Mein Sohn Thomas feierte 1973 im Kreise der Familie in Wien die Bar Mitzwa [Aufnahme in die jüdische Gemeinde im Alter von 13 Jahren mit allen Rechten und Pflichten].

Thomas hat in Wien das Akademische Gymnasium besucht und Musikwissenschaft und Judaistik in Wien studiert.

Nach dem Studium arbeitete er einige Zeit als Musikkritiker beim ‘Kurier’ [Tageszeitung] und seit 1989 ist er in der Computerbranche tätig.

Mein Sohn hat drei Enkelkinder, die in einem jüdischen Haushalt aufwachsen.

Das sind meine Eltern, Miriam, geborene Spritzer, und Salomon Chaimowicz mit ihrem Hund und ihrem zweitem Auto in Wien 1952/53.

Mein Vater, Salomon Chaimowicz, wurde am 11.3.1900 in dem Ort Sebes-Vysni, geboren. Als er dreieinhalb Jahre alt war, ist sein Vater an einer Blutvergiftung gestorben.

Mein Vater hat das Kaddisch sagen müssen. Sein Großvater hat ihn in der Früh zum Friedhof geschleppt. Daran konnte er sich noch erinnern. 1931 haben meine Eltern geheiratet.

From left to right:

My parents, Leopold and Franziska Brodmann, three maids, my grandmother Etl Goldstaub, my uncle Artur Goldstaub, two friends, and my uncle Emanuel Goldstaub.

My grandmother Etl Goldstaub worked at my grandfather’s antiques store at 10 Landesgerichtsstraße. She sold expensive items and paintings.

My grandfather used to go to the countryside in order to search basements and attics for antiques. My grandmother spoke Yiddish.

That’s me as a small child, together with my mother. I was probably three years old. We went to a photographer, because we wanted to surprise my father with nice pictures.

Even though my parents had a difficult relationship, I had a carefree childhood. We were not rich, because my father earned his money as a shoes salesman.

He worked for a Jewish manufacturer. He was very diligent; he brought in a lot of orders. But they often delivered two left or two right shoes to him.

That’s my father as a young man.

My father was an actor - a great, famous actor. He really was something special. He beamed when he went on stage. He was an actor with all his heart and soul.

My parents met in Bad Hall. My father was on the stage, and my mum was sitting in the first row. For my dad, it was love at first sight. And my mum fell for him, too; he was a wonderful man.

That’s my parents, Leopold and Franziska Brodmann, together with friends at the Danube river in Vienna after the war.

For ten years, I hadn’t heard anything from my parents. I knew that they were in Shanghai, but I didn’t receive any letters.

It wasn’t possible; we were at war. They returned to Vienna in 1947; I went back in 1954.

My father, who was still relatively young, went back to working as a sales representative for the textile industry.