The Emigrant Children of Hans Arnheiter

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Hans and Katharina Arnheiter did not Emigrate.........But All of their Children Did

Hans and Katharina Arnheiter didn't emigrate but their four children did, starting in 1922 with Elisabeth and ending with Hans Siegfried in 1928. They all emigrated in the decade following the end of the First World War.

We say "the four children of Hans and Katharina" but we do not know they had only four. All the information we have about the four is from American records. We do not know that there were not more than four but the others, if there were others, just did not emigrate. We can learn much from the American records.

The end of WWI in 1918 and the severe economic times created by the Versailles Treaty of 1919 exacted a heavy toll upon Germany. Ten years later the Great Depression began, followed by the rise of the National Socialists (Hitler) and WWII in 1939.

The frequent return visits by the siblings, aunts and uncles undoubtedly supported the continued emigration of this branch of the family.

Images of many of the Passenger Lists from the numerous Atlantic crossings are shown below. The Passenger Lists during this era were two pages wide with much information. To understand the columns and information, the column headings for pages one and two can be seen by clicking on these Links.

Images of parts of Census pages are provided as Links as we tell the story. In most cases the entire Census page is available at the very bottom of this page under Live Links.

Descendants of Hans Arnheiter (*~ 1870)

Children: (4)

4.1.....Eugenie Arnheiter (*16.03.1901 Bad Dürkheim, +July 1979)

Eugenie and her husband Johannes "John" Cera (*27.03.1892 Linden, Hannover Germany, +5.07.1953 New York) were married in about 1922. We can determine this from their ages and immigration records. Eugenie emigrated on the SS George Washington, arriving in NY on 3 March 1923 and coming from Bremen. She lists her husband Johannes Cera as the contact person upon departure (i.e. left behind in Germany) and her Aunt Mary Arnheiter, the wife of Anton Arnheiter (*1868), the contact person for arrival in New York. The detailed passenger list contains much of this information from which the Ellis Island documents were developed. The column headings for the passenger information are for page 1 and page 2, with her information entered for the first and second. The address given in Germany for John was Warstraße 16 in Hannover. Eugenie's ticket for the voyage was paid by her Aunt Mary, seen on the second page, column 3. Eugenie was 5'7" tall (this was tall!) and born in Bad Dürkheim.

John Cera emigrated two months later but on the same ship! Interesting. He too sailed on the George Washington, but on its next voyage as he arrived in New York on 11 May 1923 and was processed through Ellis Island. His wife Eugenie ("Mrs Cera") was the shown as the contact person upon departure. This is curious as she had already arrived in Amerika two weeks prior! Aboard the George Washington with John Cera was his brother-in-law Armin Arnheiter (*1902). Uncle Anton and Aunt Mary had bought the tickets for both of their voyages as well! John Cera was 5'6" tall, an inch shorter than his wife.

The First World War had ended and the severe Treaty of Versailles imposed upon Germany and its allies four years earlier in 1919. The Ceras were undoubtedly trying to get to Amerika where economic opportunities look much better.

Their son John Charles was born nine months after father John arrived in Amerika! John Sr. arrived on 11 May 1923. John Jr. was born 8 March 1924!

In 1925 they were living at 1059 First Avenue in Manhattan, the 14th Assembly District of the 9th Election District. John was employed as a painter. John Jr. was one year old.

Then two years later Eugenie returned to Deutschland for a visit and probably to convince the remainder of her siblings, nieces and nephews to emigrate. She took her three year old son John Charles with her. Their return from Germany to New York in 1927 was once more aboard the George Washington, clearly the family's favorite ship! Because she was a resident and John Charles a Citizen (result of being born in the United States), their immigration would have been expedited. Their home was in Rockaway Beach, Queens, New York. Rockaway Beach is two miles south of the J.F.K. Airport in New York, right under the final approach flight path.

They were again captured in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census. They lived in The Bronx at 2600 Briggs Avenue. They boarded and paid $45 per month. John was working as a painter. Their son was five years old.

In 1933 all three Ceras returned to Germany to visit. This was in the depths of the Great Depression. Their return from Germany to New York was on the SS Stuttgart. From the passenger list we see that John had been naturalized, a "U.S. Citizen".

The last Census data for the Ceras we have is the 1940 U.S. Federal Census. Living with them at 730 East 182nd Street in the Bronx was Eugenie's brother Armin (*1902). Their rent was $29 monthly, down from $45 ten years earlier. It was recorded that they had been at the 182nd Street address in 1935. John Sr. continued to be a painter but only had 26 weeks of employment in 1939 and had arned $1000 for the year. John Jr. was fifteen. Eugenie did not work.

Thirteen years later John Sr. died at the age of sixty-one. He was buried at Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah, Bergen County, New Jersey. This is very interesting. Why? Plus their son John Jr. passed away in November, four months after his father and shares a grave with John Sr.

Eugenie again went to Germany in 1957, at least her third return visit since their emigrations in 1923. She returned to New York on the R.M.S. Queen Mary, arriving and being processed through immigration on 4 January from Cherbourg, France. She gave her address as 39-11 50th Street, Woodside, Long Island (Queens).

We do not know about her latter years or where she was buried. Eugenie died in July 1979. We have two records of her death, both purported to be from the Social Security Death Index. The first does not give a death location. The second indicates "Europe". But it is possibly in error.

It would be expected that she is buried in with her husband and son at Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah, Bergen County NJ. But we have no record of this. There appears to be space left on the gravestone for her, but her name was never inscribed. As there were no living descendants, perhaps there was nobody to pay for the work. But again the question, why were they buried in New Jersey? And where did she die? These are questions to which we will probably never have answers.

Children: (1)

1.1.....John Charles Cera (*03.08.1924 Rockaway Beach, New York, +22.11.1953 New York)

After the 1940 Census, at which time he was fifteen years old, John Jr. enlisted in the U.S. Military. It was March, 1943. He was nineteen years old and had completed two years of high school. The obligation was "Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law".

We do not know that he married. He died at the age of 29 years old, just four months after his father. He and his father are buried in the Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah, New Jersey.

4.2.....Armin Arnheiter (*07.07.1902 Bad Dürkheim, +Oct 1968)

Armin's emigration to Amerika was aboard the George Washington, arriving in New York on 11 May 1923 and being processed through Ellis Island. He transited the Atlantic with his brother-in-law Johannes "John" Cera as mentioned above, listing his mother Katherina as his departure contact at Eichstraße 9 in Bad Dürkheim. And his voyage had been paid for by his Uncle Anton (*1868).

Armin, as can be seen from the information on the passenger list from the George Washington, was 6 feet tall. This was taller than most men at the time.

In 1930 Armin was living with his younger sister Else (*1904) and her husband Kurt Bernatz. They boarded at 635 East 137th Street in The Bronx. Their total rent was $30 per month. He was employed as a cabinet maker in a furniture factory. Then in 1931 Armin was naturalized as a U.S. Citizen. He continued to live with Else and Kurt.

In 1940 Armin lived with his sister Eugenie and brother-in-law John Cera in the Bronx. His occupation was as a carpenter in a chair factory. He was single, 38 years old and had worked 45 weeks the prior year earning $1500 for the year.

Ten years later in 1950 Armin, age 48, took a trip to Germany. This was just a few years after the end of the Second World War. His address in New York was entered as 320 E. 87th Street, probably Manhattan. By 1950 the SS George Washington was probably decomissioned. His return was on the SS Washington, presumably a different vessel.

Armin died in October 1968 at the age of sixty-six. It is not known where he died or where he was buried.

4.3.....Elisabeth Arnheiter (*1904 Bad Dürkheim, +after 1940)

Elisabeth's immigration was in 1922. On 30 January she was processed through the immigration station at Ellis Island, New York. Her voyage had been on the SS Amerika, sailing from Bremen. She was single. She emigrated with Katharina Fink (*1904 Germany), her cousin and a niece of Maria Fink Arnheiter (*1871), the wife of Anton Arnheiter (*1868). Elisabeth gave her mother Katherina Arnheiter as her departure contact at Eichstraße 9 in Bad Dürkheim. Katherina Fink gave her mother, Maria Fink living in Dirmstein, Pfalz. Both gave Uncle Anton at 409 East 61st Street NYC as the party who had paid for their passage and their contact upon arrival in Amerika.

Four years later in 1926 Elisabeth returned to Germany. On her voyage back to New York on the SS President Harding she indicated her occupation was a "servant" and that she had paid for the voyage herself. Her "final destination" was Edgemere, Long Island NY, the home of Anton and Maria Arnheiter.

Elisabeth and Kurt Bernatz (*9.05.1902 Bad Dürkheim, +26.04.1970 Dade County FL) were married on 26 January 1928 in Manhattan NY. Kurt was two years older than Elisabeth, from Bad Dürkheim also and likely the reason for her return to Deutschland in 1926. Kurt was the son of Herman and Elisabeth Klein Bernatz of Bad Dürkheim. Kurt had emigrated in 1925 aboard the SS George Washington. It is not known if he emigrated with other family members. His occupation is entered as chauffeur. His arrival contact is his "cousin", Armin Arnheiter living at 409 East 61st Street in New York. If Armin was his cousin, then so was Elisabeth! Armin and Elisabeth are brother and sister. The passenger list may have been in error.

When the 1930 Federal Census was taken, Elisabeth "Elsie" and Kurt Bernatz were living in The Bronx at 635 East 137th Street. Living with them in the boarding house was Elsie's brother Armin (*1902). The rent for the three of them was $30 per month. Later in the year Kurt made a return trip to Deutschland. As far as can be seen he went alone, coming back to New York on the SS Deutschland. His home address was 635 East 137th Street in New York. He was 5'10" tall. The passage had been paid for by his father Hermann Bernatz in Bad Dürkheim.

The 1940 Census page for Kurt is curious. The best way to see it is to go to the LiveLinks Link at the bottom of this page. Kurt is living alone, or rather in a boarding house with many other people, none of whom are family. The address appears to be 228 East 75th Street in Manhattan. He is noted as married in column 12 and living with a Virginia Maskell, twelve years younger than Kurt. We have no death record for Elisabeth so we do not know if she was deceased or they were no longer living together. Kurt had worked 54 hours the previous week as an attendant in a garage. The prior year (1939) Kurt had worked 35 weeks and earned $950 for the year.

Kurt married for the second time in 1958 in Dade County (Miami), Florida. His second wife's name was Johanna (*18.02.1908, +9.08.1972 Dade County FL) We know this to be the same Kurt Bernatz for Kurt died in Dade County twelve years later.

We have no records indicating that Kurt and Elisabeth had children.

4.4.....Hans Siegfried Arnheiter (*18.05.1908 Bad Dürkheim, +04.01.1992 Wayne NJ)

Our first record of Hans Siegfried is from his immigration in 1928. The passenger list tells us that his occupation had been a clerk, his mother was living in Ungstein, Pfalz and that he was 5'10" tall with fair complexion, brown hair and green eyes. His contact person upon arrival in New York was his sister Eugenie Cera at 107 St. Anns Avenue in Manhattan.

In the 1930 Census Hans Siegfried is living in The Bronx with his sister Eugenia and her husband John Cera at 2600 Briggs Avenue. It was a boarding house. Hans worked as a helper in a garage.

Soon after 1930 Hans Siegfried must have married a woman by the name of Helen (*20.07.1907, +1.08.1962 East Farmingdale, Suffolk, New York). We have no record of their marriage. And no records of Helen during her life. She had two children but we have no birth records. We know of Helen from the records of their children and of her burial at Long Island National Cemetery in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County NY, where she is identified as the wife of Hans Siegfried.

Where he lived in 1940 we do not know. But there is a 1944 enlistment record from the U.S. Army. Hans was thirty-six years old, single and without dependents. Clearly this information was in error, unless there were somehow two Hans Arnheiters and they are combined in this story. Hans' civilian job had been as a skilled mechanic for motor vehicles. Why his enlistment was as late as 1944 is surprising, as these skills were certainly needed by the military. One would think he would have been drafted before 1944. He was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey just across the Hudson River from New York City.

Eight years after the conclusion of World War II Hans Siegfried made a trip to Germany. His return to the U.S. was aboard the SS Gripsholm. No other information is available at this time.

Helen passed away in 1962 at the age of fifty-five and was buried in the Long Island National Cemetery in Suffolk County NY.

Then in 1964 at the age of fifty-six Hans re-married. His wife was Emma Sieling (*12.06.1909 Eislingen Germany, +5.06.2002 Hackensack NJ), the widow of FrIedrich Sieling who had passed away in 1959. Emma had emigrated to the United States in 1939. Emma and FrIedrich Sieling had a son, also by the name of Frederick (*6.09.1947). Emma's obituary from 2002 provides additional information. A Public Record shows her relatives Hans and Karen H. Another record gives one more possible Sieling, Arlene (*1950). Arlene may be the wife of Frederick.

Emma had emigrated to the United States in 1939 as Emma Gairing. As shown in the passenger list from the SS Hansa her mother was Marie Gairing of Eislingen, Bismarkstraße 42. Her arrival contact was a cousin, Anna Luedtke in Long Island City NY. She was twenty-nine years old, single and worked as a housemaid.

The next year (1940) she was enumerated in the U.S. Census, living with her cousin Anna and her husband Otto Luedtke in Queens. Also in the household was a Sofie Gairing, age 23, undoubtedly Emma's younger sister. Emma and Sofie are shown as having lived in Württemberg, Germany in 1935.

Hans was interred in the National Cemetery in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York. He was an U.S. Army veteran.

Children: (2)

2.1.....William Arnheiter (*17.08.1934 USA, +08.10.2007 Tannersville, Greene, New Jersey)

We have no birth record for William. However, in the obituary for Emma Sieling Arnheiter he is named as a stepchild of Emma and therefore the son of Hans Siegfried Arnheiter.

In 1947, two years after the end of the fighting in World War II, William and his mother took a trip to Germany returning to New York on the A B Alexander. William was thirteen years old. From the passenger list we see that his mother's name was Helen, age 40 and therefore born in about 1907. The passenger list also indicates William was born in the United States.

William Arnheiter passed away at the age of seventy-three in 2007. He was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Tannersville, Greene County NY. Tannersville is at the north end of the Catskills, about ten miles west of the Hudson River. We know of no marriage or children for William.

2.2.....Karen H. Arnheiter (*01.11.1952) or possibly (*29.11.1952 Queens NY)

Like her brother William, we have very little information about Karen Arnheiter. The alternate birth date of 29 November is probably correct. She was living in Lyndhurst and Rutherford NJ in the early 2000s. Her "possible relatives" are Emma Arnheiter and Hans Arnheiter. Whether Hans was her deceased father, or her brother William, is not known.

Note: There is a possibility that there were two "Hans" Arnheiters living in the New York/New Jersey area in the 20th Century and that they have somehow been erroneously merged in this story. When we are successful in reaching some of the very few living Arnheiters this possibility should be understood and corrections, if necessary, made.

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