Posted on November 13, 2019
Just months before the earth-shattering tragedy of Kristallnacht occurred in Germany in November 1938, awakening the Jewish community to a new reality, the family of Heinz Birnbrei already knew their lives were endangered. The 14-year-old from Dortmund who was later to be known as Henry Birnbrey was given 24 hours to say goodbye to his parents and obtain his visa from the U.S. Consulate in Stuttgart. The future Atlantan sailed on the SS Hansa from Hamburg and arrived in New York in April 1938.