Contemporary source notes · added 28 October 2026

Rabbi Wiesner in Munich, 1936 and 1938

These two notices add to the Munich history already documented for Rav Shmaya Wiesner. Both name only Rabbi Wiesner. Identification with him is probable from his documented office, locality and period, not first-name or parent-bearing proof. No person, family link or confidence grade has been changed.

Lecture attendance reported in 1936

The Israelitisches Familienblatt of 22 October 1936 reports that Rabbi Wiesner and Rabbi Dr Ehrentreu attended a Munich lecture by Dr Alexander Adler on the work of Mizrachi and religious life in Eretz Israel. Attendance does not establish membership or political affiliation. The publication date is not the lecture's exact event date. The adjacent Curt Bondy report concerns a different event; it does not place Wiesner there.

Israelitisches Familienblatt, year 38, no.43, 22 October 1936, viewer image 5, section "München: Alexander Adler und Curt Bondy". The printed page numeral is not visible; image 5 is a viewer locator.

Mishnah teaching still advertised in 1938

The Munich community paper of 1 March 1938 still lists Rabbi Wiesner's Mishnah course at Reichenbachstraße 27 in its Lehrhaus timetable for March to mid-April. This extends the printed teaching notices beyond the site's 1937 course reference. It is an advertised course, not proof that every scheduled class took place; the notice supplies no first name or exact class time.

Jüdisches Gemeindeblatt für den Verband der Kultusgemeinden in Bayern, no.5, 1 March 1938, p.66, Lehrhaus / Stundenplan.

Short factual source notes with original-viewer links. No newspaper images are reproduced here, and no new ancestry or political affiliation is inferred.

How each claim is graded

Proven The fact was read by eye on an original record — a register entry, a gravestone, a signed document — and the identification is secure.

Probable Strong evidence short of proof: an index entry not yet read on the original, a renewed or printed inscription, or a match of names, places and dates across records.

Possible A reasonable lead or a family tradition that no record yet confirms. Possible claims are shown so they can be tested, not as facts.

Grades are never raised on this site beyond what the research recorded.

Record collections used

• Hungarian Jewish registers and civil registers (births, marriages, deaths, 1820s–1940s) — Hungarian National Archives, filmed and imaged by FamilySearch.
• Hungarian Jewish conscriptions of 1771, 1828 and the 1848 Jewish census — Hungarian National Archives (MNL OL) via FamilySearch and AdatbázisokOnline.
• Gravestone surveys of Bököny, Nyírbátor, Nagykálló (the Fisch ohel), Kemecse, Téglás, Cífer, Véke and other towns — © ESJF / Center for Jewish Art, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Find a Grave contributors; Geni.
• Hebrew books and journals — Chayei Olam (1899), Pri Tzadik (Pressburg 1839), Gedulat Gedalyahu (London 2019), Imrei Eliezer al HaTorah (Brooklyn 1995; the family memorial pages), Alei Zikaron (vols. 27, 46, 63, 64, 66, 67), Tzefunot 16 (1992), Melitzei Esh (1933), Netzer Mataʼai (1957), Dagul Merevava (1864), Kovetz Beit Aharon veYisrael, HaPardes (1983), HaMaor — via HebrewBooks.org.
• Hungarian printed sources — “A miskolci Avas” (Miskolc 1993) via Hungaricana; Paszternák, Miskolc és környéke mártírkönyve (1970); Magyar Zsidó Lexikon (1929); Magyar-Zsidó Oklevéltár VII; Hudi, Acta Papensia (Pápa 1803 and 1848 lists); Munkácsi’s 1939 genealogy.
• The Jewish press — Zsidó Újság, Zsidó Szemle, Egyenlőség and the New York Yiddish dailies — National Library of Israel, Historical Jewish Press.
• American records — naturalization declarations and petitions, US District Court EDNY (NARA, imaged by FamilySearch); NARA index cards (public domain); New York City marriage licences; NYC Municipal Archives 1940 tax photographs; Social Security records.
• Wartime documents — Salvadoran protection certificates of 1942, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (courtesy of Enrico Mandel-Mantello); the Sugihara visa list of 1940 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, public domain via Wikimedia Commons).
• Polish and Belarusian sources for Chomsk — the 1929–30 Polish business directories (Księga Adresowa Polski), the 1850 revision lists, and the Yiddish press of 1926 and 1937.
• Shoah victims’ names — the Central Database of Shoah Victims’ Names (dates and places only).
• Burial-society plots — the Telechaner Swentiwolier society plot, Montefiore Cemetery, New York.

Traditional lineages, unproven (back to the 1600s)

These lines are family or rabbinic traditions. Each is graded Possible: a printed or carved claim with no run of dated records joining every generation. They are kept here, with their sources, and are not drawn as links in the tree.

• Karlin line: R’ Yehoshua, born in the 1600s (Possible). On the tree, R’ Moshe of Kobrin (Beyla’s father) and Reb Aharon HaGadol are sons of R’ Yaakov “HaNistar” of Kobrin (Probable). The historian R’ Yosef Levinstein of Serock (1840–1924) wrote: “הה״צ ר׳ נחמן מקאסיב, ואחיו הרבי יעקב מקאברין, אבי הה״ק מ׳ אהרן [הגדול] מקארלין” (“the tzaddik R’ Nachman of Kosov, and his brother R’ Yaakov of Kobrin, father of the holy R’ Aharon [HaGadol] of Karlin”). An old photograph of R’ Nachman’s gravestone at Mezritch reads: “מורינו ר׳ נחמן בהמנוח מורינו ר׳ יהושע זלה״ה, נפטר ז׳ ימים לחודש מנחם אב תק״א” (“our teacher R’ Nachman son of the late R’ Yehoshua, died 7 Av 5501”, i.e. 1741). R’ Pinchas of Koretz said R’ Nachman died at about forty, so R’ Nachman was born about 1700, and his father R’ Yehoshua (already dead in 1741) was born in the 1600s. If R’ Yaakov was R’ Nachman’s brother, R’ Yehoshua is the siblings’ 7th-great-grandfather. The brotherhood rests on Levinstein’s note alone. Source: R’ Avraham Abish Shor, Kovetz Beit Aharon veYisrael no. 211 (Jerusalem 5781), pp. קעא–קעו (HebrewBooks 68740); the stone as published in Kovetz Shiftei Tzaddikim no. 14, p. צג. A side note: Levinstein places R’ Nachman’s “Kosov” at Kosava in Belarus, about 50 km from Chomsk, and Feigel Zditowski’s family tradition also speaks of “Kosov”. Nothing yet joins the two. Second-source check (23 Oct 2026): none found. Levinstein’s note was first printed in Kovetz Nachalat Tzvi no. 14, p. 172, §3. The two later writers who repeat it both cite Levinstein alone: R’ Menachem Mendel Wiesnitzer (Kovetz Nachalat Tzvi no. 18, Kislev 5771) calls it “a great novelty, entirely unknown in the history of Karlin”, and R’ Shalom Chaim Porush (Or Yekarot, vol. 4) writes that R’ Nachman’s roots “are not known” apart from Levinstein’s note. The Ohev Yisrael (Toldot), which Levinstein names as his source on R’ Nachman, quotes his teaching but says nothing of his family. The translated Kosów Poleski memorial book covers only the war years and has no chapter on the old rabbinate. So the link stays Possible. Published dissent (checked 23 Oct 2026, later that evening): the very next issue, Kovetz Beit Aharon veYisrael no. 212 (Kislev–Tevet 5781), pp. קעב–קעד (HebrewBooks 68741), prints a reply by R’ Avraham Yaakov HaLevi Itzkovitz of Jerusalem. He reports two scholars’ objection: the Karlin tradition remembers Reb Aharon HaGadol’s family, even his uncle R’ Menli, yet knows nothing of a tie to R’ Nachman of Kosov, and Levinstein’s lineage notes are “known to all who deal in yichus” to contain much error (“ערב רב של שטויות”). He adds that nothing shows the kinship, if any, ran through R’ Yaakov rather than through Reb Aharon’s mother. R’ Shor’s reply on p. קעד defends Levinstein’s traditions but brings no new source, and says his parallels between the two tzaddikim “were not brought to prove” the claim. The family book Shalshelet HaYuchsin Kozhnitz–Trisk (Montreal 5783 / 2023; HebrewBooks 66843), printed p. קפו, lists R’ Yaakov’s father as “perhaps (אולי) R’ Yehoshua, born between 5420 and 5465 (1660–1705)”, and its note 44 again cites only Levinstein. That note also places the gravestone photograph in Kovetz Shiftei Tzaddikim no. 14, p. צג. Shor’s own footnote 8 reads the same on the printed page (“קובץ שפתי צדיקים, גליון יד, עמ׳ צג”; checked 23 Oct 2026), so the issue is no. 14; an earlier note here gave no. 15 from a misread copy. S. Dubnow’s history of Hasidism (Yiddish, 1930, vol. 1, pp. 167–170 and 182–183) treats R’ Nachman of Kosov as a Galician member of the Baal Shem Tov’s circle and says nothing of any kinship with Karlin. So the brotherhood is not only single-source but disputed in print; it stays Possible and off the tree.
• Karlin line: R’ Feivush (Possible). Reb Aharon HaGadol’s mother Perel is called a daughter of R’ Feivush, and her brother was R’ Menli of Karlin. It is not known whether Perel was also the mother of R’ Moshe of Kobrin. Shalshelet HaYuchsin Kozhnitz–Trisk (Montreal 5783 / 2023), printed p. קפו, estimates R’ Feivush’s birth at 5450–5465 (1690–1705), from his son R’ Menli’s and his son-in-law R’ Yaakov’s dates, and says he apparently lived at Haradna (הארעדנא); an estimate, not a record. Source: Hebrew Wikipedia, “Aharon HaGadol of Karlin”; Shalshelet HaYuchsin Kozhnitz–Trisk (HebrewBooks 66843).
• Stolin–Karlin bridge: still unproven (Possible, family tradition). The link from R’ Chaim Chaikel Perlow up to the Stolin line is still not documented. The records that would close it: the 1884 Telekhany birth entry and the 1874 Stolin family list. The 1816 Stolin revision list, read on the original page (NHAB Minsk 333/9/71, ff. 212v–213; FHL film 1925416, image 755; scan on the Stolin KehilaLinks records page), confirms R’ Moshe Ber and his son Chaikel, 9, in R’ Asher of Stolin’s household, but it sits above the gap.
• Beit Aharon letters (Brody 1875) (read, no result). The 1875 Beit Aharon letters (Brody 1875, HebrewBooks 46089, pp. 295–316 plus the omissions section) were read in full and name no Perlow relative.
• Edeles line: the Magen Avraham (R’ Avraham Gombiner of Kalisz, c.1635–1682) and the Maharsha (1555–1631) (Possible). R’ Avraham Abeli Edeles, father of R’ Michel of Szomotor, is called a grandson of the Magen Avraham (Shalshelet HaZahav, and R’ Michel’s gravestone at Sátoraljaújhely). A gravestone at Kassa of a descendant of R’ Moshe Yehuda Leib Edeles of Véke says “of the stock of the Magen Avraham”. That R’ Moshe Yehuda Leib was a son of R’ Zeev Wolf of Véke, R’ Michel’s brother, is the author’s inference. Source: R’ Zalman Leib Weiss, Alei Zikaron no. 64 (Bnei Brak 5785), pp. 16–45 (HebrewBooks 67009).
• Glück line: the Prague family “Gad” (Possible). The family book Gedulat Gedalyahu (London 5779; HebrewBooks 63856) calls R’ Chanoch Glück of Pápa a son of “R’ Gedalyahu Gad of Prague”. Prague did have a family Gad: a stone of 1657, “Yisrael son of R’ Gad” (Hock, Die Familien Prags, 1892). No record joins R’ Chanoch to it, and the Prague registers checked show no Chanoch or Gedalya Gad.
• Possible relative: Shleoma (Solomon) Perlof (c.1862–67 – 24 Sep 1951) (Possible). He is buried at Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, in the Telechaner Swentiwolier Sick & Benevolent Society plot (Block 95, Row 5R, Grave 5), two rows from Jacob (Yankel) Perlow (Row 7R, Grave 4). The cemetery gives his age as 89; his 1916 New York papers give 10 Jul 1867, Pinsk. Same town society and surname, so perhaps a brother or cousin of R’ Chaim Chaikel Perlow, but no record names his parents, so he is kept here and not in the people index or the tree. Source: Montefiore Cemetery interment record (montefiorecemetery.org/interment/?id=5454094).
• Other Glück rabbis, not shown to be related (lead only). The Magyar Zsidó Lexikon (Budapest 1929), p. 315, has two Glück rabbis: Izsák Glück, rabbi of Sajószentpéter (“szül. Pruszkán 1835., megh. Sajószentpéteren 1888.”; son-in-law of Jechiel of Irsa; at Félegyháza 1860–70, then Sajószentpéter until his death), whose book Chinuch Beis Yitzchok was brought out after his death by his son-in-law and successor Chaim Fried (a 1936 reprint’s title page calls him the av beit din of “St. Péter” and names his son Yisrael Meir Glick); and Ábrahám Jicchok Glück of Tolcsva (b. Hajdúvértes 1826, d. 1909, rabbi there for fifty years from 1859). The lexicon names no father, place or relative that links either man to R’ Menachem Mendel Glück of Kemecse or his father R’ Gedalya of Bököny. The Sajószentpéter link is a town in common with the Wiesners, nothing more, so neither is on the tree. Source: Magyar Zsidó Lexikon p. 315 (MEK 04093, page image 0323), read 24 Oct 2026; HebrewBooks no. 127, title page.
• Sons of Gerson Eisenberger and “Ida” Wisner/Vizner at Nyírkarász (lead only, not on the tree). Nyírkarász Jewish births, vol. 1 (1876–1885), read on the originals on 24 Oct 2026 (FamilySearch film DGS 004000276, images 490–491): no. 8, “Samu”, boy, born 18 Feb 1877 (“1877 Február 18”), father “Eizenberger Gerson”, mother “Wizner Ida”, of Karász; midwife Forneider Mária; circumcised 25 Feb by “Wizner Naftali”; godparents “Kohn Antal és neje”. no. 32, “Dávid”, boy, born 15 Oct 1882, father “Eizenberger Gerson”, mother “Vizner Ida”, of Karász; midwife Forneider Mari; circumcised 22 Oct by Katz Izsák; godparents “Bitman Josef és neje”. no. 42, “Lajos”, boy, born 29 Dec 1883, father “Eizenberger Gerson”, mother “Vizner Ida”, of Karász; midwife Forneider Mari; circumcised 5 Jan 1884 by Rottenberg J., rabbi; godparents “Eizenberger Ign. és neje”. Gerson Eisenberger of Kárász married “Vizner Dine” of Gáva on 28 Feb 1877, and these may be her children, but the records do not say so: the mother is called Ida, not Dine or Dianna, no maiden-name birthplace or parents are given for her, and Samu was born ten days before that wedding. Until a record ties “Ida” to Dine (for example a later marriage or death of one of these sons naming his mother in full), they stay here and not on the tree.
• Zditowski line: the Vilna Gaon’s sister (Possible). The family memorial pages say Feigel, daughter of R’ Eliezer, traced her descent to the family of the Vilna Gaon’s sister, of Kosov. No record has been found that names the link.

Leads not yet placed in the tree

• Mózes and “Vizner Málke” (Wiesner) of Gáva: a son “Vizner Seme” was born at Gáva on 1 July 1878; the mohel and the godfather were both “Vizner Anton”, most likely Antal (Anton) Wiesner (Gáva Jewish births, Hungarian copy, 1878 no. 8; FamilySearch film DGS 004000277, image 258, read on the original). How this family is related to the Wiesners of the tree is not known, so none of them is in the tree.
• “Wizner Eszdi”, a girl, died at Gáva on 9 March 1875 aged 10 days, house no. 64 (1875 no. 3; Gáva Jewish deaths, German register p. 18 (FamilySearch film DGS 004000277, image 234), read on the original). She was born on 29 Feb 1875 to Wizner Mózes and “Wizner Bábe” (Gáva births 1875 no. 3, image 218). How Mózes is related to the tree is not known.
• “Wizner Hani Blüme”, a girl born at “Szabolcs”, died at Gáva on 20 March 1875 aged 4 years 1 month 11 days, house no. 33 (1875 no. 4; Gáva Jewish deaths, German register p. 18 (FamilySearch film DGS 004000277, image 234), read on the original). Her parents are not written.
• “Wizner Mardche”, a boy, died at Gáva on 18 September 1875 aged 4 (or 7; the digit is written over) years 6 months 4 days, house no. 39 (1875 no. 10; Gáva Jewish deaths, German register p. 18 (FamilySearch film DGS 004000277, image 234), read on the original). He is not Antal’s son Mardche, who died five days later on 23 September 1875 (1875 no. 13).
• “Wizner Simon”, a boy, died at Gáva on 11 October 1875 aged 4 years 8 months 1 day, house no. 20 (1875 no. 14; Gáva Jewish deaths, German register p. 18 (FamilySearch film DGS 004000277, image 234), read on the original). By the age written he is not Antal’s son Simon, born 13 April 1872.
• “Wizner Eszd.”, a girl aged 1 month, died at Gáva on 4 October 1883, house no. 91; the father is entered as an innkeeper (“Kotsmár”) (Gáva Jewish deaths, Hungarian copy, 1883 no. 5; FamilySearch film DGS 004000277, image 324). Her parents are not named.

About privacy

Living members of the family are named with their relation only — no dates, addresses or photographs. For those who died in the Holocaust, this record gives the date and place of death only.

Added 25 October 2026

• Debreczeni Ujság, 28 Sep 1917, p. 4 (National Széchényi Library, Electronic Periodicals Archive): “Wiesner Samu, rabbi of Breslau”, trial sermons at Debrecen. Proven as printed; identity Probable.
• Possible: Az Országos Izraelita Iroda iktatónaplója 1916–1918, entry 38592 (4 Oct 1916; Hungaricana): a “Samu Wiesner” employed by a synagogue association, probably at Breslau, in a wartime exemption matter. Not shown as fact: there were other men of this name.
• Breslauer Jüdisches Gemeindeblatt, Aug 1928, p. 12, and Bayerische Israelitische Gemeindezeitung 1928–1937 (Compact Memory, Frankfurt University Library).
• Magyarország kereskedelmi, ipari és mezőgazdasági címtára, 1924, p. 1278 (Hungaricana).
• Miami air-arrival card of Samu Wiezner, 31 May 1939 (NARA, via FamilySearch); SS Washington manifest, 9 Dec 1938 (FamilySearch).
• Naturalization papers of Miriam Wiesner, EDNY 341899 (1944) and 451336 (1947) (NARA, via FamilySearch); Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 11 Nov 1948, p. 16.
• Cook County, Illinois, death record of Irving Perlow, 1983 (FamilySearch); Arolsen Archives, 3.1.1.1, doc. 68575138.
• Gáva marriages 1889 no. 5, Gáva deaths 1895 no. 2, Bököny deaths 1884 no. 2 (FamilySearch DGS 004000277); Szerencs civil births 1901 and 1905; Püspökladány civil deaths 1936 no. 182.
• Miskolczi Estilap, 10 Mar 1917 (death notice of Juli Braunfeld; Probable).
• The Shmaya Association, Israel: https://www.shmaya.org.il/en/ (founded 1981 in memory of Rabbi Shmaya Wiesner).
• Map coordinates for the Perlow-line towns: OpenStreetMap and Wikipedia, read 25 Oct 2026. Pictures of Horodno (Haradnaja): Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Images and credits

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