{"id":11934,"date":"2026-07-07T17:51:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T21:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/?p=11934"},"modified":"2026-07-08T14:59:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T18:59:51","slug":"virginia-farms-for-jewish-refugees-19th-century-russians-20th-century-germans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/virginia-farms-for-jewish-refugees-19th-century-russians-20th-century-germans\/","title":{"rendered":"Virginia, Farms for Jewish Refugees: 19th Century Russians, 20th Century Germans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Thanks to a participant in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.habermaninstitute.org\/podcast-archive\/2026\/4\/17\/baron-de-hirsch-the-godfather-of-jewish-settlers-in-the-new-world\">Haberman Institute webinar on Baron Hirsch<\/a>, whose question about Jewish farming projects in Virginia sparked my interest, and to Albert Sherman for sending me <a href=\"https:\/\/jewishmag.com\/174mag\/virginia_russian_jewish_colony\/virginia_russian_jewish_colony.htm\">an article on the nineteenth-century Virginia venture<\/a>, inspiring me to prepare this post.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Thanks also to Robert H. Gillette for providing so much information about the Hyde Park Farm for Jewish refugees in his book<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1609491718?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback\">the Virginia Plan, William B. Thalhimer and a Rescue From Nazi Germany.<\/a> <em>and to<\/em> <em>Michael Caplan for his documentary film&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/411182921\">Stones from the Soil,<\/a><em> which follows his search for the Gross Bressen farm in Germany, where many of the refugees who later settled in Virginia in the 1940s had trained.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Do click on the links below for much much more, and fascinating, information.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-virginia-s-first-jews\">Virginia&#8217;s First Jews<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As related in the <a href=\"https:\/\/jewishvirtuallibrary.org\/virginia-jewish-history\">Jewish Virtual library,<\/a> &#8220;The Jewish experience in Virginia dates back to Sir Walter Raleigh\u2019s ill-fated Roanoke Colony, then a part of the Virginia territory when Joachim Gaunse, a Prague metallurgist, landed with Raleigh in 1585.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"638\" height=\"400\" data-attachment-id=\"12170\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/4dfec907-1dd8-b71b-0b14fc64fad42050\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4DFEC907-1DD8-B71B-0B14FC64FAD42050.jpg?fit=638%2C400&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"638,400\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"4DFEC907-1DD8-B71B-0B14FC64FAD42050\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Monticello, Thomas Jefferson&amp;#8217;s home, restored by Commodore Levy&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4DFEC907-1DD8-B71B-0B14FC64FAD42050.jpg?fit=638%2C400&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4DFEC907-1DD8-B71B-0B14FC64FAD42050.jpg?resize=638%2C400&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12170\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5950274922304566;width:309px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4DFEC907-1DD8-B71B-0B14FC64FAD42050.jpg?w=638&amp;ssl=1 638w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4DFEC907-1DD8-B71B-0B14FC64FAD42050.jpg?resize=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4DFEC907-1DD8-B71B-0B14FC64FAD42050.jpg?resize=18%2C12&amp;ssl=1 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Monticello, Thomas Jefferson&#8217;s home, first restored by Commodore Levy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/places\/monticello.htm\">from National Park Service<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">A few other Jews trickled in. Among the most notable, Jacob Myer accompanied George Washington in his 1754 expedition across the Allegheny Mountains. Dr. John de Sequeyra, of Williamsburg, was credited by Thomas Jefferson with introducing the custom of eating tomatoes and Commodore Uriah P. Levy of&nbsp;New York &nbsp;purchased and began the first restoration of Thomas Jefferson\u2019s Monticello in 1836.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-virginia-seeks-immigrants\">Virginia Seeks Immigrants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the Civil War had so devastated much of the South, the Commonwealth of Virginia, looking at least in part to replace the free labor of slaves, decided to include increased immigration in its recovery plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"357\" height=\"468\" data-attachment-id=\"12176\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/virginia-farms-for-jewish-refugees-19th-century-russians-20th-century-germans\/image-34\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image.png?fit=357%2C468&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"357,468\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;This  1868 article describes Virginia&amp;#8217;s efforts to recruit immigrants at Castle Garden in New York ( the forerunner of Ellis Island).&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image.png?fit=357%2C468&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image.png?resize=357%2C468&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12176\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.762843471533767;width:312px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image.png?w=357&amp;ssl=1 357w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image.png?resize=229%2C300&amp;ssl=1 229w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image.png?resize=9%2C12&amp;ssl=1 9w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 357px) 100vw, 357px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This  1868 article describes Virginia&#8217;s efforts to recruit immigrants at Castle Garden in New York (the forerunner of Ellis Island).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On February 5, 1866 the legislature passed &#8216;An Act to Incorporate the Virginia Land and Aid Immigration Company&#8230;.<em>To purchase or lease lands in Virginia, to be resold or relet to immigrants; [and\/or]To act as agents for the sale or leasing of lands, in Virginia, to immigrants.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;By May of 1866 the [Company] was advertising in the&nbsp;<em>Richmond Examiner<\/em>&nbsp;that it was sending a Director abroad to secure tenants and laborers.&#8221;<sup><a href=\"#footnote_1_11934\" id=\"identifier_1_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Charles, Joan D. The Russian Colony of Middlesex County&hellip;. The Jewish Magazine, April, 2013.\">1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-waterview-colony-for-russian-refugees\">Waterview Colony for Russian Refugees<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"676\" height=\"595\" data-attachment-id=\"12190\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/refugees-baltimore-sun-beginning\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Refugees-Baltimore-Sun-beginning.png?fit=684%2C602&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"684,602\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Refugees Baltimore Sun beginning\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;From a longer article describing the whole colony from the Baltimore Sun of April 9, 1883. Read it all here&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Refugees-Baltimore-Sun-beginning.png?fit=676%2C595&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Refugees-Baltimore-Sun-beginning.png?resize=676%2C595&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12190\" style=\"width:332px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Refugees-Baltimore-Sun-beginning.png?w=684&amp;ssl=1 684w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Refugees-Baltimore-Sun-beginning.png?resize=300%2C264&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Refugees-Baltimore-Sun-beginning.png?resize=14%2C12&amp;ssl=1 14w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Refugees-Baltimore-Sun-beginning.png?resize=676%2C595&amp;ssl=1 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">From an article describing the life in the Waterview colony from the Baltimore Sun of April 9, 1883. Read the whole article <a href=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The_Baltimore_Sun_1883_04_09_6.jpg.pdf\">here.<\/a> (Zoom in)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the early 1880s when the <a href=\"https:\/\/saveellisisland.org\/about-us\/blog\/item\/88-jewish-immigration-to-america.html\">great wave of Russian Jewish emigrees<\/a> began, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/43057892?seq=1\">Joseph Friedenwald<\/a>, a German Jewish Baltimore businessman, bought 783 acres at Waterview in Middlesex County, Virginia, on the banks of the Rappahannock River, where he settled 72 Russian Jewish refugees. They were to raise tobacco, corn, oats, wheat and rye. But the settlement seemed to disband after only two years.<sup><a href=\"#footnote_2_11934\" id=\"identifier_2_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Ginsberg, Louis. The Jewish Colony at Waterview, The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Oct. 1958. pp. 459-462. If you register for a free jstor account you can read this article online at the link under the title in this footnote.\">2<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-a-colony-that-never-made-it\">A Colony That Never Made It<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"514\" height=\"504\" data-attachment-id=\"12313\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/screenshot-2026-07-01-at-10-44-00-am\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-01-at-10.44.00-AM.png?fit=514%2C504&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"514,504\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2026-07-01 at 10.44.00\u202fAM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;New York Times,  August 27, 1908&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-01-at-10.44.00-AM.png?fit=514%2C504&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-01-at-10.44.00-AM.png?resize=514%2C504&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12313\" style=\"width:321px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-01-at-10.44.00-AM.png?w=514&amp;ssl=1 514w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-01-at-10.44.00-AM.png?resize=300%2C294&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-01-at-10.44.00-AM.png?resize=12%2C12&amp;ssl=1 12w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 514px) 100vw, 514px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/timesmachine.nytimes.com\/timesmachine\/1908\/08\/27\/issue.html\">New York Times,  August 27, 1908<\/a>, page 4.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then in 1908, Rabbi Leonard Levy, Chairman of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/291744605_The_Jewish_Agriculturalists'_Aid_Society_of_America_Philanthropy_ethnicity_and_agriculture_in_the_heartland\">Jewish <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/3744289\">Agriculturalists<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/291744605_The_Jewish_Agriculturalists'_Aid_Society_of_America_Philanthropy_ethnicity_and_agriculture_in_the_heartland\">&#8216; Aid Society,<\/a> bought 2000 acres near Richmond, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/3744289\">planning<\/a> to settle Russian Jews as farmers.<sup><a href=\"#footnote_3_11934\" id=\"identifier_3_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Home for the Persecuted, The New York Times, August 27, 1908, p. 4\">3<\/a><\/sup> But it seems that never happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-hyde-park-farm\">Hyde Park Farm<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"676\" height=\"524\" data-attachment-id=\"12205\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/thalhimers-richmond\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/THalhimers-Richmond.jpg?fit=720%2C558&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"720,558\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;bkopytek&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"THalhimer&amp;#8217;s Richmond\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The Thalhimer store in Richmond Virginia. See a video on the history of the 26 stores here.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/THalhimers-Richmond.jpg?fit=676%2C524&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/THalhimers-Richmond.jpg?resize=676%2C524&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12205\" style=\"width:280px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/THalhimers-Richmond.jpg?w=720&amp;ssl=1 720w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/THalhimers-Richmond.jpg?resize=300%2C233&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/THalhimers-Richmond.jpg?resize=15%2C12&amp;ssl=1 15w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/THalhimers-Richmond.jpg?resize=676%2C524&amp;ssl=1 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Thalhimer store in Richmond, Virginia. See a video on the history of the 26 stores <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DYze-9EE1ZL\/\">here.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1938, inspired by his earlier visit to Germany where he was horrified by the violent anti-semitism, William Thalhimer, owner of the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thalhimers\">Thalhimer department store chain<\/a>, based in Richmond, established <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/articles\/000\/history-and-hope-hyde-park.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">a farm for young Jewish refugees on Hyde Park Farm in Burkeville, Va<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/sah-archipedia.org\/buildings\/VA-02-NW14\">.<\/a> Listen to Robert H. Gillette discuss the Hyde Park Farm experience <a href=\"https:\/\/virginiahistory.org\/learn\/virginia-plan-william-b-thalhimer-and-rescue-nazi-germany\">at this link<\/a>. <br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-gross-bressen-to-hyde-park\">Gross Bressen to Hyde Park<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"676\" height=\"436\" data-attachment-id=\"12216\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/gross-bressen-students-working\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-Bressen-students-working.jpeg?fit=1800%2C1161&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1800,1161\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Gross Bressen students working\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Gross Bressen students unloading a hay wagon. From the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of George Landecker&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-Bressen-students-working.jpeg?fit=676%2C436&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-Bressen-students-working.jpeg?resize=676%2C436&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12216\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.550041552890894;width:784px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-Bressen-students-working.jpeg?resize=1024%2C660&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-Bressen-students-working.jpeg?resize=300%2C194&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-Bressen-students-working.jpeg?resize=768%2C495&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-Bressen-students-working.jpeg?resize=1536%2C991&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-Bressen-students-working.jpeg?resize=18%2C12&amp;ssl=1 18w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-Bressen-students-working.jpeg?resize=676%2C436&amp;ssl=1 676w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-Bressen-students-working.jpeg?w=1800&amp;ssl=1 1800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-Bressen-students-working.jpeg?w=1352&amp;ssl=1 1352w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/collections.ushmm.org\/search\/catalog\/pa1164335\">Gross Bressen students unloading a hay wagon. <\/a>From the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of George Landecker<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The approximately 30 young Jews that came to Hyde Park had been students at the Jewish Emigration Training Farm at Gross Breesen on Germany&#8217;s then eastern border, a farm that was the property of a wealthy Jewish landowner. The farm was part of a movement to give young Jewish Germans skills they could use after emigrating, or as hoped by some, to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yadvashem.org\/holocaust\/this-month\/september\/1941.html\">change Jewish occupations in the hope that they would be more acceptable to other Germans<\/a>. Read all about Gross Bressen <a href=\"https:\/\/bnaibrith-org-wpom.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GrossBreesen_ATemporaryHavenFromHitler_HeidiLandecker_2024_BBMWinter.pdf\">in this article <\/a>by Heidi Landecker, the daughter of a Gross Bressen participant who then went to Hyde Park Farm in Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-the-gross-bressen-experience\">The Gross Bressen Experience<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"546\" height=\"602\" data-attachment-id=\"12223\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/curt-bondy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Curt-Bondy-e1782587011667.jpeg?fit=546%2C602&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"546,602\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Curt Bondy\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Curt Bondy&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Curt-Bondy-e1782587011667.jpeg?fit=546%2C602&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Curt-Bondy-e1782587011667.jpeg?resize=546%2C602&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12223\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.9070216877818338;width:208px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Curt-Bondy-e1782587011667.jpeg?w=546&amp;ssl=1 546w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Curt-Bondy-e1782587011667.jpeg?resize=272%2C300&amp;ssl=1 272w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Curt-Bondy-e1782587011667.jpeg?resize=11%2C12&amp;ssl=1 11w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 546px) 100vw, 546px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Curt Bondy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gross Bressen was led by the forward leading psychologist Curt Bondy<sup><a href=\"#footnote_4_11934\" id=\"identifier_4_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Curt_Bondy, To read this wikipedia post in English click on 3 sprachen to the right of Curt Bondy&rsquo;s name and choose English.\">4<\/a><\/sup> who was recommended for the post by the famous Jewish philosopher <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Martin-Buber-German-religious-philosopher\">Martin Buber<\/a>. In the evenings, after the students spent the days learning farming skills, Bondy taught crucial subjects, <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20060520111218\/http:\/\/www.uua.org\/re\/faithworks\/fall03\/curriculumandlearningresourcese.html\">resilience, mindfulness and the importance of strong characters,<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"676\" height=\"444\" data-attachment-id=\"12248\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/screenshot-2026-06-28-at-6-10-10-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-28-at-6.10.10-PM.png?fit=1174%2C770&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1174,770\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2026-06-28 at 6.10.10\u202fPM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Jewish men captured on Kristnacht, Nov. 9, 1938, line up at Buchenwald&amp;#8217;s special camp set up for these mass arrests.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-28-at-6.10.10-PM.png?fit=676%2C444&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-28-at-6.10.10-PM.png?resize=676%2C444&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12248\" style=\"width:349px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-28-at-6.10.10-PM.png?resize=1024%2C672&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-28-at-6.10.10-PM.png?resize=300%2C197&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-28-at-6.10.10-PM.png?resize=768%2C504&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-28-at-6.10.10-PM.png?resize=18%2C12&amp;ssl=1 18w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-28-at-6.10.10-PM.png?resize=676%2C443&amp;ssl=1 676w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-28-at-6.10.10-PM.png?w=1174&amp;ssl=1 1174w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jewish men captured on Kristnacht, Nov. 9, 1938, line up at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.buchenwald.de\/en\/geschichte\/historischer-ort\/konzentrationslager\/sonderlager-novemberpogrom\">Buchenwald&#8217;s special camp<\/a> set up for these mass arrests. photo from U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Life at Gross Bressen was almost idyllic until November 9, 1938, Kristalnacht. On that night the German SS raided the farm and carried off most of the students and Bondy himself to the Buchenwald Concentration Camp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buchenwald.de\/en\/geschichte\/historischer-ort\/konzentrationslager\/sonderlager-novemberpogrom\">Buchenwald had yet to become a death camp <\/a>so after 30 days the group was allowed out with the proviso that they all leave Germany as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Members of the Gross Bressen group left for Australia, Palestine, Kenya, England, Argentina and Hyde Park Farm in Virginia. It wasn&#8217;t easy to obtain U.S. visas. At that time, those who couldn&#8217;t offer proof that they could support themselves were barred entry and those who came with the promise of a job were barred entry as well. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/articles\/000\/history-and-hope-hyde-park.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">So Thalhimer gave each refugee a share in the Hyde Park farm making them self supported investors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-from-idyllic-hyde-park-to-spying-in-europe\">From Idyllic Hyde Park to Spying in Europe<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"676\" height=\"493\" data-attachment-id=\"12264\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/426ede7700000578-4719306-at_camp_ritchie_they_even_demonstrated_what_nazi_hysteria_was_li-m-44_1500923762207-jpg\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/426ede7700000578-4719306-at_camp_ritchie_they_even_demonstrated_what_nazi_hysteria_was_li-m-44_1500923762207.jpg.webp?fit=962%2C701&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"962,701\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"426ede7700000578-4719306-at_camp_ritchie_they_even_demonstrated_what_nazi_hysteria_was_li-m-44_1500923762207.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Training for deployment to Europe at Camp Ritchie, National Archives NARA, Wikimedia. &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/426ede7700000578-4719306-at_camp_ritchie_they_even_demonstrated_what_nazi_hysteria_was_li-m-44_1500923762207.jpg.webp?fit=676%2C493&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/426ede7700000578-4719306-at_camp_ritchie_they_even_demonstrated_what_nazi_hysteria_was_li-m-44_1500923762207.jpg.webp?resize=676%2C493&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12264\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.3723738289127716;width:323px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/426ede7700000578-4719306-at_camp_ritchie_they_even_demonstrated_what_nazi_hysteria_was_li-m-44_1500923762207.jpg.webp?w=962&amp;ssl=1 962w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/426ede7700000578-4719306-at_camp_ritchie_they_even_demonstrated_what_nazi_hysteria_was_li-m-44_1500923762207.jpg.webp?resize=300%2C219&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/426ede7700000578-4719306-at_camp_ritchie_they_even_demonstrated_what_nazi_hysteria_was_li-m-44_1500923762207.jpg.webp?resize=768%2C560&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/426ede7700000578-4719306-at_camp_ritchie_they_even_demonstrated_what_nazi_hysteria_was_li-m-44_1500923762207.jpg.webp?resize=16%2C12&amp;ssl=1 16w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/426ede7700000578-4719306-at_camp_ritchie_they_even_demonstrated_what_nazi_hysteria_was_li-m-44_1500923762207.jpg.webp?resize=676%2C493&amp;ssl=1 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/anumuseum.org.il\/blog\/ritchie-boys\/\">Training for deployment to Europe<\/a> at Camp Ritchie, National Archives NARA, Wikimedia. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1941 Thalhimer had a major heart attack and for financial reasons Hyde Park Farm had to close. Almost all the young men joined the U.S. Army. Because of their native German and their deep understanding of German culture, many became spies for the U.S., many joining the famous<a href=\"https:\/\/thesciencesurvey.com\/spotlight\/2025\/07\/04\/the-ritchie-boys-the-unsung-heroes-of-world-war-ii\/\"> Ritchie Boys<\/a>, a secret U.S intelligence corps. Members interrogated prisoners and performed counter-intelligence duties. Some even convinced German soldiers to surrender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other Hyde Park participants went on to work as counselors and farm hands at the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Carson_College_for_Orphan_Girls\">Carson College Orphanage<\/a> near Philadelphia.<sup><a href=\"#footnote_5_11934\" id=\"identifier_5_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Gillette, Robert H. Escape to Virginia, From Nazi Germany to Thalhimer&rsquo;s Farm. Charleston, S.C. : The History Press, 2015. p. 215.\">5<\/a><\/sup> After the War many Hyde Park participants received university educations with funds from the G.I. Bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-bondy-publishes-first-studies-of-concentration-camp-prisoners\">Bondy Publishes First Studies of Concentration Camp Prisoners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through Thailhimer&#8217;s friendship with the president of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wm.edu\/\">William and Mary College,<\/a> Bondy had already become a professor at the College&#8217;s Richmond branch, the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Richmond_Professional_Institute\">Richmond Professional Institute (RPI)<\/a>. In 1943 he published some of the first studies on the behavior of prisoners in concentration camps.<sup><a href=\"#footnote_6_11934\" id=\"identifier_6_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Christian Fleck and Albert Muller, Bruno Bettelheim and the Concentration Camps, Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences , December, 1998, p. 6. (To see that article which is in English scroll down from the German language title page  at the link.) Bondy&rsquo;s article can be read at this link pp. 453 &ndash; 457\">6<\/a><\/sup>. Following WW II Bondy returned to his native Hamburg, Germany where he continued his academic career.<sup><a href=\"#footnote_4_11934\" id=\"identifier_7_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Curt_Bondy, To read this wikipedia post in English click on 3 sprachen to the right of Curt Bondy&rsquo;s name and choose English.\">4<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-hyde-park-alumni\">Hyde Park Alumni<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-for-first-hand-accounts-of-the-lives-of-many-gross-bressen-alumni-following-wwii-including-those-that-had-been-at-the-hyde-park-farm-see-this-article-which-describes-letters-written-by-the-alumni-to-read-the-letters-themselves-some-in-german-some-in-english-click-on-the-original-document-under-source-in-the-right-hand-corner-of-the-page-and-then-you-can-download-all-the-letters\">For first hand accounts of the lives of many Gross Bressen alumni following WWII, including those that had been at the Hyde Park Farm, <a href=\"https:\/\/diaspora.jewish-history-online.net\/article\/zeil-gross-breesen-letter\">see this article<\/a> which describes letters written by the alumni. To read the letters themselves, some in German, some in English, click on the original document under Source in the right hand corner of the page and then you can download all the letters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The documentary film <em><a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/411182921\">Stones from the Soil<\/a><\/em> <em> <\/em>includes interviews with many of the Hyde Park alumni describing life at Gross Bressen.  <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"676\" height=\"999\" data-attachment-id=\"12270\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12-49-14-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12.49.14-PM.png?fit=1420%2C2098&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1420,2098\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2026-06-29 at 12.49.14\u202fPM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12.49.14-PM.png?fit=676%2C999&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12.49.14-PM.png?resize=676%2C999&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12270\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.6767741113517646;width:195px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12.49.14-PM.png?resize=693%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 693w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12.49.14-PM.png?resize=203%2C300&amp;ssl=1 203w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12.49.14-PM.png?resize=768%2C1135&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12.49.14-PM.png?resize=1040%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1040w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12.49.14-PM.png?resize=1386%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1386w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12.49.14-PM.png?resize=8%2C12&amp;ssl=1 8w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12.49.14-PM.png?resize=676%2C999&amp;ssl=1 676w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-12.49.14-PM.png?w=1420&amp;ssl=1 1420w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his second book, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1626199124?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback\">Escape to Virginia, From Nazi Germany to Thalhimer&#8217;s Farm<\/a><\/em>, Robert Gillette tells us the story of two Hyde Park participants, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.potterfuneralhome.com\/obituaries\/eva-loew\">Eva Jacobsohn Loew<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/perspectives-article\/werner-thomas-angress-1920-2010-december-2010\/\">Werner &#8220;Tom&#8221; Angress<\/a> from the time they first heard of Gross Bressen through to their lives after WW II. With a Ph.d from U. of California, Berkeley, Werner became a distinguished history professor at SUNY Stony Brook University. Eva became a registered nurse, married another Hyde Park participant, Ernst Loew, and together they ran a dairy farm in Hampton, Connecticut where she served on the school board. Ernst also became a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From Gillette&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1609491718?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback\">the Virginia Plan<\/a>, and other sources noted below we can learn about the lives of several other Hyde Park alumni. (Discussed in alphabetical order of surname.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-spies-artists-and-agriculturists\">Spies, Artists, and Agriculturists <\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized has-lightbox\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ritchiemuseum.org\/post\/ernst-cramer-german-american-jew\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"676\" height=\"804\" data-attachment-id=\"12279\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6-31-02-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.31.02-PM.png?fit=708%2C842&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"708,842\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2026-06-29 at 6.31.02\u202fPM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Corporal Ernst Cramer, 1943 from the Ritchie Museum&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.31.02-PM.png?fit=676%2C804&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.31.02-PM.png?resize=676%2C804&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12279\" style=\"width:255px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.31.02-PM.png?w=708&amp;ssl=1 708w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.31.02-PM.png?resize=252%2C300&amp;ssl=1 252w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.31.02-PM.png?resize=10%2C12&amp;ssl=1 10w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.31.02-PM.png?resize=676%2C804&amp;ssl=1 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ritchiemuseum.org\/post\/ernst-cramer-german-american-jew\">Corporal Ernst Cramer, 1943 from the Ritchie Museum<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During WW II <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ritchiemuseum.org\/post\/ernst-cramer-german-american-jew\">Ernst Cramer<\/a> became a member of the U.S. Army&#8217;s secret spy corps, the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ritchie_Boys\">Ritchie Boys<\/a>. Ernst landed on Omaha Beach three days after D-Day . He interrogated German soldiers and wrote propoganda leaflets that were dropped over Germany. After the war Ernst returned to Germany where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axelspringer.com\/en\/inside\/i-wont-forget-about-him\">he became one of the leaders<\/a> of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axelspringer.com\/en\/who-we-are\">Axel-Springer News Conglomerate<\/a>, founded in 1946 to reinstate a free press in Germany. For his efforts to support the new German democracy, Ernst was awarded one of Germany&#8217;s highest medals, the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Order_of_Merit_of_the_Federal_Republic_of_Germany\">Federal Cross of Merit with Star and Band<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"578\" data-attachment-id=\"12283\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6-46-31-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.46.31-PM.png?fit=550%2C578&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"550,578\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2026-06-29 at 6.46.31\u202fPM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Fallen Dream by Friedel Dzubas, 1958. &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.46.31-PM.png?fit=550%2C578&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.46.31-PM.png?resize=550%2C578&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12283\" style=\"width:197px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.46.31-PM.png?w=550&amp;ssl=1 550w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.46.31-PM.png?resize=285%2C300&amp;ssl=1 285w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-6.46.31-PM.png?resize=11%2C12&amp;ssl=1 11w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Fallen Dream<\/em> by Friedel Dzubas, 1958. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yaresart.com\/artists\/friedel-dzubas#tab:slideshow\">Friedel Dzubas<\/a>  became a very important abstract artist and studio mate of the well known artist Helen Frankenthaler. Dzubas&#8217; work is in the collections of the Whitney and Guggenheim museums and many other prestigious institutions. See a video on Dzubas&#8217; life <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=8N7MvGfm9C0\">here.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hans George Hirsch spent the war years in the U.S. Army interpreting for German prisioners and then teaching farm management techniques to convalescing U.S. soldiers. After WW II he received a Ph.d in agriculture from the University of Minnesota and then joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture and eventually the Department&#8217;s Foreign Agricultural Service. An interview with Hans Hirsch about his whole life can be heard at <a href=\"https:\/\/collections.ushmm.org\/search\/catalog\/irn507522\">this link<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Harvey P. Newman, n\u00e9 Neustadt, also served in the U.S. army during WW. II and then also made a career in the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service. Read more about him <a href=\"https:\/\/archives.cjh.org\/repositories\/5\/resources\/13875\">at this link<\/a> to the Center for Jewish History archives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-soldiers-journalist-and-dairy-farmers\">Soldiers, Journalist, and Dairy Farmers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mountainviewtacoma.com\/obituaries\/isidor-jacob-kirshrot-184182\/obituary\">Isidor Kirshot<\/a> served in the U.S. Army in Northern Africa during WWII. He then remained in the army for his whole career, retiring as a colonel.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"676\" height=\"656\" data-attachment-id=\"12290\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3-21-07-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.21.07-PM.png?fit=1398%2C1356&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1398,1356\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2026-06-30 at 3.21.07\u202fPM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Virginia History Museum, Richmond, Virginia&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.21.07-PM.png?fit=676%2C656&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.21.07-PM.png?resize=676%2C656&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12290\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.0312284201641986;width:251px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.21.07-PM.png?resize=1024%2C993&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.21.07-PM.png?resize=300%2C291&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.21.07-PM.png?resize=768%2C745&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.21.07-PM.png?resize=12%2C12&amp;ssl=1 12w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.21.07-PM.png?resize=676%2C656&amp;ssl=1 676w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.21.07-PM.png?w=1398&amp;ssl=1 1398w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VHMrichmond\/posts\/from-buchenwald-prisoner-to-hyde-farmlands-refugee-to-us-soldiergeorge-landecker\/1588679566594110\/\">Virginia Holocaust Museum<\/a>, Richmond, Virginia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/goodmenproject.com\/ethics-values\/power-players-kpkn\/\">George Landecker<\/a> served in the U.S Army in WWII and then <a href=\"https:\/\/archives.cjh.org\/repositories\/5\/resources\/16989\">ran a farm in Remsen (Oneida County) New York for the rest of his life.<\/a> He is featured at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VHMrichmond\/posts\/from-buchenwald-prisoner-to-hyde-farmlands-refugee-to-us-soldiergeorge-landecker\/1588679566594110\/\">Virginia Holocaust Museum<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marianne Regensburger returned to Germany after graduating on a scholarship from the Quaker institution, <a href=\"https:\/\/earlham.edu\/\">Earlham College<\/a>. Marianne&#8217;s niece gives us an overview of her life <a href=\"https:\/\/georgiajourneys.kennesaw.edu\/items\/show\/555\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Germany Marianne became a noted journalist. In 1962 she &#8220;converted from Judaism to Christianity&#8230;, not least because of her experiences with the Quakers in the United States during her emigration. In the final years of her life, she was a committed Christian pacifist who regularly participated in peace demonstrations such as the Easter Marches.&#8221;<sup><a href=\"#footnote_7_11934\" id=\"identifier_8_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"this is a translation from this German language Wikipedia post.\">7<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"676\" height=\"696\" data-attachment-id=\"12294\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3-31-00-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.31.00-PM.png?fit=924%2C952&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"924,952\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2026-06-30 at 3.31.00\u202fPM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Here in 1961  Hyde Park Farm alumnus George Tworoger is listed as a director of the Florida Associaiton of Milk and Food Sanitarians&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.31.00-PM.png?fit=676%2C696&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.31.00-PM.png?resize=676%2C696&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12294\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.9706073517729472;width:317px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.31.00-PM.png?w=924&amp;ssl=1 924w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.31.00-PM.png?resize=291%2C300&amp;ssl=1 291w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.31.00-PM.png?resize=768%2C791&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.31.00-PM.png?resize=12%2C12&amp;ssl=1 12w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-3.31.00-PM.png?resize=676%2C696&amp;ssl=1 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Here in 1961,  on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foodprotection.org\/upl\/downloads\/journal-archive\/journal-of-milk-and-food-technology-1961-volume-24-issue-5.pdf\">page 162 of the <em>Journal of Milk &amp; Food Technology, <\/em><\/a> Hyde Park Farm alumnus George Tworoger is listed as a director of the Florida Association of Milk and Food Sanitarians.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Luise Tworoger spent most of her life in Southern Florida. Luise was a teacher and served on the board of Peace Place- A Living Experience.<sup><a href=\"#footnote_8_11934\" id=\"identifier_9_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"See https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ConvertTiffToPDF.pdf\">8<\/a><\/sup> Peace Place was a non-profit that fostered the inclusion of human rights and conflict resolution in educational settings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Luise and her husband George  Tworoger, also a Hyde Park participant, owned Expert Dairy Products in Miami. George was a director of the Florida Association of Milk and Food Sanitarians.<sup><a href=\"#footnote_9_11934\" id=\"identifier_10_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"see page 162 at https:\/\/www.foodprotection.org\/upl\/downloads\/journal-archive\/journal-of-milk-and-food-technology-1961-volume-24-issue-5.pdf\">9<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-and-even-more-hyde-park-alumni\">And Even More Hyde Park Alumni<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you would like to learn about other Hyde Park Farm alumni, here is a partial list of the participants.<sup><a href=\"#footnote_10_11934\" id=\"identifier_11_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"taken from the Virginia Plan  pages 81, 86, 102, 176  and 177.\">10<\/a><\/sup>  Just google their names and out will come their stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lu Alberheim<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hans Bacharach<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rudi Caplan<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rolf Falkenstein<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Manfred Gottschalk<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ruth Hadra<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ernst Ludwig Heimann<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ken (Klaus) Herman<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Howard Irvin<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Herbert Kirchroth<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hermann Kiwi<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trudi Levin<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Manfred Lindauer<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Walter Mielzinger<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ludwig Rfoshlich<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<ol class=\"footnotes\"><li id=\"footnote_1_11934\" class=\"footnote\"> Charles, Joan D. <a href=\"https:\/\/jewishmag.com\/174mag\/virginia_russian_jewish_colony\/virginia_russian_jewish_colony.htm\"><em>The Russian Colony of Middlesex County<\/em>&#8230;.<\/a> The Jewish Magazine, April, 2013. <span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\"> [<a href=\"#identifier_1_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_2_11934\" class=\"footnote\"> Ginsberg, Louis. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/4246485?seq=1\">The Jewish Colony at Waterview<\/a>,<\/em> The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Oct. 1958. pp. 459-462. If you register for a free jstor account you can read this article online at the link under the title in this footnote. <span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\"> [<a href=\"#identifier_2_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_3_11934\" class=\"footnote\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1908-NYTimes-article.pdf\"><em>Home for the Persecuted<\/em>, The New York Times, August 27, 1908, p. 4 <\/a><span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\"> [<a href=\"#identifier_3_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_4_11934\" class=\"footnote\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Curt_Bondy\">https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Curt_Bondy<\/a>, To read this wikipedia post in English click on 3 sprachen to the right of Curt Bondy&#8217;s name and choose English. <span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\"> [<a href=\"#identifier_4_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\"> [<a href=\"#identifier_7_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_5_11934\" class=\"footnote\"> Gillette, Robert H. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Escape-Virginia-Nazi-Germany-Thalhimers-ebook\/dp\/B017N5087O\/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ZE5T0ASVGQM&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.-D2cJnZLz3ihoY5XvCSGDuQ2m4jL1yfZRodl8xUgY6Bk-6n2KvU5kmJGzIMl0lzUlKlAd5HTIv8VlZ-JJkgR2VAdKm-7fyJddkBxQ3_4zJfbae673Vmybr_O8qLq44O3EOBW-JgJPFJoBZDUcfb14keaDCqPKMS92Aqs2EvRSOy8E7f75fTXlvAcqxbXVpQ_lT3aPGbvIY4ofK6OpBpTXO0jFbjapgpaZNt4nCvdSv8.RuDDiv6Xcx-LXMrVQsJNA2qfxtq92iHQaT5ptvy6NII&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=Escape%2Bto%2BVirginia&amp;qid=1781444747&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=escape%2Bto%2Bvirginia%2B%2Cstripbooks%2C172&amp;sr=1-1\">Escape to Virginia, From Nazi Germany to Thalhimer&#8217;s Farm<\/a>.<\/em> Charleston, S.C. : The History Press, 2015. p. 215. <span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\"> [<a href=\"#identifier_5_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_6_11934\" class=\"footnote\"> Christian Fleck and Albert Muller, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ssoar.info\/ssoar\/bitstream\/handle\/document\/23501\/ssoar-jhistbehsc-1997-1-fleck_et_al-bruno_bettelheim_and_the_concentration.pdf?sequence=1&amp;isAllowed=y&amp;lnkname=ssoar-jhistbehsc-1997-1-fleck_et_al-bruno_bettelheim_and_the_concentration.pdf\">Bruno Bettelheim and the Concentration Camps, Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences , December, 1998,<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/230201691_Bruno_Bettelheim_and_the_concentration_camps\"> p. 6.<\/a> (To see that article which is in English scroll down from the German language title page  at the link.) Bondy&#8217;s article can be read at <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/sim_journal-of-abnormal-psychology_1943-10_38_4\/page\/452\/mode\/2up\">this link <\/a>pp. 453 &#8211; 457 <span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\"> [<a href=\"#identifier_6_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_7_11934\" class=\"footnote\"> this is a translation from <a href=\"https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marianne_Regensburger\">this German language Wikipedia post<\/a>. <span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\"> [<a href=\"#identifier_8_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_8_11934\" class=\"footnote\"> See <a href=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ConvertTiffToPDF.pdf\">https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ConvertTiffToPDF.pdf<\/a> <span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\"> [<a href=\"#identifier_9_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_9_11934\" class=\"footnote\"> see page 162 at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foodprotection.org\/upl\/downloads\/journal-archive\/journal-of-milk-and-food-technology-1961-volume-24-issue-5.pdf\">https:\/\/www.foodprotection.org\/upl\/downloads\/journal-archive\/journal-of-milk-and-food-technology-1961-volume-24-issue-5.pdf<\/a> <span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\"> [<a href=\"#identifier_10_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_10_11934\" class=\"footnote\"> taken from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1609491718?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback\">the Virginia Plan<\/a>  pages 81, 86, 102, 176  and 177.  <span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\"> [<a href=\"#identifier_11_11934\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thanks to a participant in the Haberman Institute webinar on Baron Hirsch, whose question about Jewish farming projects in Virginia sparked my interest, and to Albert Sherman for sending me an article on the nineteenth-century Virginia venture, inspiring me to prepare this post. Thanks also to Robert H. Gillette for providing so much information about &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/virginia-farms-for-jewish-refugees-19th-century-russians-20th-century-germans\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Virginia, Farms for Jewish Refugees: 19th Century Russians, 20th Century Germans<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12368,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false,"token":"eyJpbWciOiJodHRwczpcL1wvdGhlYmFyb25oaXJzY2hjb21tdW5pdHkub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wN1wvU2NyZWVuc2hvdC0yMDI2LTA3LTA3LWF0LTUuMzkuNTEtUE0tMTAwOXgxMDI0LnBuZyIsInR4dCI6IlZpcmdpbmlhLCBGYXJtcyBmb3IgSmV3aXNoIFJlZnVnZWVzOiAxOXRoIENlbnR1cnkgUnVzc2lhbnMsIDIwdGggQ2VudHVyeSBHZXJtYW5zIiwidGVtcGxhdGUiOiJoaWdod2F5IiwiZm9udCI6IiIsImJsb2dfaWQiOjEyNjgzOTAxN30.S3Asa0xT-16cnsFyXN_sB9nCE0qDwuVTEZxLd9T_CzMMQ"},"version":2,"media_source":"media-library","attached_media":[{"id":12368,"url":"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-07-at-5.39.51-PM-e1783460937323.png","type":"image\/png"}]},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1,699,573886464],"tags":[573886482,573886468,573886480,573886477,573886478,573886483,573886485,573886487,573886467,573886488,573886466,573886484,44231693,2407578,4132537,573886465,573886473,573886486,573886470,573886475,573886476,573886472,573886481,573886474,573886479,573886469],"class_list":["post-11934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-usa","category-virginia","tag-axel-springer","tag-curt-bondy","tag-ernst-cramer","tag-escape-to-virginia","tag-eva-loew","tag-friedel-dzubas","tag-george-landecker","tag-george-tworoger","tag-gross-bressen","tag-holocaust-refugees","tag-hyde-park-farm","tag-isidor-kirshot","tag-jewish-farmers","tag-jewish-heritage","tag-jewish-immigrants","tag-jews-in-virginia","tag-joseph-friedenwald","tag-luise-tworoger","tag-mucahel-caplan","tag-ritchie-boys","tag-robert-h-gillette","tag-stones-from-the-soil","tag-the-virginia-plan","tag-waterview-colony","tag-werner-angress","tag-william-b-thalhimer"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.8 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Virginia, Farms for Jewish Refugees: 19th Century Russians, 20th Century Germans - The Baron Hirsch Jewish Farmers Community<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The history of Jewish refugees on Virginia farms. From 19 C. Russians to 20 C. Holocaust survivors who became spies for the USA.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thebaronhirschcommunity.org\/es\/virginia-farms-for-jewish-refugees-19th-century-russians-20th-century-germans\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"es_ES\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Virginia, Farms for Jewish Refugees: 19th Century Russians, 20th Century Germans\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The history of Jewish refugees on Virginia farms. From 19 C. Russians to 20 C. 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