Franziska "Siska" Schömbs of Mexico City, Mexico

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The Story of the Oppenheimer Schömbs Emigrants

Mexico and the United States Click the image to enlarge

Bernhard (*1862) and Katharina Bell Schömbs, residents of Oppenheim at the end of the 19th Century had five children, four sons and a daughter. Three of the children emigrated to the United States or Mexico. The stories are best read together to see how their lives intertwine: Paul (*1892), emigrant to the United States; Franz (*1895), emigrant to Mexico; and their sister Franziska "Siska" (*1899), emigrant to Mexico.

The map on the right, when enlarged, can be very helpful in following the stories of the three siblings.

The Story of Franziska Schömbs (*1899, +1954)

We first learned of Franziska from her marriage record. She was the daughter of Bernhard and Katharina Bell Schömbs of Oppenheim. We know nothing of her growing up, although they included the years of World War 1 and the years immediately following the signing of the peace accord at Versailles in 1919. These were hard years in Germany. Her brother Paul had emigrated to Amerika when she was twelve years old, three years before the War began. Her other three brothers were in Germany during the War and in the German Army. Franziska was twenty years old when the War ended. Four years later she too decided to emigrate, not to Amerika but rather Mexico. Her brother Franz (*1895) preceded her in emigrating. It is estimated that Franz emigrated to Mexico in 1922 or 1923.

But we now know that her brother Paul (*1892) who had emigrated to the United States in 1911 and lived in southern Arizona after he completed his three years of service in the U.S. Army Calvary had gone to Mexico in 1921. And then returned to Oppenheim for a several month visit at the end of 1922. Obviously Paul persuaded Siska to emigrate to Mexico.

The Emigration

We know of most of the emigrants who left Germany and went to the United States. Typically the ships left Hamburg or Le Havre and sailed straight to New York or another major port in the United States. Some of the ships called on a port in England to pick up additional emigrants and cargo. Franzisca, since she was going to Mexico, had a very different experience.

Mexico City Boroughs Click to enlarge

The ship Toledo of the Hamburg Amerika Line sailed from Hamburg on 7 June 1923. There were 32 passengers, 22 males and 10 females. Franziska was the last person listed in the passenger list. They were almost all single people in their twenties and thirties and from cities across Germany. Franziska was the only passenger from Darmstadt and therefore probably emigrated alone. One can view the full passenger list in the Live Links section at the bottom of the page. From Hamburg the Toledo called upon the ports of Plymough (England), Santander, La Coruna and Vigo (all in Spain), then Habana (Cuba) and finally Veracruz and Tampico in Mexico. We know from the passenger list her destination was Veracruz. From there she probably traveled inland to Mexico City.

The Marriage

A year later in September, 1924 Franziska and Erich Dietz (*1891 Wien, Austria, +15.05.1952 Mexico City DF) were married in Tucabaya, Federal District (in the Miguel Hidalgo Borough of Mexico City). Erich, from Vienna, Austria was 33 years old, the son of Curt and Aurelia Matzel Dietz. Franziska was 25 years old. For those fluent in Spanish the marriage register is quite legible. The document identifies Franziska as the legitimate daughter of Bernhard and Katharina Schömbs of Oppenheim, Germany.

The "Second Marriage"

In 1931 there is a second entry in the marriage register of the marriage of Franziska and Erich. Although in this record his name is given as Erich Dietzschold. The reason for this "re-marriage" seven years later is not at all clear. Again, more information will possibly be gleaned from the document with another translation of the Spanish.

Paul Bell's daughter Lee Bell Taylor always knew Siska as Siska Dietschold. She did not know that the name may have previously been Dietz. [2]

The Letters between Siblings

The siblings wrote to each other somewhat frequently. Fortunately we have many of those letters received by Paul (*1892), Siska's brother. From these letters we get insight into the lives they all led, whether they be in Germany, Mexico or the United States. The letters by all the siblings are included in the Timeline of Paul Schömbs Bell. To read those written by Siska go the Timeline. In column 3 ("Event") one can see which are the Siska letters. A synopsis (in English) of each letter is bulleted in "Comment". To read the original letter, click on the PDF Link in the right-most column. They are mostly in German.

Six of the letters were written by Siska, or partly by her. She is, however, mentioned in many of the letters written by the brothers. In the references below the dates of the letters are included in parentheses. These can then be used for finding the letters in the Timeline.

In June 1924 Siska and Erich wrote a letter (20.06.24) to Paul who was living in Tampico at the time. They told him about their engagement and invited Paul, Franz and Rosa to their upcoming wedding in Mexico City. She hoped they all could come. The wedding was three months later. Very soon thereafter a major disagreement erupted between Franz and Siska's husband Erich. We know this from a letter from Bernhard to Paul. "Franziska now is a happy woman. She was sending them a wedding picture. Ludwig understands that Franz had a disagreement with Siska's husband Erich (23.11.24). Bernhard hopes that they solve their problem. Franz insists that he is right. Bernhard is considering writing to Siska because she does not seem to be informed about the matter."

The relationship between Erich and Franz probably improved over time. Franz and his wife Rosi later lived with Siska and Erich for brief periods of time. But there is no evidence that this rift was ever fully healed. Franz was the prolific letter writer. He mentions Erich little and never implies that they are close.

Siska in hammock with her cat, circa 1935

Berhard then continued and asked a question about Siska and Paul's future wife Esther: "Why is Franziska not good with your dear Esther? (23.11.24))

The following month Franz wrote Paul: "He hopes Siska is happy now. He confesses it is sad to have these relationship problems between siblings." (23.12.24)

Fifteen years later Franz wrote: "Nothing has changed with Dietz (Erich). Siska is very thin and seeing her doctor. They have a lack of money. Dietz is always the same." (20.01.39)

In 1932 Siska vented her feelings of the time about Rosi and her brothers. (29.03.32) She felt underappreciated.

Prosperity and Health

Through the years each of the siblings went through periods of doing well economically, then struggling with hard times and, in most cases, regaining prosperity. The 1920's were difficult for Siska and Erich. Then around 1930 they were in the flower business, growing and probably selling them through a retail location. Franz comments about this. (8.02.31 and 10.05.31) A few months later Siska writes Paul, telling him about their home and business. This was during the depths of the Depression. Things were going relatively well.(29.03.32) Siska and Erich had paid back Franz for some of the monies he had loaned them. But then seven years later they are again struggling. (20.01.39)

During the 1930's there are three reports of Siska having serious health issues. (8.02.31, 10.05.31 and 7.05.36) She seemed to recover, however, and lived to be 87 years old.

The Death of Erich Dietzschold

Erich passed away on 15 May 1952. He was 61 years old. His death certificate indicates his business as farmer.

The next month Siska wrote to Paul "She is in mourning. It is very hard. She transferred her little house in Mexico City to Franz. She will sell her "Rancho", the retreat she and Erich owned outside Mexico City. They had planned to retire there. But it is not a place where she can live alone. She does not know what she will do." (19.06.52)

1954 and 1962, Returns to Europe

In July 1954, two years after the death of Erich, Franziska traveled back to Europe. She returned in October to Mexico. One of the interesting things about her trip was her traveling companions. The passenger list dated 1 July 1954 was her transit through New York, flying Air France from Mexico City to Paris/Orly. With her on the plane are Emile Louis and Helene Francois Destombes. Then three months later, on 2 October 1954 she returned from Orly to Mexico City, again on Air France transiting through New York. On the flight are Emile Louis and Helene Francois Destombes. It might have been coincidence that the Destombes were on the same flights. The Air France flight perhaps flew once a week from Mexico City to Paris. But maybe they were friends. Also on the October flight was Manuel Sanchez-Muñoz. Possibly from the family of Esther Muñoz, the former sister-in-law of Franziska.

Most likely Franziska was returning to Germany to see her family in Oppenheim and Darmstadt. But why fly into Paris rather than Germany? This was nine years after the end of World War II. There may have been better opportunities to fly from Mexico City into France in 1954 than into Germany.

Then again in December 1962 Siska traveled to Germany. She wanted to be there for Christmas. Franz talks about her trip in a letter. (15.12.62)

Siska's Visits to Arizona

In a letter from Ludwig to Paul, dated October 1957 Ludwig commented he was very pleased to hear Franziska and Franz were both able to visit Paul and Irene. (28.10.57) Irene, Paul Bell's wife, related a story from one of Siska's visits to their home in Amado AZ. Irene took Siska to Tucson to go shopping. Siska would pick up items, look them over and then just drop them in a pile, not hanging them up as she had found them. Irene was somewhat startled. [1]

In June 1972 Siska, Franz and Rose together visited Paul and his family. Irene, Paul's wife, had passed away the prior year. In 1978 Siska and Rose, both widows, visited Paul in Oracle, Arizona where he was living with his daughter Lee Bell Taylor and her family. Paul's health was failing. He died three years later.

The Death of Franziska

On 2 February 1986 Franziska passed away in Benito Juarez, a district of Mexico City. She was 86 years old. Siska's brother Franz had passed away in about 1975, ten years earlier. Sometime after the death of Franz, Franz's wife Rose and Siska lived in the same home for the elderly.

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