Hello everyone,
I am new to EHPES and am trying to do some research on my father's
Jewish ancestry. He died in 1983 in Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
and there are only cousins once removed in Canada surviving... that I
know of. He spoke virtually nothing about his family though my
mother, still alive, has some anecdotal information.
Earlier this year I came across a suitcase of his with some legal
documents that are a starting point to my enquiries. If anyone can
shed more light, some nuggets to my father's history, I would be
extremely grateful. Also any sign postings to online resources,
groups, organisations that would be helpful in my researches. Also if
anyone could get in contact with me to decipher some of the legal
documents that I can send as attachments. So the sketchy facts I have
are:
>From suitcase:
1. Death certificate of paternal grandfather dated 17 June 1929- Srul
Ruff born Czernowitz 1855 died Vienna 1929
2. My father's birth certificate dated 18 May 1902 - Eduard Ruff born
Vienna 1902 - father listed as Isidor Gustav (formerly Srul) Ruff -
mother Maria Berlemberg (anecdotal - believed to come from Odessa,
from wealthy banking family who lost everything in Russian revolution)
3. Business headed paper of grandfather J Gustav Ruff,
Export-Kommission, Wien (VI/I or VIII) Florianigasse Nr 26 (anecdotal
was formerly a war correspondent, spoke fluent Russian, was known at
the Scythe King - exporting scythes to Ukarine - he had a first
wife/partner, Russian from which one daughter, step sister to my
father)
4.Father, Eduard Ruff 'Mosaischer' RealSchule certificate dated 14
July 1919 - from 1912/1913 - entry certificate Technisher HochSchule
at Vienna University where he completed a PhD in Engineering (Eng.Dpl)
4a University Enrolment Certificate - address for Eduard Ruff Wein VI
Ostofmuehle (not sure difficult to read) Gasse No 7a
4b sketch of practical work for Phd with stamped address Wein XIII,
lLinzerstarasse 30
5. Residency certificate in Vienna of Eduard Ruff - number 3817 don't
understand coding but dated I think February 13 1926 (month difficult
to read)
6. Marriage certificate to 1st wife dated October 6, 1935 issued
January 22 1936 Vienna no children from this liaison. She died shortly
after, anecdotal, being the second last person to leave the
continent to gain access in England. Permit given to Eduard Maria
Ruff, January 3, 1939
Anecdotal Information. My father was the youngest of 6 children - the
oldest half sister from father's first 'marriage' and another half
sister known as the mad one 'Die Veruekter', not sure where in pecking
order. I have no information on either. Both wives Russian, both
believed to be Jewish. All children were encouraged to learn a musical
instrument. The oldest brother was Leopold who had an orchestra that
played on the Hamburg to New York liner, married an unpopular American
woman - no children - died before 1939 - no further information
except he paid for my father's university education as grand
father's business hit on out break of world war 1. The next brother
was Bernard. He was primed to take over family business as Leopold
disappointment. The next brother was Otto he married Annie and was a
sales man selling door-to -door encylopedias. The mother was ill and
two sisters stayed on to look after their mother, on persecution of
Jews stepped up in Vienna. The mother is apparently buried in the
Jewish cemetery in Vienna, the daughters perished in the holocaust. I
have no names for the daughters or in which concentration camp they
died. All 3 surviving brothers fled Vienna, Bernard and Otto fleeing
to China, supporting themselves by playing piano and violin. My
father, Eduard Ruff, fled to England as he had business contacts to
vouch for him. Otto had no children, but Bernard, eventually settling
in Canada had 2 Nadia and Herbert. Herbert was to become a famous
composer in Canada. At his funeral it came to light that he had an
illigimate son also Herbert. Have no further details. Nadia fell in
love with a china man and has two surviving children - Edward Lee-Ruff
(12 of 13 children) and younger sister Daisy Gyapay who married an
Hungarian but has no children. Edward has three children. My father
married my mother Elisabeth Rothenwoehrer, from Plattling Bavaria,
Germany in June 1960 in London. She is not Jewish. I was born
Elisabeth Maria Nina Ruff on October 6, 1960 in Beckenham, London. I
have one brother, born May 18, 1967, London, Alexander (Herbert,
Peter, Edward - need to check order) Ruff. He died from cancer in
February 2013, like his father also in Lanzarote at the family 's 2nd
holiday home. He was, like his grandfather and father, a successful
business man in multimedia in Hanover Germany., though grandfather in
exporting scythes and my father as agent for uk, german speaking and
east bloc countries for printing trade. He married a german, Heike
Hartmann, but there were no children. I was born in Beckenham London,
on October 6, 1960. Interestingly my first profession like my
grandfather I was a reporter. I married a Portuguese man, Viktor
Manuel Ferriera da Silva Morgado in the parish of Duddington, England.
I have two children, Jamie Nicholas Morgado, born 18 June 1988 and Zoe
Natasha Morgado, born 9 March, 1994, both born in Peterborough,
England. As yet, I am not a granny though both are in long-term
relationships but not married. After the birth of my son, I retrained
as a therapist but write too,
I look forward to hearing from any one in this group. With sincerest
thanks if anyone can get back to me.
With best wishes
Nina Ruff (after divorcing my husband I reverted back to my maiden
name simply as Nina Ruff, as although it was the third name on my
birth certificate I have always been called by that name)
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Received on 2020-04-12 12:35:56