Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) - August 24, 1988
Deceased Name: WOMAN WHO FLED NAZIS IN GERMANY TO BECOME U.S. CITIZEN DIES AT 105
Mrs. Anna Bellmann, 105, a German-born Jew who fled Adolf Hitler's Germany and later became a U.S. citizen, died today at her residence, 5700 Fitzhugh Ave.
Born Aug. 16, 1883, in Nuremberg, Germany, and reared in Augsburg, she was the youngest of four children born to a Jewish banker's family. In 1904, she married a banker, Kurt Bellman, and they reared two sons, Richard and Werner. World War I brought difficult times. "On Christmas, I invited always six soldiers to feed them," she said in a 1986 interview. "I gave everyone a gift and had a beautiful Christmas tree with lights. But I don't know if they liked or not because I'm Jewish."
She and her husband were awarded gold medals by the German government for their services in writing and sending packages to soldiers and financial aid. Her life in Germany began to crumble on her 50th birthday, when her husband was buried. The German government under Hitler soon stripped Jews of their rights. Her son, Richard, a lawyer, went to Nice, France, after Jews were barred from practicing law in Germany.
In 1941, the Third Reich ordered Jews to identify themselves by wearing large yellow Star of David patches. "I was so ashamed," she said in the 1986 interview. "And not because I was Jewish. The first day we had to wear the sign, I went out into a part of the city where I was not known. A 6-year-old schoolgirl cried, "Ha. She has the sign. She's a Jew. We can spit on her.' It was like that wherever we went."
With many of her friends being killed, Mrs. Bellmann decided to flee Germany in 1941 and join cousins, her parents, her grandmother and her son, Werner, who had come to Richmond. Since Germany was at war with the United States and France, her son, who had joined the U.S. Army, arranged for her to obtain a visa to Cuba.
Allowed to carry only 100 pounds of belongings, she went to her son in France, which was under German occupation. After hiding with him and his family in a Catholic convent for six weeks, she went to Portugal, where she boarded a ship for Cuba. She lived in Cuba 1 1/2 years before coming to the United States.
She said the day she arrived in New York City and saw the Statue of Liberty was "unforgettable. I fell down on my knees, folded my hands and said, 'Thank God, my life is saved.' "
After a visit to Richmond, she lived in Stockton, Calif., with her mother and brother for 15 years. At age 60, she worked in a cannery by day, babysat at night and, while the children slept at night, knitted and crocheted baby clothes, which she sold through an agent.
Mrs. Bellman then moved to France to live with her son for a time before returning to Richmond, where she lived at the Beth Sholom Home for more than 20 years.
She was a charter member of the home's resident council and had been chief editor of the home's resident handbook. She had won ribbons and trophies for volunteer work and participation in the home's annual field day Olympics.
Two broken hips confined her to a wheelchair in her later years, but she said she still could do 160 pull-ups.
Each night before she went to sleep, she recited "the preamble to the Constitution," she said in the interview. "I remember the presidents and say the names of the 50 states," along with a French prayer, some English poems, the names of the nine Greek muses, some German songs and occasionally the plot to a favorite opera.
She took up oil painting when she was in her late 80s because she heard people were needed for the class. "Whatever goes on, I join it," she said.
Mrs. Bellmann said in 1986 that she didn't feel her age "because I'm very hard on myself."
She was a member of Congregation Or Ami.
Survivors include three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the Emek Sholom section of Forest Lawn Cemetery, 4000 Alma Ave.
The family suggests that memorial donations be made to the Beth Sholom Home.
Deceased Name: WOMAN WHO FLED NAZIS IN GERMANY TO BECOME U.S. CITIZEN DIES AT 105
Mrs. Anna Bellmann, 105, a German-born Jew who fled Adolf Hitler's Germany and later became a U.S. citizen, died today at her residence, 5700 Fitzhugh Ave.
Born Aug. 16, 1883, in Nuremberg, Germany, and reared in Augsburg, she was the youngest of four children born to a Jewish banker's family. In 1904, she married a banker, Kurt Bellman, and they reared two sons, Richard and Werner. World War I brought difficult times. "On Christmas, I invited always six soldiers to feed them," she said in a 1986 interview. "I gave everyone a gift and had a beautiful Christmas tree with lights. But I don't know if they liked or not because I'm Jewish."
She and her husband were awarded gold medals by the German government for their services in writing and sending packages to soldiers and financial aid. Her life in Germany began to crumble on her 50th birthday, when her husband was buried. The German government under Hitler soon stripped Jews of their rights. Her son, Richard, a lawyer, went to Nice, France, after Jews were barred from practicing law in Germany.
In 1941, the Third Reich ordered Jews to identify themselves by wearing large yellow Star of David patches. "I was so ashamed," she said in the 1986 interview. "And not because I was Jewish. The first day we had to wear the sign, I went out into a part of the city where I was not known. A 6-year-old schoolgirl cried, "Ha. She has the sign. She's a Jew. We can spit on her.' It was like that wherever we went."
With many of her friends being killed, Mrs. Bellmann decided to flee Germany in 1941 and join cousins, her parents, her grandmother and her son, Werner, who had come to Richmond. Since Germany was at war with the United States and France, her son, who had joined the U.S. Army, arranged for her to obtain a visa to Cuba.
Allowed to carry only 100 pounds of belongings, she went to her son in France, which was under German occupation. After hiding with him and his family in a Catholic convent for six weeks, she went to Portugal, where she boarded a ship for Cuba. She lived in Cuba 1 1/2 years before coming to the United States.
She said the day she arrived in New York City and saw the Statue of Liberty was "unforgettable. I fell down on my knees, folded my hands and said, 'Thank God, my life is saved.' "
After a visit to Richmond, she lived in Stockton, Calif., with her mother and brother for 15 years. At age 60, she worked in a cannery by day, babysat at night and, while the children slept at night, knitted and crocheted baby clothes, which she sold through an agent.
Mrs. Bellman then moved to France to live with her son for a time before returning to Richmond, where she lived at the Beth Sholom Home for more than 20 years.
She was a charter member of the home's resident council and had been chief editor of the home's resident handbook. She had won ribbons and trophies for volunteer work and participation in the home's annual field day Olympics.
Two broken hips confined her to a wheelchair in her later years, but she said she still could do 160 pull-ups.
Each night before she went to sleep, she recited "the preamble to the Constitution," she said in the interview. "I remember the presidents and say the names of the 50 states," along with a French prayer, some English poems, the names of the nine Greek muses, some German songs and occasionally the plot to a favorite opera.
She took up oil painting when she was in her late 80s because she heard people were needed for the class. "Whatever goes on, I join it," she said.
Mrs. Bellmann said in 1986 that she didn't feel her age "because I'm very hard on myself."
She was a member of Congregation Or Ami.
Survivors include three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the Emek Sholom section of Forest Lawn Cemetery, 4000 Alma Ave.
The family suggests that memorial donations be made to the Beth Sholom Home.
Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) - August 24, 1988
Deceased Name: WOMAN WHO FLED NAZIS IN GERMANY TO BECOME U.S. CITIZEN DIES AT 105
Mrs. Anna Bellmann, 105, a German-born Jew who fled Adolf Hitler's Germany and later became a U.S. citizen, died today at her residence, 5700 Fitzhugh Ave.
Born Aug. 16, 1883, in Nuremberg, Germany, and reared in Augsburg, she was the youngest of four children born to a Jewish banker's family. In 1904, she married a banker, Kurt Bellman, and they reared two sons, Richard and Werner. World War I brought difficult times. "On Christmas, I invited always six soldiers to feed them," she said in a 1986 interview. "I gave everyone a gift and had a beautiful Christmas tree with lights. But I don't know if they liked or not because I'm Jewish."
She and her husband were awarded gold medals by the German government for their services in writing and sending packages to soldiers and financial aid. Her life in Germany began to crumble on her 50th birthday, when her husband was buried. The German government under Hitler soon stripped Jews of their rights. Her son, Richard, a lawyer, went to Nice, France, after Jews were barred from practicing law in Germany.
In 1941, the Third Reich ordered Jews to identify themselves by wearing large yellow Star of David patches. "I was so ashamed," she said in the 1986 interview. "And not because I was Jewish. The first day we had to wear the sign, I went out into a part of the city where I was not known. A 6-year-old schoolgirl cried, "Ha. She has the sign. She's a Jew. We can spit on her.' It was like that wherever we went."
With many of her friends being killed, Mrs. Bellmann decided to flee Germany in 1941 and join cousins, her parents, her grandmother and her son, Werner, who had come to Richmond. Since Germany was at war with the United States and France, her son, who had joined the U.S. Army, arranged for her to obtain a visa to Cuba.
Allowed to carry only 100 pounds of belongings, she went to her son in France, which was under German occupation. After hiding with him and his family in a Catholic convent for six weeks, she went to Portugal, where she boarded a ship for Cuba. She lived in Cuba 1 1/2 years before coming to the United States.
She said the day she arrived in New York City and saw the Statue of Liberty was "unforgettable. I fell down on my knees, folded my hands and said, 'Thank God, my life is saved.' "
After a visit to Richmond, she lived in Stockton, Calif., with her mother and brother for 15 years. At age 60, she worked in a cannery by day, babysat at night and, while the children slept at night, knitted and crocheted baby clothes, which she sold through an agent.
Mrs. Bellman then moved to France to live with her son for a time before returning to Richmond, where she lived at the Beth Sholom Home for more than 20 years.
She was a charter member of the home's resident council and had been chief editor of the home's resident handbook. She had won ribbons and trophies for volunteer work and participation in the home's annual field day Olympics.
Two broken hips confined her to a wheelchair in her later years, but she said she still could do 160 pull-ups.
Each night before she went to sleep, she recited "the preamble to the Constitution," she said in the interview. "I remember the presidents and say the names of the 50 states," along with a French prayer, some English poems, the names of the nine Greek muses, some German songs and occasionally the plot to a favorite opera.
She took up oil painting when she was in her late 80s because she heard people were needed for the class. "Whatever goes on, I join it," she said.
Mrs. Bellmann said in 1986 that she didn't feel her age "because I'm very hard on myself."
She was a member of Congregation Or Ami.
Survivors include three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the Emek Sholom section of Forest Lawn Cemetery, 4000 Alma Ave.
The family suggests that memorial donations be made to the Beth Sholom Home.
Deceased Name: WOMAN WHO FLED NAZIS IN GERMANY TO BECOME U.S. CITIZEN DIES AT 105
Mrs. Anna Bellmann, 105, a German-born Jew who fled Adolf Hitler's Germany and later became a U.S. citizen, died today at her residence, 5700 Fitzhugh Ave.
Born Aug. 16, 1883, in Nuremberg, Germany, and reared in Augsburg, she was the youngest of four children born to a Jewish banker's family. In 1904, she married a banker, Kurt Bellman, and they reared two sons, Richard and Werner. World War I brought difficult times. "On Christmas, I invited always six soldiers to feed them," she said in a 1986 interview. "I gave everyone a gift and had a beautiful Christmas tree with lights. But I don't know if they liked or not because I'm Jewish."
She and her husband were awarded gold medals by the German government for their services in writing and sending packages to soldiers and financial aid. Her life in Germany began to crumble on her 50th birthday, when her husband was buried. The German government under Hitler soon stripped Jews of their rights. Her son, Richard, a lawyer, went to Nice, France, after Jews were barred from practicing law in Germany.
In 1941, the Third Reich ordered Jews to identify themselves by wearing large yellow Star of David patches. "I was so ashamed," she said in the 1986 interview. "And not because I was Jewish. The first day we had to wear the sign, I went out into a part of the city where I was not known. A 6-year-old schoolgirl cried, "Ha. She has the sign. She's a Jew. We can spit on her.' It was like that wherever we went."
With many of her friends being killed, Mrs. Bellmann decided to flee Germany in 1941 and join cousins, her parents, her grandmother and her son, Werner, who had come to Richmond. Since Germany was at war with the United States and France, her son, who had joined the U.S. Army, arranged for her to obtain a visa to Cuba.
Allowed to carry only 100 pounds of belongings, she went to her son in France, which was under German occupation. After hiding with him and his family in a Catholic convent for six weeks, she went to Portugal, where she boarded a ship for Cuba. She lived in Cuba 1 1/2 years before coming to the United States.
She said the day she arrived in New York City and saw the Statue of Liberty was "unforgettable. I fell down on my knees, folded my hands and said, 'Thank God, my life is saved.' "
After a visit to Richmond, she lived in Stockton, Calif., with her mother and brother for 15 years. At age 60, she worked in a cannery by day, babysat at night and, while the children slept at night, knitted and crocheted baby clothes, which she sold through an agent.
Mrs. Bellman then moved to France to live with her son for a time before returning to Richmond, where she lived at the Beth Sholom Home for more than 20 years.
She was a charter member of the home's resident council and had been chief editor of the home's resident handbook. She had won ribbons and trophies for volunteer work and participation in the home's annual field day Olympics.
Two broken hips confined her to a wheelchair in her later years, but she said she still could do 160 pull-ups.
Each night before she went to sleep, she recited "the preamble to the Constitution," she said in the interview. "I remember the presidents and say the names of the 50 states," along with a French prayer, some English poems, the names of the nine Greek muses, some German songs and occasionally the plot to a favorite opera.
She took up oil painting when she was in her late 80s because she heard people were needed for the class. "Whatever goes on, I join it," she said.
Mrs. Bellmann said in 1986 that she didn't feel her age "because I'm very hard on myself."
She was a member of Congregation Or Ami.
Survivors include three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the Emek Sholom section of Forest Lawn Cemetery, 4000 Alma Ave.
The family suggests that memorial donations be made to the Beth Sholom Home.
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