Julius Ferdinand Bokor (geb. Braun)
Personalia
Born:
Died:
Profession:
Persecution:
Aryanization 07.09.1938,
Escape November 1939,
Imprisonment February 1941 - 17.08.1941,
Murdered after 17.08.1941
Curriculum Vitae
Julius Ferdinand Braun was born in Vienna, the son of Hermann Braun and Bertha, née Gänger, a Jewish couple with Hungarian roots. The family also had a daughter. He attended school in Vienna and then trained as a catering specialist. In 1902, he and his sister Jolanda took the Hungarian surname 'Bokor'.
In 1912, Julius Bokor married the Catholic Maria Emma Mottloch in a civil ceremony. Their daughter Gertrude Bokor was born in 1913. In 1919, Julius Bokor converts to the Catholic faith and marries Maria Bokor in church.
In 1927, Julius and Maria Bokor rent Count Nostitz's baroque palace near the Meidling Gate of Schönbrunn Palace, which is completely unused and run down at the time. After investing heavily in the property, they opened the 'Café Schlössl' in November 1927 and moved into an apartment directly above the coffee house. In the years that followed, the coffee house developed into a flourishing business.
On March 12, 1938, the Bokor family witnessed the demise of a free and independent Austria with the invasion of the German Wehrmacht. With the occupation of Austria, German legislation was adopted and with it the 'Nuremberg Race Laws', according to which Julius Bokor was considered a 'full Jew'. Although Maria Bokor is advised by the National Socialists to divorce Julius Bokor, she resolutely refuses.
[...] Already in these early afternoon hours, the first floor restaurant and the garden slowly began to fill up with Jewish families; Aryan guests could not be noticed either on this occasion or later, after the provisional administrator had entered the restaurant. Despite efforts to get inconspicuously close to the occupied tables, my appearance together with my companion was immediately the object of special attention by the Jews present.
[...] The Jews present were all apparently accompanied by their entire families and no table could be found that was occupied by men alone.
[...] The Jews felt that they were among their own kind, no table-to-table intercourse could be perceived, but many visitors knew each other.
[...] Since there is a suspicion of illegal political discussions among the Jews frequenting this coffee house, only the most inconspicuous observation and eavesdropping on the Jews who did not feel that they were being observed could bring success, a prerequisite that is difficult for an Aryan, since his presence is immediately noticed among the purely Jewish clientele.
Julius, Maria and Gertrude Bokor, who had been robbed of their livelihood, were also evicted from their home. Gertrude Bokor tried working as a nanny in Belgium, where she could live on board and lodging, while her parents found a room to sublet for a short time, but were soon no longer able to afford it as they were unable to find work. In order to survive, they sold all their belongings and received support from Caritas.
After Gertrude Bokor's Belgian residence visa was not renewed, she returned to Vienna in August 1939. Together with her mother, she found short-term accommodation with relatives, where they shared a bed. She eventually finds a job, but has to care for her mother, who is seriously injured in a streetcar accident.
In November 1939, Julius Bokor flees to his sister, who lives in Budapest, in the hope of finding work there and supporting the family financially. However, under the rule of Reich Governor Miklós Horthy, Hungary was also in a strictly anti-Semitic mood, which is why Julius Bokor was unable to find work there either. He makes public criticism of Adolf Hitler in the Café Pilvax in Budapest.
Dear Jolán!
As you can see from above, we have been dragged here, hundreds and thousands of us have been left to die of hunger. The six-day journey has completely exhausted us and we have been left on the highway without food.
This is a completely destroyed and plundered city, the whole thing a heap of rubble, there is not even bread, but no business at all, this is the so-called death camp. If I survive this, I can only thank God's protection.
There is no post at all, I give this letter to a good Hungarian soldier, he takes it with him, throws it in Hungary, without postage, so that it arrives safely. Please, I have given an important letter with five pawn tickets to the deputy camp commander Frenkel from Szabolcsgasse, I hope you have already received it, if not call him on 292-075 and if you have taken it over, then take good care of it and if necessary, transcribe it, perhaps God will help me so that I can take it over personally. I ask you to spare my family and reassure them. Do all this for me, my dear.
Call the Protector and inform him of the above, and also tell the Fenkel that there is a package of bandages at Fenzel's, which I forgot in Dömös, please do all this urgently.
Also call His Excellency, 9-10 in the morning, telephone 18-86-96, Mizzis' clothes are there, you must have them from him, as well as 1 kg of soap and a pair of black stockings. I have also written to His Excellency, get in touch with him immediately, I kiss my family countless times and be patient for the time being until I can write by mail, God grant that I can stand it, kiss you countless times,
Gyuri I greet you separately, Gyula (Julius)
On August 17, 1941, there is one last sign of life from Julius Bokor, after which his trail disappears. He is considered missing and his body is never found. After the liberation of Austria, he was declared dead.
It can be assumed that he was murdered as part of the Massacre of Kamenez-Podolsk.
[noteIn the Kamenez-Podolsk massacre, members of the German police battalion 320 and members of a 'special action staff' of the Higher SS and Police Leader (HSSPF) Russia South, SS-Obergruppenführer Friedrich Jeckeln, murdered around 23,600 Jews near the western Ukrainian town of Kamenez-Podolsk at the end of August 1941. These were primarily Jewish non-Hungarian citizens.
Places
Residence:
Citations
Wiener Stadt- und Landesarchiv (WStLA)
Matricula Online
Wikipedia unter de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massaker_von_Kamenez-Podolsk#Deportation_„fremder“_Juden
