Person:Emanuel Stern (2)

Emanuel Stern was born on December 7th, 1895 in Fulda, Germany. He graduated from high school at 16 years of age, and immediately began work in a bird store. He enlisted in the Great War (WWI) on November 3rd, 1914. He was given the rank of Kriegsfreiwillige, or War Volunteer; this denoted he was a Private, but of a higher rank than a conscripted Private.

He was assigned to the II. Battalion - Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 47. Emanuel's function was likely as a Driver; his role would have been to look after the horses and move the 'limbers' around. A 'limber' is a two-wheeled cart surmounted with a framework for holding an ammunition chest.

For a full description of Emanuel's life during his service in the Prussian Army go to Daniel Stern's web site detailing his service records, complete with photos: http://sites.google.com/site/ph0ebus13/home

After the Armistice, he was discharged from the Army on December 24th, 1918; he returned to his former employment in the bird store. He, his wife, his son and daughter came to the US in 1928, having been sponsored by his first cousin Max Stern, and went to Chicago, where they remained for three years. In 1932 they moved to New York, renting an apartment above McSorley's Ale House near Cooper Union. Emanuel obtained a job, with the help of Max Stern, with the Odenwald Bird Company, which was subsequently bought by Max Stern and renamed Hartz Mountain. In August 1933 Mr. Stern suffered a rupture. This was repaired and is said to have caused him no further trouble. He was still employed in a Hartz Mountain bird store and in 1937 was earning $30 a week. At age 41, Emanuel reported his health was good. In 1937, he lived at 1601 President Street, Brooklyn, NY. Emanuel lived until just short of his 50th birthday; his son Hans was in the US Army in the Philippines in World War II, and Emanuel died on November 15, 1945 - the very day Hans came home from the war.

One of eight children, Emanuel fought in the German Cavalry in World War I. He entered the military with the rank of Kriegsfreiwilliger (Private/War Volunteer) at least by the time he left the Prussian Army, Emanuel was what was called an Unteroffizier, commonly known as a Non-Commissioned Officer, with the rank equivalent of a Corporal. During his life during the war, Emanuel fought in France, Russia, and possibly Poland. While serving, he was caught in a gas attack, and spent many months recovering in a French hospital (see picture) suffered through Typhus and was wounded in the leg. Emanuel liked to write poetry, and carried around a book of poems he wrote for his wife Else, along with a lock of her hair. Emanuel died just short of his 50th birthday. -written by Daniel J. Stern, with information gathered from Emanuel's son, Hans Julius Stern

To see his Prussian Militarpass go to : <http://ph0ebus13.googlepages.com/militarpass> The Soldbuch (Paybook) Emanuel actually carried with him in his pocket in the trenches for the entirety of the war and it looks it. It is in far worse shape but it is still readable. It contains immunization records and ration coupons. To see his Soldbuch go to: <http://ph0ebus13.googlepages.com/soldbuch> Soldbuch Document translated by Gustav: Emanuel Stern was born on 7. December in Fulda in the Kreis, Fulda (a Kreis is like a small state) in Prussia, he was a Kaufmann (salesman), his religion was Israelitish (Jewish?) and he was not married. He entered service on the 3, November 1914 as a Kreigsfreiwilleger (war volunteer) and was posted on 30. January 1915 to the Reserve Feld Artillery Regt, II Abtielung (this must be incorrect as everywhere else he is in the 47 Regt). His Troop number was 896 for 1914 and he was 1.65 Meters tall. He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (EK II) It is not noted in his Militarpass, but the Soldbuch notes that the EK II was awarded on 19 April 1917. Further information is given in the Soldbuch, his father's name was Max and his mother's name was Henriette geb. Weilburg (geb. is geboren, or born, Weilburg is her maiden name). Their address is Fulda Edelzeller??? 62. He entered the standing army on the 3. November 1914 in the 2 Ers Abt Feld Art Regt 47. He was vacinated for smallpox 14. No. 1914, Typhus 17. Jan 1915, Cholera 14. May 1915. On 3. May 1915, he was at the Reserve Laseratte under the care of Dr. Pergande. Page 4 tells us that when he left, he took 1 Feldmutze, 1 Halsbinde, 1 Waffenrock, 1 Reithosen, 1 Par Kavalleriesteifel. his Gasmaske Grosse was 1. (Boots, jacket, trousers, cap, coat, underwear, Haversack, flask, gas mask). Per Daniel Stern from and email on 10/25/10 to me: "I also found out that Emanuel Stern would have been entitled to receive what is called the black Wound Badge (called so because it is painted black, as opposed to silver or gold) for being wounded twice in the line of duty, but apparently the award was never put in for, so he never got it. I will dig up a picture of that and send it along next."<http://www.ww1medals.net/german%20wound%20badge%20front.jpg> I asked a few knowledgeable people about this and the general consensus was that the reason Emanuel did not get the badge he was entitled to was an administrative oversight. Also, on his field award letter for the Iron Cross, Second Class, there is mention he would get the formal award documents at the end of the war, but given that Germany lost, no one who got the field award certificate got their official certificate, so it is not that he had one and it got lost, it never existed to begin with

Grete remembered this incident from when they lived in Chicago. Behind their apt. was a railroad station and somebody put a bomb in it which exploded. The police (who had Richard Daly as the mayor) pulled in Emanuel for questioning and beat him up trying to make him confess. It did turn out to be someone from their apts. who did it. Mom doesn’t know if he was really BEAT UP, but to her as a child he was. Maybe he was roughed up a bit, she’s not sure.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census. (Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2002;)
   Database online. Chicago, Cook, Illinois, ED 1835, roll 492, page , image 684.0.

   Record for Grete Stern

2. ↑ Edith A King. State of New York - Amamnesis of Dorothy Stern from Letchworth Village. (Date: 14 Jan. 1937;).
3. ↑ Certificate of Citizenship. (Name: State of New York; Location: Eastern District; Date: 9 Mar 1937;).
4. ↑ Certificate of Citizenship. (Name: State of New York; Location: Eastern District; Date: 9 Mar 1937;)
   Certificate # 4146746 Eastern District of New York.