Family Card - Person Sheet
Family Card - Person Sheet
NameIlse STEINITZ 
Birth13 Jan 1888
Death1977
FatherJulius STEINITZ (1844-1919)
MotherRosalie FREUND (1847-1941)
Notes for Ilse STEINITZ
Ilse Steinitz Nast
1888 - 1977
Born in upper Silesia in 1988, Ilse Nast (nee Steinitz) was one of the most remarkable Steinitz family members. She grew up in Breslau and moved to Berlin around 1910 to work. The position she obtained was with Rawwack und Gruenfeld, the firm where Otto Steinitz, father of Robert, Stephan and Eva was Prokurist (lawyer). After working there for a number of years, living modestly, she met and married Willy Nast in 1926. He was recently divorced from his wife K‰the who proceeded to marry his cousin. As they were both named Sinason, Willy changed his name to Nast. Ilse had dyed her hair for a number of years but once she was married she let it return to its natural color, snow white. It was said in jest that her hair turned white overnight upon marrying.
Willy was a successful banker and her life style changed abruptly. Financially it was a great improvement and she became the mother of Willy's sons, Robert (15) and Werner (6). They lived in a spacious apartment and traveled in comfort.
On October 3, 1928 Ilse gave birth to their daughter Ursel. Willy made a bad loan at his bank and the depression was beginning. This plus his misery over his first wife caused him to commit suicide. Ilse was left with very little money and an infant. The younger boy, Werner went back to his mother. Robert was almost an adult and decided to stay with Ilse until he got a job in Russia.
She was able to move to a smaller apartment and to go back to work in her old job. Of course she had to find help in caring for Ursel. The Otto Steinitz family had employed Marie for many years in their household to help with bringing up Robert, Stephan and especially Eva. She was part of the family. It was decided that Ilse's need was greater and so she moved to Ilse's household. While her real name was Marie she was called Alla, but when she came to care for Ursel her name became Mimi. She was loved by all she helped bring up.
After the advent of the Hitler regime, Ilse's job struggles became more intense. Ursel had to be moved from school to school as the public schools rejected Jewish children. For a time she went to Jewish school, the Kaliski School and then to a boarding school as Ilse prepared to emigrate to the United States. Robert preceded them to New York. Werner and his parents had jumped the border to Warsaw after Hitler came to power. When Germany conquered Warsaw, they walked west and arrived in the US in March 1941 via Russia and Japan.
When Ilse arrived in the States, Ursel was 10. The only way to make a living for Ilse was to become a maid. This she did, and in the many positions she held throughout her life in the States she was much beloved by the children for which she cared. She, who had had household help and lived a good life with Willy Nast, never looked back and never complained. In Berlin she had sung with the famous Ochs choir and loved music. She also loved crossword puzzles. In one position she said the reason she stayed was because the family subscribed to the New York Times which had the best crossword puzzles. Despite her very long work hours and minimal income, she saw that Ursel was exposed to the theater and the finest of concerts.
For many years her jobs were live in and she needed to find a place for Ursel. After a year living at the job, Ursel was boarded out and then through someone's generosity, Ursel was put in a boarding school for newly rich girls in Westchester county. After that she was boarded with a family in upper Manhattan who had a daughter Ursel's age. This made it easier for Ilse to be together with Ursel. Also it was near to Robert and Lore who provided much support.
Only when Ursel was a senior at Hunter High School did Ilse finally get an apartment of her own where they could live together. At that time she had a daytime 'only' job. It was in this apartment that Ursel was married to Dieter Ball. She was so happy when Robert, Werner (now Warren) and Ursel made her a grandmother all three within two months. She moved in with Ursel and Dieter and when they moved from New York to Indianapolis, Indiana she went along. The consolation of that move was the fact that Indianapolis was developing a zoo. This was a difficult move for her as she had friends and relatives in New York, but she did not complain. Once in Indianapolis she found work again and made new friends. In fact, she became well known in the Jewish community. Ursel and Dieter had a second child in Indianapolis, Sandra, a sister to their son David.
Ilse was active and bright as always and after she stopped working, she traveled to visit the family. Robert who was a partner in a shipping company made it possible for her to travel free on a freighter to Europe to visit the cousins in England. She greatly appreciated this trip, except for the fact that no one but the captain spoke a word of English.
She died of a fall at age 89.
1888 - 1977
Born in upper Silesia in 1988, Ilse Nast (nee Steinitz) was one of the most remarkable Steinitz family members. She grew up in Breslau and moved to Berlin around 1910 to work. The position she obtained was with Rawwack und Gruenfeld, the firm where Otto Steinitz, father of Robert, Stephan and Eva was Prokurist (lawyer). After working there for a number of years, living modestly, she met and married Willy Nast in 1926. He was recently divorced from his wife K‰the who proceeded to marry his cousin. As they were both named Sinason, Willy changed his name to Nast. Ilse had dyed her hair for a number of years but once she was married she let it return to its natural color, snow white. It was said in jest that her hair turned white overnight upon marrying.
Willy was a successful banker and her life style changed abruptly. Financially it was a great improvement and she became the mother of Willy's sons, Robert (15) and Werner (6). They lived in a spacious apartment and traveled in comfort.
On October 3, 1928 Ilse gave birth to their daughter Ursel. Willy made a bad loan at his bank and the depression was beginning. This plus his misery over his first wife caused him to commit suicide. Ilse was left with very little money and an infant. The younger boy, Werner went back to his mother. Robert was almost an adult and decided to stay with Ilse until he got a job in Russia.
She was able to move to a smaller apartment and to go back to work in her old job. Of course she had to find help in caring for Ursel. The Otto Steinitz family had employed Marie for many years in their household to help with bringing up Robert, Stephan and especially Eva. She was part of the family. It was decided that Ilse's need was greater and so she moved to Ilse's household. While her real name was Marie she was called Alla, but when she came to care for Ursel her name became Mimi. She was loved by all she helped bring up.
After the advent of the Hitler regime, Ilse's job struggles became more intense. Ursel had to be moved from school to school as the public schools rejected Jewish children. For a time she went to Jewish school, the Kaliski School and then to a boarding school as Ilse prepared to emigrate to the United States. Robert preceded them to New York. Werner and his parents had jumped the border to Warsaw after Hitler came to power. When Germany conquered Warsaw, they walked west and arrived in the US in March 1941 via Russia and Japan.
When Ilse arrived in the States, Ursel was 10. The only way to make a living for Ilse was to become a maid. This she did, and in the many positions she held throughout her life in the States she was much beloved by the children for which she cared. She, who had had household help and lived a good life with Willy Nast, never looked back and never complained. In Berlin she had sung with the famous Ochs choir and loved music. She also loved crossword puzzles. In one position she said the reason she stayed was because the family subscribed to the New York Times which had the best crossword puzzles. Despite her very long work hours and minimal income, she saw that Ursel was exposed to the theater and the finest of concerts.
For many years her jobs were live in and she needed to find a place for Ursel. After a year living at the job, Ursel was boarded out and then through someone's generosity, Ursel was put in a boarding school for newly rich girls in Westchester county. After that she was boarded with a family in upper Manhattan who had a daughter Ursel's age. This made it easier for Ilse to be together with Ursel. Also it was near to Robert and Lore who provided much support.
Only when Ursel was a senior at Hunter High School did Ilse finally get an apartment of her own where they could live together. At that time she had a daytime 'only' job. It was in this apartment that Ursel was married to Dieter Ball. She was so happy when Robert, Werner (now Warren) and Ursel made her a grandmother all three within two months. She moved in with Ursel and Dieter and when they moved from New York to Indianapolis, Indiana she went along. The consolation of that move was the fact that Indianapolis was developing a zoo. This was a difficult move for her as she had friends and relatives in New York, but she did not complain. Once in Indianapolis she found work again and made new friends. In fact, she became well known in the Jewish community. Ursel and Dieter had a second child in Indianapolis, Sandra, a sister to their son David.
Ilse was active and bright as always and after she stopped working, she traveled to visit the family. Robert who was a partner in a shipping company made it possible for her to travel free on a freighter to Europe to visit the cousins in England. She greatly appreciated this trip, except for the fact that no one but the captain spoke a word of English.
She died of a fall at age 89.