One Question…One Discovery: Why Every Jewish Genealogist Should Join the JewishGen Discussion Group
One of the greatest benefits of belonging to the worldwide Jewish genealogy community is the willingness of researchers to help one another. Every day, the JewishGen Discussion Group features questions from researchers seeking answers about family history, immigration, Holocaust survivors, ancestral towns, and historical records. Often, a single question leads to discoveries that would have taken weeks—or even months—to uncover independently.
A recent discussion is a perfect example.
A researcher asked whether anyone knew the name of the ship that sailed from Marseille, France, on January 25, 1939, arriving in Mollendo, Peru, on February 19, 1939. The voyage was believed to have carried Jewish refugees escaping Nazi Germany just months before the outbreak of World War II.
Within a short time, JewishGen member Oren Kaplan responded with remarkable information. He identified the ship as the SS Colombo, an Italian ocean liner, and discovered that passage for many Jewish refugees was arranged through the Palestine & Orient Lloyd travel agency.
Even more exciting was his discovery of a German historical website documenting the experience of the Homburger family, one of the many Jewish families desperately trying to escape Nazi persecution.
According to the article, Emil Homburger, his wife, and their young son received a letter in January 1939 informing them that berths had been reserved aboard the SS Colombo, departing Marseille on January 25, 1939, bound for Mollendo, Peru, with onward travel to Bolivia.
The letter reveals both the urgency of their situation and the tremendous financial sacrifice required to escape. The family was instructed to pay 3,300 Reichsmarks for passage and was strongly advised to accept the reservation immediately because opportunities to leave Europe were rapidly disappearing.
Reading this correspondence is a powerful reminder that every passenger list tells a much larger story. Behind every name was a family facing impossible decisions, hoping to escape persecution and begin a new life.
What makes this discovery especially valuable is that it extends beyond one family's journey. The German website preserves the history of Nauen, the town where the Homburger family lived before fleeing Germany. Local history websites like this often contain photographs, historical documents, and community stories that help genealogists better understand the lives of their ancestors.
If you visit the website, you can easily translate it into English by using your browser's "Translate to English" feature.
You can also explore the town through an excellent YouTube video that showcases Nauen, Germany, allowing viewers to see the streets and surroundings connected to the Homburger family's story.
German Historical Article (translate to English in your browser):
The Homburger Family's Escape from Nazi Germany
YouTube Video – Discover the Historic Town of Nauen, Germany:
Watch the Nauen, Germany video on YouTube
This story demonstrates why the JewishGen Discussion Group is such an invaluable resource. A single question from one researcher led to the identification of a ship, a travel agency, a refugee family's remarkable story, and historical resources that will benefit researchers around the world.
Whether you are researching immigration, Holocaust survivors, ancestral towns, passenger lists, or family names, the JewishGen Discussion Group connects you with thousands of experienced genealogists who are eager to share their knowledge and help solve research mysteries.
The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Miami encourages all of our members to subscribe to the JewishGen Discussion Group. Ask questions, share your discoveries, and become part of a worldwide community dedicated to preserving Jewish family history—one discovery at a time.
