Thanks to Fritz and Maran Gluckstein for these memories

 

Fritz and I just visited the obituary website and enjoyed immensely reading and watching all of the things written and shown there.  Your dad even mentioned Fritz by name when he talked about being set upon by a bully as they walked to the Jewish school.  Fritz attended both of the schools your father attended, the schools that your grandfather set up.  Shortly before your father left for England, all of the Jewish schools in Berlin were combined into one.  At that point instead of walking to school together, Fritz and your father had to take a bus.  Fritz lived a little bit closer to the bus stop, and said your father often came close to missing the bus, running up at the last minute.

 

Fritz remembers your grandfather’s library as very impressive. 

 

Another thing Fritz remembers is your father adopting a particular posture when reading at his desk or being photographed.  He would put his index and middle fingers against his cheek with his thumb under his chin, right hand on the right cheek.  He says he can see him still in that pose.

 

Fritz visited with your father’s family on that last day before he left.  Fritz and your father knew that that meeting was the last time they would see each other. He left from the last apartment they lived in, into which they had moved rather recently, on Geisberg Strasse.

 

Some of the things they did together with Peter Schiff included playing their own version of billiards at a restaurant on their way home from school.  Whoever had money would buy candy for all three at a Woolworth’s along the way.  When Fritz and your father walked to and from school, they would march along to songs they made up.  One dealt with and elephant from Bosporus who had a zipper in a strategic location, which would be unzipped to unload his “bosporus!”  One of their teachers was named Frau Brasch.  As they marched along, they sang, “Frau Brasch, Frau Brasch, Frau Asch, Asch, Asch.” 

 

Finally, Fritz remembers that your father had his appendix removed while they were at the Holdheim school and they discussed the whole experience endlessly.

 

Again, we are very sorry for your loss.  May you and your family be spared from all further sorrow.

 

Sincerely,

Maran