Rudolf Ernst

As you may recall, Michel lived with me and my parents, from 1943 until he left for Paris in 1946 to live with his Aunt Else Schoenberg. He was orphaned when his mother Lotte Schoenberg died at the Jesenovac concentration camp in Zagreb, and when his father, my uncle the artist, Rudolf Ernst took his own life.  Rudi was on his way home with his brother Hugo Ernst from a chess game at a friend's home in downtown Zagreb.  It was close to the 9pm curfew hour and they were stopped by the Ustase (the Croation counterpart of the SS) and told to report to the police station the next day. It was well known then  by the Jews what that meant.   The two brothers committed suicide the next morning. You may recall Keltie and I sent you their death certificates from the Zagreb cemetery, Mirogoj that we acquired when we visited there in 2011.  Fred Z.Ferris.