Our Curator Werner S Hirsch

Greetings To All,

For today, I would like to honor our Curator Werner S. Hirsch who passed in 2021. He was a great contributor to the organization with his books and his valuable gift of translations. To regale his life  – 

Werner S. Hirsch, of New Haven, husband of Barbara (Herman) Hirsch, passed peacefully on January 26, 2021. Born in Aschaffenburg, Germany on March 6, 1935, Werner was the son of the late Lothar and Elsa Hirsch; beloved father of Melissa Hirsch (Charles) Rosenay of Orange and the late Lawrence (Larry) Hirsch; cherished grandfather of Lauren, Harrison and Ian; brother-in-law of the late Barry E. Herman; dear friend of Lydia Rutkowski.

Werner S. Hirsch survived Kristallnacht (“Crystal Night”) at the beginning of the Holocaust and was fortunate to be able to come to the United States at the age of 5 with his parents, settling in the Hartford area. He studied at the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore, Maryland, served in the U.S. Army, graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Degree in Engineering, and earned his Master’s Degree in Education at Sacred Heart University. He married and moved to New Haven, where he worked as an electrical engineer at SNET (Southern New England Telephone) until retirement. For many years, Werner was a Bar Mitzvah tutor and taught Hebrew School, was the curator for the Jewish Historical Society, was very active in Geneology projects bringing many lost relatives together, and edited numerous books including volumes of the “Jews In New Haven” series. He was invited to Germany on many occasions to conduct classes on Holocaust subjects for German students. He was honored by the Mayor of Aschaffenburg, Germany, where he served as an ambassador for Jews deserving reparation for war crimes and atrocities.
Funeral Services will only be held at Beth Hamedrosh Cemetery, Brockett Place, East Haven this THURSDAY Morning, January 28 at 9:30 a.m. Due to the Pandemic, there will be a private period of mourning. Memorial Contributions may be sent to Southern CT Hebrew Academy or the Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol B’nail Israel (The Westville Synagogue).    

For a more complete regaling of his wonderful life, I direct you to our books Jews in New Haven Vol IX – the article entitled: Interview with Werner Hirsch Curator of the Collection of the Jewish Historical Society Archives by Rhoda Sachs Zahler. His life was of a life well lived. Werner’s contribution to the existence of the Society is more than commendable – he saved a great part of the Jewish lives forming the city of New Haven. He was a man of great honor and great dignity. I am honored to have meet him and enjoy his superior knowledge. Thank you, Werner  – May your memory always be a wonderful blessing.

Patti