Paul Kessler

Paul - formerly Isidor? - KESSLER: b. 13 Nov 1899, Knihatyn/Stanislau - d. circa 8 Nov 1987, Wien

Information courtesy of various sources, including the following

A particularly significant source providing access to a report written by Paul KESSLER about Resistance fighters and activities in France:

IDEA - ALM : Jewish underground fighters of Austrian origin who were active in the resistance in France and Belgium

https://www.infocenters.co.il/gfh/notebook_ext.asp?book=36963&lang=...

And also e.g.

Tatort Frankreich: Widerstand von ÖsterreicherInnen und ein „Experte“ der Gestapoleitstelle Wien | Default Book Series

https://www.vr-elibrary.de/doi/abs/10.7767/9783205203353-036

A brief but valuable biography here:

[PDF] Fahne der XI. Internationalen Brigade - Alfred Klahr Gesellschaft

Born in Kniahytyn - a locality in Stanislau. Moved to Vienna where he worked and married - under the first name of "Isidor"

Left the Jewish community as per www.genteam.at

Austritte in Wien aus der IKG 1915-1945

Lfdnr 11641
Name Kessler
Geburtsname
Vorname Isidor
Geburtsdatum 13.11.1899
Alter 22
Geburtsort Stanislau
Stand ledig
Beruf Lagerist
Zahl 728
Zahl Zusatz
Austrittsdatum 23.09.1921
Bezirk
Land
Wien/Bezirk 9
Wien/Strasse Georg Siglg.
Haus Nr. 13
zu Religion
Anmerkung

Basic civil marriage data from www.genteam.at

Die Ziviltrauungen in Wien zwischen 1870 und 1939

Lfdnr 13864
Name Kessler
Vorname Isidor
Geburtsdatum
Geburtsort
Beruf
Religion
Ehepartner Schapira Ottilie (Etie) Breine
Zahl 10687
Datum 1921.10.29
Standesamt
Anmerkung

Fled to France with his family. Joined the Resistance there. Was arrested and deported from Lyon via Drancy in a convoy heading for Buchenwald but managed to jump off the train at the border between Belgium and escaped with a friend - Moritz FELS-MARGULIES - cf. below*

cf. Note of arrest & deportation on the Camp de Drancy website:

https://ressources.memorialdelashoah.org/notice.php?q=identifiant_origine:(FRMEMSH0408707104757)

Convoi # 79, departure 17 Aug 1944

A clutch of documents/correspondence concerning Paul KESSLER to be found in Arolsen Archives:

https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/de/search/person/82840508?...

...

After the end of the war Paul KESSLER returned to Vienna.

A short article to congratulate him on his 50th birthday:

ANNO, Österreichische Volksstimme, 1949-11-13, Seite 4

https://anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/anno?aid=ovs&datum=19491113&seit...

Wife Ottilie died in 1952 so it was presumably sometime after this date that Paul married the widow Martha GLUCKSMANN, née BASS.

Paul KESSLER's death mentioned in newspaper of era:

ÖNB-ANNO - Der Neue Mahnruf

https://anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/anno-plus?aid=dnm&datum=1987&pag...

Paul and both his first and second wives are buried togethe at the Feuerhalle Simmeringr:

https://www.friedhoefewien.at/verstorbenensuche-detail?fname=Paul+K...

Kessler, Paul
Geboren: 13.11.1899
Verstorben:
Bestattungsdatum:
09.11.1987

Friedhof
Feuerhalle Simmering
Simmeringer Hauptstraße 337, 1110
Telefon +43(0)1 534 69 -28480
Details zum Friedhof
Route zum Friedhof
Grabdaten
Abteilung:
2
Ring:
2
Gruppe:
2
Nummer:
41
Grabnutzungsrecht bis:
auf Friedhofsdauer

Weiters in diesem Grab bestattet
Kessler Ottilie
Kessler Maria

• Moritz FELS-MARGULIES:

Camp de Drancy listing:

https://ressources.memorialdelashoah.org/notice.php?q=identifiant_origine:(FRMEMSH0408707114775)

And also cf. own autobiographical account:

Eine Kunde meiner Existenz: Briefe eines Widerstandskämpfers : Margulies, Moritz: Amazon.de: Bücher

https://www.amazon.de/Eine-Kunde-meiner-Existenz-Widerstandsk%C3%A4...