We are not Jewish but we do believe that we may have some connection to the lineage . I am trying to trace my family history before too many people forget.I would be very greatful of any info you can provide on the name of Sommerfeld. My great grandfather was Friedrich Sommerfeld , wife Justine ( nee Wudzke ) They were farmers in Ludwinowo or in Lacha.
I am not sure how far these areas are from eachother as I am just starting to research this. We came from a large sector in Poland that had a lot of Jewish people living there and my family were quite close to some of them . I have often thought that there has been a link to the Jewish heritage because there have been attempts to reasearch the history of my family that may have linked us. I was quite excited to see that our name came up on your website as a Jewish name as I have only been able to find German and English Links.
If you could please let me know and reply to my email address I would greatly appreciate it .
Shalom,
Kathryn Marsden
Date: 27 May 97
Dear Mr Preker,
I have read your personal home page - IN THE SHTETL.
My late father, Charles Summerfield (Yeshayohu Sommerfeld) was born in Debica on 6 July 1905.
He was actually conceived in Gateshead on Tyne in the UK where his parents lived - but his mother (nee Esther Dora Silberman) was a native of Debica and wanted the family doctor to supervise the birth. The Silberman family lived in Debica, although part of the family moved to Cologne at the beginning of the century.
Several of my father`s cousins moved from Cologne to Haifa in the early 1930s, others to the USA. I am in contact with Sara Schupler (nee Silberman) at 71 Derech Hayam, Haifa. She is in her 80s now but is very helpful in such matters and may well have information on her family and other families from Debica.
For your information My father`s father Shimon Sommerfeld came from Tzyczn to the UK in 1900 with his wife. My mother`s father Eli Feingold came from nearby Baronowice/Kolbuszowa to Manchester UK around the same time. Both had large families in these small towns.
I hope this information may be of interest to you. If there is any family connection please let me know.
Yours Sincerely
Maurice J. Summerfield
maurice@ashleymark.co.uk
