Kirsch, Lionel: Who was “Dear Granny”?
Lionel Kirsch would write regularly to his family. We only have access to some of these letters, the ones he wrote to his grandmother, Malca Kirsch. Some of his letters were addressed to her in Montreal, and some to her in New York. In some letters he refers to visiting relatives in London, England while he was stationed nearby. All these items have background.
Lionel was born in 1924, in Montreal. He had an older brother, Sydney, born in 1917, and a younger sister, Elma, born 14 years after Sydney. She doesn’t want her age advertised all over, so you figure it out. There is a family genealogy, on both their mother and father’s sides, which is interesting.
Lionel’s grandmother, on his mother’s side, Sarah Ashmele, was from Warsaw, Poland. She left for England in 1891 because her husband was a ‘ne’er do well’ and had abandoned her with her children, and also because as a Jew she was being badly treated. She took her children Rebecca (Becky), Dinah and Hattie – age 1 – to London. Also along with her was her soon to be born son, Ernie. It is Hattie Ashmele who is Lionel’s mother. Hattie moved to Montreal when she was grown.
There was another older son, Joe, who had to be left behind in Warsaw, as they did not have enough money to take him too. After the family saved up his travel expenses Joe later moved to England, and he stayed there. It is Joe and his family about whom Lionel is talking in his letters when he’s visiting his relatives when stationed near London.
Lionel’s grandmother on his father’s side, Malca Kirsch – née Plastock – was from Lithuania. This is the “granny” that Lionel writes to. She married Abraham Laibe Kirsch, who was also from Lithuania. One of their daughters, Rae, is the daughter granny visits in New York during the winters as it was so cold in Montreal, and a son, Myer Kirsch, who was to be Lionel’s father. Both were born in Lithuania. Myer Kirsch was one of 9 surviving children – of 12. Myer moved to Montreal with his family (including mother Malca) when he was a young teenager. They left because they were persecuted for their Jewish faith.
So now we have Hattie Ashmele (Lionel’s mother) and Myer Kirsch, (Lionel’s father) both living in Montreal. Hattie worked as a supervisor at a Jewish orphanage in Montreal. Myer Kirsch and his wealthy older brother were sponsors and supporters of the Jewish orphanage. Myer met Hattie at the orphanage when he brought treats for the children. They were married in Montreal and had 3 children, as we have seen, Sydney, Lionel and Elma.
It’s interesting to learn that the naming of children follows social norms in the Jewish family. It is a sign of great respect and admiration to a predecessor, to name a child after them. However, the predecessor must be dead before a child can be named after them.
For example, RAF pilot Lionel Abraham Kirsch was named after his grandfather Abraham Laibe Kirsch. Laibe is a Jewish form of the word and when “Anglicized” it becomes Lionel.
Elma, who wrote the story of her brother, Lionel, was also named after ancestors. Their great grandmother’s given names were Elca and possibly Marion (Mirium). Take the first 2 letters from each name and you get Elma.
Also of note regarding naming children, is the grandfather in Warsaw, whom Sarah had left when she fled to London, England. His name, Jacob, has never appeared in any of his descendants, as he still seems to be held in great disdain for his irresponsible behaviour.
Lionel went to war and was killed. Elma married in Montreal, moved with her husband Ben Dolansky to Port Stanley, then to London – to be nearer her son, and finally to Strathroy.
It is from Elma Dolansky, née Kirsch, that we learn the story of Lionel Abraham Kirsch who died in the Second World War over Frankfurt, Germany.
