COMPLETED Search : EVA FISCHER

 

Can you possibly help?

We are NO LONGER SEARCHING for the family of Eva Fischer, born 28 Jan 1924 in Vienna 18, Austria.

She emigrated to Shanghai.  The last sighting was a small photo of her in 1945, where she was working as a teacher to the International Refugee Community.

That was the level of information at which this search began on 7 November 2016. We did not even have the photo mentioned above.

We have since learned considerably more about the background of events.

Exact numbers are not known, but around 18,000 Jews escaped Germany and Austria and ended up in Shanghai in 1939/1939.

HIAS - the Hebrew Immigrants Aids Society provided much help post war in resettling the refugees. From their lists we have the first indication of the family structure of the FISCHER group which is th subject of this search:

fischer_eva_family_hias_194.jpg

Typical of Jewish life, the refugees set up cultural activities despite the hardships and that, of course, included schools.

One of these schools was the SJYA School (aka the Kadoorie School, so named after our wealthy benefactor). Eva was a Teacher at that school and is seen 1st on the right in the secod row

fischer_eva_kadoorie_1945.jpg

The Shanghai 1939 Adressbuch (note German spelling) lists both an Albin Fischer. He is listed as living at 1817 Avenue Joffre, which was in the French Concession (the better part of town). His was one of the few entries with a telephone number. He is listed as being from Wien, with a profession of Ing. Architekt. He actually worked as a teacher of music in order to survive.

In 1945 - 1947 the family left Shanghai. Albin Fischer returned to Vienna. Eva came th England where for a while she worked as a Secretary and on 13 May 1948 emigrated to the USA on board the SS De Grasse

fischer_eva_ny_1948.jpg

Eva married Donald MacKay and in 1958 applied to be naturalized.

mckay_eva_naturalization_1958.jpg

 

So, piece by piece the information grew and we were able to create a family tree

           1. Leopold FISCHER
            sp: Malvine SCHLESINGER
                       +-2. Albin FISCHER (b.1894-Wien,Austria d.1962-Wien 10,Austria)
                        sp1: Helene BILLITZER (b.1897-Wien,Austria m.(div))
                                           | -3. Eva FISCHER (b.1924-Wien,Austria d.1994-Marin,California)
                                           | sp: Donald MACKAY               
                                                           | |-4. Ruth MACKAY
                                                           | |-4. Kelley MACKAY
                                           |-3. Marianne FISCHER
                                           | sp1: Heinz Julius FRAENKEL (m.1946(div))
                                           | sp: Peter Claus LIEPMAN (b.1927-Germany m.1950 d.1981-Virginia Beach,VA)
                         sp2: Juliane DWORAK-15

Eva died on 21 December 1994 in Main, California

fischer_eva_obit_1994.jpg

 

Do you recognize any of these facts?

Can you guide us in any way to Ruth and to Kelley McKAY?

If you have no information, do you know of anyone else, anywhere, where we can ask?

please e-mail me at searchandunite [at] lewinsdlondon [dot] org [dot] uk