Carl was born and raised in a small town 20 miles east of Frankfurt am Main -- Meerholz, where the Stern family had settled a century before his birth. He had a small business, selling feed, fertilizer, and other supplies to the local farmers. Seventy years later, he was still remembered by some old-timers in Meerholz as "Karlchen," the young salesman who'd give them candy when he visited their parents.
In July 1938, when the Jewish community of Meerholz disbanded in the face of increasing oppression by the Nazi regime, Carl moved to Frankfurt. There, on Kristallnacht -- November 9-10, 1938 -- he avoided the Gestapo's roundup of Jewish men by riding his bicycle around the city. A few weeks later he obtained his U.S. visa and headed to England, from where he sailed to the United States.
In June 1941, Carl married Rose Fallik, another new immigrant whom he had met in an English class for the foreign born. They made their first home in Brooklyn.
In December 1942, Carl was inducted into the U.S. Army. He served in Europe and North Africa from September 1943 to August 1945, much of that time aboard the hospital ship Blanche F. Sigman. After his discharge in October 1945, he rejoined Rose in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in northern Manhattan, where he lived until his death. For most of those years, Carl worked as a printer of wallpaper and decorative fabrics.
Carl and Rose had one daughter, and two granddaughters who never got to know him.
* Murdered in the Holocaust.
In July 1938, when the Jewish community of Meerholz disbanded in the face of increasing oppression by the Nazi regime, Carl moved to Frankfurt. There, on Kristallnacht -- November 9-10, 1938 -- he avoided the Gestapo's roundup of Jewish men by riding his bicycle around the city. A few weeks later he obtained his U.S. visa and headed to England, from where he sailed to the United States.
In June 1941, Carl married Rose Fallik, another new immigrant whom he had met in an English class for the foreign born. They made their first home in Brooklyn.
In December 1942, Carl was inducted into the U.S. Army. He served in Europe and North Africa from September 1943 to August 1945, much of that time aboard the hospital ship Blanche F. Sigman. After his discharge in October 1945, he rejoined Rose in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in northern Manhattan, where he lived until his death. For most of those years, Carl worked as a printer of wallpaper and decorative fabrics.
Carl and Rose had one daughter, and two granddaughters who never got to know him.
* Murdered in the Holocaust.
Carl was born and raised in a small town 20 miles east of Frankfurt am Main -- Meerholz, where the Stern family had settled a century before his birth. He had a small business, selling feed, fertilizer, and other supplies to the local farmers. Seventy years later, he was still remembered by some old-timers in Meerholz as "Karlchen," the young salesman who'd give them candy when he visited their parents.
In July 1938, when the Jewish community of Meerholz disbanded in the face of increasing oppression by the Nazi regime, Carl moved to Frankfurt. There, on Kristallnacht -- November 9-10, 1938 -- he avoided the Gestapo's roundup of Jewish men by riding his bicycle around the city. A few weeks later he obtained his U.S. visa and headed to England, from where he sailed to the United States.
In June 1941, Carl married Rose Fallik, another new immigrant whom he had met in an English class for the foreign born. They made their first home in Brooklyn.
In December 1942, Carl was inducted into the U.S. Army. He served in Europe and North Africa from September 1943 to August 1945, much of that time aboard the hospital ship Blanche F. Sigman. After his discharge in October 1945, he rejoined Rose in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in northern Manhattan, where he lived until his death. For most of those years, Carl worked as a printer of wallpaper and decorative fabrics.
Carl and Rose had one daughter, and two granddaughters who never got to know him.
* Murdered in the Holocaust.
In July 1938, when the Jewish community of Meerholz disbanded in the face of increasing oppression by the Nazi regime, Carl moved to Frankfurt. There, on Kristallnacht -- November 9-10, 1938 -- he avoided the Gestapo's roundup of Jewish men by riding his bicycle around the city. A few weeks later he obtained his U.S. visa and headed to England, from where he sailed to the United States.
In June 1941, Carl married Rose Fallik, another new immigrant whom he had met in an English class for the foreign born. They made their first home in Brooklyn.
In December 1942, Carl was inducted into the U.S. Army. He served in Europe and North Africa from September 1943 to August 1945, much of that time aboard the hospital ship Blanche F. Sigman. After his discharge in October 1945, he rejoined Rose in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in northern Manhattan, where he lived until his death. For most of those years, Carl worked as a printer of wallpaper and decorative fabrics.
Carl and Rose had one daughter, and two granddaughters who never got to know him.
* Murdered in the Holocaust.
Inscription
Meshulam ben R'Yakov
