her apartment on May 10th, 1938 – then her whereabouts were unknown to the Viennese register of residence. Before the Novemberpogrome ("Kristallnacht"), she was able to flee to Basel/Switzerland by train together with Hans Schwarz. In Switzerland they married on November 4th, 1938, and completed their studies at the University of Basel. Later they emigrated to the USA together.
Her parents moved to Vienna 2nd district, Schiffamtsgasse 20/3/17, by the end of 1938. They were deported to Riga on January 26th, 1942.
A short time later, in 1939, they immigrated to the USA together.
After their arrival, they ended up in a labor camp in Randolph, New Jersey, for two weeks. Shortly after their release from the camp they moved to Jersey City and then to Hoboken, where John Schwarz completed his medical internship at St. Mary Hospital on Willow Avenue in Hoboken, New Jersey (now Hoboken University Medical Center). Gerta Schwarz first was unable to find work as a physician and worked as a cleaner and a cook to help pay for their food and rent. In 1940, she also took an internship at the same hospital. In 1944 they became naturalized American Citizens and Hans changed his first name to "John".
The couple had three children. After a 12 year hiatus from medicine to bring up their three children, Gerta Schwarz returned to her profession as a physician with a residency at the VA hospital in neurology. She passed the State Medical Exams and obtained a residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York City in psychiatry. She practiced medicine until the late 1980s.
John Schwarz remained at St. Mary Hospital in New Jersey becoming the Chief of Surgery and eventually the President of the hospital. In 1984, after having a heart attack, he retired after 45 years as a successful physician.
Gerta Schwarz died on November 19th, 1990 in New Jersey, at the age of 76 years, John Schwarz on 30th October, 2008 at the age of 94 years.
Lit.: information from her daughter Jeanette Schwarz Young, 2014 and 2015; Vienna University Archive, Medical School: Nationale 1933-1938; Vienna City archive, Historical Central Registration of Viennese inhabitants, information 2014; creastleaf.com; Jessica ROSERO, World-class humanitarian Town mourns loss of beloved Dr. Schwarz (obituary John Schwarz), in: Hudson Reporter 2008.
Katharina Kniefacz
