United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Leo Sussman (born Lesor Süssman, March 18, 1901-1991) was born in Baranov, Poland to Josef and Cilli Sussman and had five siblings including Erna, Fanni, Helene, Regina (December 12, 1903-1991), and Moritz. Leo married Rachel Stroh (later Renee, 1915-2007) in 1934. Rachel was born in Mielec, Poland to Chanine Stroh and Sara (nee Berger) and had two siblings, Lazer and Sosia. They lived in Vienna where Leo worked as an investor and did not have any children. After the German annexation of Austria, Leo and Rachel left Austria and went to St. Gallen, Switzerland. In 1941 they sailed from Lisbon and immigrated to the United States. Rachel’s parents and her sister perished during the war. Erna, her husband Yokov Millet, and their children, Fred and Mela, fled to Palestine in the 1930s. Fanni fled to Belgium and survived the war. Her daughter, Selma, fled to Madagascar and settled in Denmark. Helene fled to France where she was arrested and killed. Her daughter, Yvette, was born in Paris and hidden during the war. Regina, her husband Heinrich Goldstein (1903-1966), and their two sons Bruno and Jack left for Brussels shortly after the Anschluss. Heinrich was sent to Gurs and Regina and the boys remained in Brussels. Heinrich, Regina, Bruno, and Jack immigrated to the United States in 1949. Moritz, his wife, and their three children remained in Vienna to care for their parents, Josef and Cilli Sussman. Mortiz and his family were sent to a ghetto in Debica, Poland where they all perished.
folders 4
The Sussman family papers are arranged in four folders: Folder 1 of 4: Biographical material, circa 1938-1943 Folder 2 of 4: Correspondence, circa 1940-1942 Folder 3 of 4: Sussman family photographs, circa 1935-1941 Folder 4 of 4: Stroh family photographs, circa 1932-1941
The Sussman family papers document the prewar and wartime experiences of Leo and Rachel Sussman in Vienna, Austria and Switzerland. The collection includes a school certificate, an approval for travel from the St. Gallen Foreign Office, an identification card, and a United States war ration book for Rachel Sussman as well as an identification card for Leo Sussman. Also included is correspondence from Chanine Stroh, Rachel Sussman, and Leo Sussman. Sussman family photographs depict Leo’s father Josef Sussman, Leo’s brother, Moritz Sussman as well as Leo and Rachel Sussman. Stroh family photographs depict Rachel Sussman, Rachel’s cousin Asher Bergs, Rachel’s mother, Sara Stroh, and possibly Rachel’s sister Sosia.
Sussman family papers