NEUMANN FAMILY

Neuman and its variant Neumann is one of the more common surnames for Hungarian Jews appearing in Ung and Zemplen county records dating from the early years of the 19th century. The earliest reference to our branch of the family is the inscription on a headstone found in the neglected Jewish cemetery south of Sobrance. The stone marks the grave of Avigdor Avraham Neuman, son of Natan Nata Segal, who died in 1865. The name Segal and the image of the pitcher identify Avigdor Avraham as a Levite. The inscription states that the deceased died young and left a wife and son. The clues suggest that Avigdor Avraham was a brother of my great-grandfather Miksa (Meier Shlomo haLevi) Neumann, who named his son, born in 1868, after his deceased brother. No other records have come to light for Natan Nata, Avigdor Avraham, or his family.

Based on the birthdates of his known children, Miksa Neuman, who is also called Maximilian in some sources, was probably born between 1840 and 1845 in Ung county. He married Ottilie (Adel) Polacsek probably about 1863. Her birthplace is also unknown but the Polacsek name appears on records from Ungvar and Perecseny. (The name Neuman is spelled with a single “n” in most 19th century records but Miksa appears to have begun using the more Germanic double “n” version by the late 19th century.)

Miksa operated a 616-acre farm on land that he owned and leased between Kereszt and Tasolya, south of Szobrancz. His farm had 497 acres of arable land and 106 acres of meadow and, according to an 1897 directory of landowners and leaseholders, he owned 106 head of cattle, 62 pigs, and 8 horses. The traditional magyar hold or Hungarian acre is equal to 1200 square öl (fathoms) or about 0.4314 hectare (1.066 acres). The official kataszteri hold or cadastral hold, used for land taxation, is 1600 square feet or about 0.5752 hectare (1.421 acres). At the time, fewer than half of all Jewish landowners and tenants had farms larger than 100 holds, which means that Miksa operated a relatively large farm.

In addition to the farm, Miksa is listed in the 1892 Hungarian Industry and Trade Directory as the operator of a flour mill in Also Ribnyicza (Alsohalas), a small village

about 6 km west of Sobrance. An 1891 lease for land in Kereszt and Tasolya (see image above right)

These fields near Kristy, Slovakia, were probably part of the farm that Miksa Neumann operated in the late 19th century.

1891 lease from Mrs. Odon Berhelyi to Miksa Neumann of Ribnyice for land in Kereszt and Tasolya.

Avigdor Avraham Neumann, my great-grandfather’s brother, died in 1865 and is buried in the Jewish cemetery south of Sobrance.

identifies my great-grandfather as Miksa Neumann of Ribnyice.

No information has come to light indicating that the family lived in that town. It is more likely that the Neumanns lived in Kereszt where Miksa died on July 10, 1897 and my father and his brothers were born.

Miksa is probably buried in the same overgrown cemetery as his brother Avigdor Avraham but his headstone is not among those that have been photographed. Ottilie probably lived well into the 20th century because only one descendant, who was born in 1924, bears her name.

Updated 18 May 2008