Ancestors in Vienna.
It's difficult to describe relationships as a document (here). Almost all of this, and more besides, is in my family tree at Ancestry.com. I won't put my login details here!!
A lot of details are missing from my knowledge, e.g. when Emma Blau and Salomon Frankmann married. All such records will almost certainly be held at the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde (IKG), Wien. However, they don’t provide external access to the archives: one has to book a (chargeable) appointment in person. I never visited, but I expect I could probably spend an entire week there!
The Zentralfriedhof is huge. There are several main gates. Burial plot locations are defined by…
Gate no, Group, Row, Grave / Tor, Gruppe, Reihe, Grab
...albeit written in different forms. Presumably the gate number being that which is closest to the group?
The inside of the Friedhof is all connected by pathways, so you wouldn’t normally need to go back outside from one Tor to another. But it can be a long walk from one group to another. Think in terms of 20-30 minutes. Take warm clothes, good shoes, a torch (if you’re going to be there after 15:00) and warm drinks – it’s cold and the wind howls through.
Much of the Friedhof – particularly the older/Jewish/more remote parts is not maintained. Expect missing group and row numbers, long grasses and overgrown graves and fallen headstones. Within a row, you have to work out which direction the graves are numbered. There are layout maps by the gates: Take photos of them for reference like this one...
Be aware of Friedhof opening & closing times (Main gate - Tor 2, 08:00-17:00 in Winter. Be aware though… Die Nebentore werden aus organisatorischen Gründen bis zu einer Stunde später geöffnet beziehungsweise früher geschlossen. Sollten Sie bei einem Besuch irrtümlich eingeschlossen werden, verständigen Sie die Polizei (Notruf: 133 oder 112). Sie besitzt Schlüssel zu den Haupttoren.), and give yourself time to get out through the gates. Zentralfriedhof contact and other details are here.
(My) Grandparents
Hans Frankmann
b. 4/3/1897, Wien IX, Porzellangasse22a (1)
m. 12/1919, Stadttempel, Wien.
Wohnungen:
Presumably - before 1902: Wien II, Taborstr 76 and/or Wien II, Porzellangasse 22a
before 1913: Wien I, Fleischmarkt 8? <- Although supplied by the official Meldedaten, I'm not sure this is reliable
from 1913-1922: Wien I, Fleischmarkt 16/23. (Vorher: 1., Fleischmarkt 8 (Diese Meldung konnte nicht ermittelt werden.))
from 1922-1938: Wien I, Elisabethstr 5.
d. 7/9/1979, Wigan. Cremated Southport Crematorium
Fleischmarkt 16 is interesting as it’s very close by the Griechenbeisl/Gelbe Adler Gasthof. It's worth taking a look inside even if you don't eat/drink there.
Nella/Nelly Halpern
b. 18/7/1896, Lwow/Lviv/Lemberg
m. 12/1919. Wohnung at that time: Wien I, Elisabethstr 5.
d. 26/12/1967, Wigan. Cremated Southport Crematorium
Their children:
Peter Josef
b. 31/5/1925, Wien I, Elisabethstr 5
d. 27/3/1928, Wien
buried. Wiener Zentralfriedhof: 1. TOR, Gruppe 19-Reihe 5-Grab 5 Kinderabteilung (same grave as his uncle – Paul, below). (Link to Findagrave page)
Ilse Joanna
b. 19/2/1930, Wien I, Elisabethstr 5
d. 14/4/2022, Wigan
cremated. 13/5/2022, Charnock Richard crematorium.
Hans’ siblings
Paul
b. 28/1/1895, Wien 9, Porzellangasse 22a
d. 15/12/1898 Wien.
Buried. Wiener Zentralfriedhof: 1. TOR, Gruppe 19-Reihe 5- Grab 5 Kinderabteilung (Link to Findagrave page)
Margarethe/Grete
b. 2/9/1899 Wien IX, Porzellangasse 22a (1)
m. 25/2/1922 (Franz Stern). Stadttempel, Wien.
Divorced. 21/8/1924. Wien
m. 29/12/1924 (Hans Korf)
divorced. 18/4/1932. Wien
5/1939. Registered residence (very briefly?) - Prague. Presumably living with, or near (~140km) her mother - see Paula Weiner, below.
Immigration to US: 5/1939
d. 7/1972. Norfolk, MA.
Notes:
1. This address is on the birth certificate of both Hans and Grete in the late 1890s, but it doesn't appear in the Meldedaten of her parents. From what I can find, it seems like it was always a residential Haus (Zinshaus). Maybe the Stadt Wien didn't do a very thorough check of the Meldedaten for the money I paid them, or the data are incomplete.
(My) Great-grandparents
The Frankmanns
Jonas (aka Josef from 1913) Frankmann
Father of Paul, Hans & Margarethe.
b. 8/8/1865, Wien
Wohnungen:
1897: Not shown in the Meldedaten, but Hans' birth register entry (at the IKG) and his birth certificate show his parents' address as being Wien IX, Porzellangasse 22a. Interestingly, the birth certificate also lists witnesses Richard Weiner (also at Porzellangasse 22a) and S(amuel) Frankmann (at Wien II, Glockengasse 23). I can't find any relevant info on Richard Weiner. Possibly brother of Pauline Weiner?
Before 1902: Wien 2, Taborstr 76 (Diese Meldung ist nicht erhalten geblieben.)
1902-1913: Wien 1, Fleischmarkt 16 (mitgemeldete Gattin Paula, 28 Jahre alt, mitgemeldete Kinder Hans, 5 Jahre alt, und Grete, 3 Jahre alt)
1913-1923: Wien 1, Fleischmarkt 16/23
m. 25/3/1894 (Pauline/Paula Weiner), Jihlava/Iglau, Czechia
d. 2/1/1925, Wien
buried: Zentralfriedhof Wien, Tor 4, Gruppe 009, Reihe 002, Grab 033
(Link to Findagrave page).
Paula (geb. Weiner)
Wife of Jonas/Josef. Mother of Paul, Hans & Margarethe.
b. 31/5/1873, Rossochatetz, Chotěboř, Bohemia
Registered as living at Trutnov, Kralovehradecky, Czech Republic, May 1936.
Living at Shelbourne Hotel, London – 2/5/1939.
d. Wigan 16/8/1945.
buried Rainsough Jewish Cemetery, Prestwich, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, CBD Section, Block I (or L, perhaps?), grave 9
(Findagrave).
Josef’s brother
Salomon (Samuel) Frankmann
b. 23/4/1873, Wien.
m. 25/12/1899, Wiener Stadttempel, to Emma Blau (who emigrated to USA from Lisbon on the SS Nyassa, arriving New York 25/4/1941).
Wohnung, 1920 – Wien 1, Sterngasse 11
d. 15/1/1927, Wien
buried: Zentralfriedhof, I. TOR 50-45-53 (Findagrave ← the current entry on this web page shows an incorrect date of birth. A correction has been submitted.)
(My) Great-grandparents.
The Halperns
Michael/Michal
Father of Felicya (Fehla), Nella & Julia (Jula)
b. 21/1/1863 Stanislawow/Stanislau/Ivano Frankivsk.
m. 2/2/1892 - Chaje Hentcze (Klara) Sprecher, Lwow/Lviv, Ukraine
Wohnungugen:
Before 1910 - Wien 9, Liechtensteinstraße 20
1910-Jan 1939 - 1, Elisabethstr 5/5
Feb 1939-Oct 1939 - Wien 8, Josefstädter Straße 43-45/20. (Probably evicted from Elisabethstr as Jews were no longer allowed to live in central Wien.)
Oct 1939-May 1941 - Altersheim. Wien 20, Wasnergasse 33 (Probably evicted once again)
May 1941-Jul 1941 - Altersheim. Wien 9, Seegasse 9. (Further information about Wiener Altersheime, including Seegasse - PDF)
d. 12/7/1941.
buried 15/7/1941, Wiener Zentralfriedhof, T4 Group: 20 Row: 39 Grave: 11 - Enterdigt Am 19.7.49...
reburied in Wiener Zentralfriedhof at T4 Group: 2 Row: 4 Grave: 28 (Findagrave).
Klara Halpern (geb. Sprecher)
Wife of Michal. Mother of Felicya (Fehla), Nella/Nelly & Julia (Jula)
b. 15/1/1870, Lwow/Lviv/Lemberg, Ukraine
m. 2/2/1892 - Michal Halpern, Lwow/Lviv, Ukraine
Wohnungen - same as Michal until...
18/10/1941-27/8/1942 - Altersheim. Wien 10, Alxingergasse 97
27/8/1942: Deported to Theresienstadt
29/9/1942: Deported to Treblinka (PDF)
(My) Great, great grandparents
Weiner
Parents of my great-grandmother Paula Frankmann
Easy one this: All I know is that her parents' names were David and Anna. I have no further information about them.
There is also a Richard Weiner recorded as a witness on Hans Frankmann's birth certificate, but I can find no further details about him.
(My) Great, great grandparents
Frankmanns
Samuel/Salomon
Father of my great-grandparent - Jonas/Josef Frankmann.
Living at Wien II, Glockengasse 23 at the time his grandson - Hans - was born. No further information.
Wilhelmine geb. Wandtuch/Wandtoch/Wantoch
Mother of my great-grandparent - Jonas/Josef Frankmann. Wife of Salomon.
No further information.
Salomon & Wilhelmina had a son, brother to Jonas/Josef, also confusingly named...
Samuel/Salomon Frankmann
His details are listed under "Josef's brother", below Josef and Paula Frankmann (2).
Halperns & Sprechers
This gets messy now as there are lots of them, but I have only scant details of them, and I can't guarantee their accuracy. Joel Halpern had 11 siblings. I've found no further family information for his wife - Mina (geb. Epstein).
Joel & Mina Halpern had nine children, including Michal.
Joel Halpern's parents - Rabbi Abraham Halpern of Stanislaw and Nechama (geb. Zausmer) - had 12 children. I'm not going to list them here.
Klara Halpern's parents - Jakob and Jütte (geb. Chajes) had eight children, including Klara.
Joel Halpern
b.1838, Stanislawow.
m. around 1858, to Mina (Wilhelmina) Epstein.Tomaszów Lubelski, 22-600, Poland
d. 1898, Bolechow, L'viv, Ukraine
Mina Halpern (geb. Epstein)
b. 1843, location unknown.
m. around 1858, to Joel Halpern. Tomaszów Lubelski, 22-600, Poland
Wohnung prior to death: Wien 6, Gumpendorferstr 9. This building is above the Asian restaurant "Shanghai Tan", and directly opposite Phil cafe/bookshop for wonderful breakfasts (and other meals, presumably!) and interesting books. Browse while you eat!
d. 24 Sep 1913, Wien
buried. 26/9/1913, Wiener Zentralfriedhof Section: T1 Group: 51 Row: 18 Grave: 76 (Findagrave - includes a photo of the location). Mum & I couldn't find this grave when we were there in 2022, but I didn't have all the location details then. Only later did I find this record from JewishGen Online Worldwide Burial Registry (JOWBR)::
Address: 1060, Gumpendorferstr. 9, Occupation: Kaufmannswitwe Tomb: Yes Urn: No Comments: Gruft für 3 Leichen an der Mauer Dr. Jakob Halpern.
Actually, the crypt contains 4 bodies as I just discovered (18/12/2025):
Minna Halpern
Jacob Halpern
Simon Halpern
Benno Halpern
Joel & Mina's children
(Dr) Heinrich (Uscher Ensel) Halpern
b. 1861, Stanislawow.
m. 1896 to Ernestine (Tina) Marie Sara Horowitz (b. 1876 Moscow)
d. 1929, Wien.
buried. Zentralfriedhof, Wien: IV. TOR 12-24-31 (Findagrave)
They had two children: Dr. Otto Israel Halpern (b. 1899, Wien. d. 1982, London) & Stefan Halpern.
(Dr) Jacob Halpern
b.1864, Stanislawow
d. 1934, Wien
buried. Zentralfriedhof Wien: I. TOR 51-18-76 (Findagrave). Same grave as his mother - Mina (geb. Epstein)
(Dr) Simon Halpern
b. 1865, Stanislawow
d. 1935, Wien.
buried.
Zentralfriedhof Wien: I. TOR 51-18-76 (Findagrave). Same grave as his mother - Mina (geb. Epstein)
Rosalia Halpern
b. 1867, Stanislawow
m. 1891 to Salomon Zygmunt Samuely, Stanislawow (b. 1865, d. Jan 1928 Wien, buried Zentralfriedhof (Findagrave)
d. 1932, Wien. No burial records found, but may be worth checking her husband's headstone?
Jente Halpern
b. 1869, Stanslawow.
No further details.
Chaje Hentze (Klara) Halpern
b. 15/1/1870, Lwow/Lviv/Lemberg, Ukraine
m. 2/2/1892 - Michal Halpern, Lwow/Lviv, Ukraine
27/8/1942: Deported to Theresienstadt
29/9/1942: Deported to Treblinka (PDF)
Anna Halpern
b. 1871, Stanslawow.
No further details.
Pessel Halpern
b. 1873, Stanislawow
d. 1878, Stanislawow
BenZion (Benno) Halpern
b. 1879, Stanislawow
d. 1916, Wien
buried. Zentralfriedhof, Wien: I. TOR 51-18-76 (Findagrave). Same grave as his mother & Simon Halpern.
Children of Jakob & Jütte Sprecher (Geb. Chajes)
Markus Sprecher and Moritz Sprecher
no details other than their names
Heinrich Sprecher
b. 1857, L'viv
d. 1922
Regina Pappenheim (geb. Sprecher)
b. 1858, L'viv
m. 1880, to Max Pappenheim. Lemberg. (d. 1921, Wien. Buried Zentralfriedhof T4 Group: 11 Row: 7 Grave: 7 (Findagrave)
d. 1924, Wien
buried Zentralfriedhof: T4 Group: 6 Row: 9 Grave: 77 (Findagrave)
Wohnung at time of death: Wien 1090,Porzellangasse 50
I only just (17/12/2025) discovered this relationship. The Pappenheims lived in, and their children were born in, Bratislava. My mother used to tell of her parents - Nella & Hans Frankmann (?? Or possibly her grand-parents?) having a summer house in Bratislava, where they would frequently visit from Vienna. So this may well link to my mother's memories.
Henrietta (geb. Sprecher)
b. 1860, L'viv
m. 1883, L'viv.
No further details.
Moses Sprecher
b. 1865, Stanislawow
No further details
(Dr) Meier/Meyer/Max Sprecher
b. 1868, Stanislawow
m. 1906, Stadttempel, Wien, to Kamilla/Camilla Leitner
d. 1923, Payerbach, Reichenau
buried Zentralfriedhof Wien:
I. TOR 76B-32-5A (Findagrave)
Meier & Kamilla had two children:
Franz Sprecher
b. 1907, Wien
d. 1926, Wien
and
Rudolf Leopold Sprecher
b. 1912, Wien
m. to Ilse Löbl (b. Wien, 1918. d. London, 2001). It looks like Ilse remarried to Henry Douglas after Rudolf's death, but I can find no further details.
d. 1949, London
That's as far as I can go now (17/12/2025)
Buildings/locations potentially of interest - summary
Note: Most older documents, street signs, and address books in Vienna used a shortened form for the Bezirknummer (district number), e.g. Wien II. I have used this form in this document, though I've used both Roman numerals and Arabic numerals interchangeably. In fact, the proper form, as mostly used today, uses four digits, beginning with 1. So Wien I, is Wien 1010; Wien VI is Wien 1060; Wien XII is Wien 1120 etc. See here for full details.
| Where | Who (related to me) | When |
|---|---|---|
| Wien II, Glockengasse 23 | Great-great grandfather Salomon Frankmann, grandfather of Hans. | 1897 |
| Wien IX, Porzellangasse 22a | Grandfather - Hans Frankmann | 1897 |
| Grand-uncle - (short-lived) Paul Frankmann | 1895 | |
| Grand-aunt - Margarethe Frankmann | 1899 | |
|
||
| Wien IX, Porzellangasse 50 |
|
Until around 1924 |
| Wien I, Fleischmarkt 8 |
|
before 1913? |
| Wien I, Fleischmarkt 16 (possibly two separate apartments over time) | Presumably, all the above, plus... | 1913-1922 |
| Grandmother Nelly Frankmann (Geb. Halpern) | 1919-1922 (after marriage to Hans) | |
| Wien IX, Liechtensteinstraße 20 |
|
Before 1910 |
| Wien I, Elisabethstr 5 (probably two separate apartments over time) |
|
1910-1938 |
| Grandmother - Nelly Halpern | 1910-1919 & 1922-1938 | |
| Great-aunt - Felicya (Fela) Halpern | 1910-1917 (presumably) | |
| Great-aunt - Julia (Jula) Halpern | 1910-1920 (presumably) | |
| Grandfather - Hans Frankmann | 1922-1938 | |
| Uncle - (short-lived) Peter Josef Frankmann | 1925-1928 | |
| Mother - Ilse (Geb. Frankmann) | 1930-1938 | |
| Wien II, Taborstr 76 |
|
Before 1902 |
| Wien I, Sterngasse 11 | Salomon (Samuel) Frankmann (brother of Josef Frankmann) | around 1920 |
| Wien VIII, Josefstädterstr 43-45/20 |
|
8 months in 1939 |
| Wien XX, Wasnergasse 33 (Altersheim) |
|
Oct 1939-May 1941 |
| Wien IX, Seegasse 9 (Altersheim) | Michal Halpern | May 1941-Jul 1941 |
| Klara (Geb. Sprecher) | May 1941-Oct 1941 | |
| Wien X, Alxingergasse 97 (Altersheim) | Klara Halpern (Geb. Sprecher) | 18/10/1941-27/8/1942 |
| Wien VI, Gumpendorferstr 9 |
|
Up to Sept 1913 |
Zentralfriedhof burials summary
Grouped by Tor
| Name (Linked to their Findagrave page) | Tor | Plot |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Josef Frankmann | 1 | Gruppe 19-Reihe 5-Grab 5 Kinderabteilung. |
| Paul Frankmann | 1 | Gruppe 19-Reihe 5- Grab 5 Kinderabteilung |
| Salamon Frankmann (Josef's brother - d. 15/1/1927) | 1 | 50-45-53 |
| Mina Halpern (geb. Epstein) | 1 | Group: 51 Row: 18 Grave: 76 |
| Dr Jakob Halpern | 1 | Group: 51 Row: 18 Grave: 76 |
| Benno Halpern | 1 | Group: 51 Row: 18 Grave: 76 |
| Simon Halpern | 1 | Group: 51 Row: 18 Grave: 76 |
| Dr Meier/Meyer/Max Sprecher | 1 | 76B-32-5A |
| Jonas/Josef Frankmann | 4 | Gruppe 009, Reihe 002, Grab 033 |
| Michal Halpern | 4 | Group: 2 Row: 4 Grave: 28 (Headstone also has a memorial to Klara - probably added when he was reburied) |
| Dr Heinrich Halpern | 4 | 12-24-31 |
| Regina Pappenheim (geb. Sprecher) | 4 | Group: 6 Row: 9 Grave: 77 |
| Max Pappenheim | 4 | Group: 11 Row: 7 Grave: 7 |