Serebrenik family papers

Copyright Holder: Mr. Steven Sherry Steven Sherry was born Stefan Georg Serebrenik on 18 May 1938 in Vienna, Austria to Otto and Lili Serebrenik. His father, Otto Serebrenik (later Otto Sherry, 1904-1986) was born on 2 February 1904 in Vienna to Regina (née Weiss, 1873-1942?) and Moschko Serebrenik. He had one brother, Alfred Serebrenik (b. 1900). Steven’s mother, Lili Serebrenik (later Lili Sherry, 1908-1993) was born Lili Felberbaum on 22 September 1908 to Hermann Hirsch (b. 1867) and Marie (née Arnstein, b. 1878) Felberbaum. She had one sister, Henrietta (later Henrietta Steiner). Her parents owned a clothing store, Bruder Felberbaum, in Vienna. Steven’s parents married in Vienna in 1931. During Kristallnacht in November 1938, Lili’s parents’ store was destroyed. The family soon began making plans to emigrate. Otto contacted an American Jewish couple, David and Essie Felberbaum, who had visited their store in 1933 and coincidentally shared the same last name as Lili. David agreed to write an affidavit of support via his relative Emil Felberbaun, and the family were granted visas to immigrate to the United States. Otto, Lili, Stefan, and Lili’s sister Henrietta sailed to the United States via Cherbourg aboard the R.M.S. Aquitania, France on 14 January 1939, and later settled in Kansas City, Missouri. Otto’s brother Alfred was arrested by the Gestapo in Vienna in June 1938 and imprisoned in Dachau. He was transferred to Buchenwald in September 1938 and released in January 1939. He and his family fled to England later that year. Alfred was detained in Camp Kitchener as an “alien internee” until his release in December 1940. His family settled in Bristol, England. Otto’s father died before the war. His mother Regina was deported from Vienna to Riga, Latvia on 11 January 1942 where she likely perished. Regina’s brother Wilhelm died in Vienna on 21 April 1942, and his death was attributed to arteriosclerosis. Lili’s parents were both able to immigrate to the United States, also with affidavits by David Felberbaum. The collection primarily documents the immigration of Otto and Lili Felberbaum Serebrenik, and their son Stefan, from Vienna, Austria to the United States in January 1939. Included are biographical documents such as birth and marriage certificates, and a family genealogy narrative; immigration paperwork including German passports, affidavit of support from David Felberbaum for Hermann and Marie Felberbaum, and naturalization certificates.The collection also includes wartime correspondence regarding Otto’s mother Regina Serebrenik (née Weiss), who was deported from Vienna to Riga, Latvia in January 1942, including letters from Regina to Otto, 1941, and post-war letters regarding family members’ fates. The album contains additional biographical materials, correspondence, immigration papers, and family photographs.