Aron Weil (1832 - 1905)

Aron Weil was born in Steinsfurt on December 12, 1832.

His father was the citizen and trader Samuel Weil (ca 1791 - 1865), his mother was Jocheved née Reis from Wollenberg (* ca 1794 - 1864) ◊. Aron's parents married in Rohrbach on July 8, 1818 ◊. They had 10 children together: Nathan Veis (*1819), Elise (Elka) (*1822), Josef (*1823), Bula (*1825), a stillborn girl (*1827), Samuel (*1828), Lazarus (*1830), Aron, Karl (*1835) and Isak (*1837) ◊.

Since his brother Josef continued his father's business, Aron had to choose different trade. Because of the new laws in Baden it was possible for him to become a master butcher. He was even admitted as an „active citizen” in 1861◊.

Aron married Berta Edesheimer in Sinsheim on March 2, 1858. She was born in Eichtersheim on July 10, 1829 as the daughter of Veis Edesheimer (ca 1798 - 1868) and his wife Gütchen Gumbel (ca 1798 - 1862) from Massenbachhausen.

The marriage contract (February 18, 1858) shows that Aron got half a house and half a barn from his mother's estate ◊. The couple lived here and Aron had his business there. They had 12 children, all born in Steinsfurt ◊:

• Elise (*1858) (she married the trader Samuel Salomon from Hilbringen. ✡ 1933 in Hilbringen)
• Reika (*1860, ✡ 1860 in Steinsfurt)
• Johanna (* 1861) (she emigrated to the USA and became the Matron in the Chicago Jewish Orphans' Asylum, ✡ 1902 in Chicago)
• Leopold (*1863, ✡ 1863 in Steinsfurt)
• Gustav (*1864) (he continued his father's business, ✡ 1921 in Steinsfurt)
• Samuel (*1866, ✡ 1868 in Steinsfurt),
• Auguste (*1867, she emigrated to the USA before 1890),
• Ida (*1868, she married the trader Samuel Samuel and was murdered in Auschwitz in 1942. We remember her on our Shoah-page.)
• Emma (*1870, she emigrated to the USA in 1891)
• Ferdinand (Veis) (*1871, he married Hannchen, the daughter of Josef Weil. ✡ 1905 Mannheim, buried in the Waibstadt cemetery)
• Josef (*1873, ✡1873 in Steinsfurt),
• Rosalie (*1874, she married the teacher Moritz Bloch. They emigrated to the Holy Land in 1937, ✡ 1944 and her husband ✡1945)

Aron was an active member of the Steinsfurt Jewish community. On his gravestone we learn that he was head of the community for 28 years. Hence he played an important part in the building of the synagogue: all applications bear his signature. Of course he also played a role in the laying of the foundations etc.

He died in Steinsfurt on September 27, 1905, his wife Berta died in 1912. The couple has a common grave in the Jewish cemetery at Waibstadt.

The Hebrew inscription for Aron is:

Here lies buried
Aron son of Samuel Weil
Head of the Community for 28 years
Our memory of him will not perish for generations
Died on Friday Elul 27
And was buried at the 5666 New Year Eve
TNZBH [May his soul be bound in the bundle of life]

For Berta it is:

Here lies buried
A woman of valor glory of her husband and sons
Innocent and honest and pleasant in her actions
Granted goodness and mercy all the days of her life
The honorable lady Mrs. Beila wife of Aron ben rabbi
Samuel Died on Wednesday Cheshvan 12
And was buried on Thursday the 13th 5673
TNZBH [May her soul be bound in the bundle of life]