Harry Froehlich, 85, Nazi Survivor, Entrepreneur

Harry Froehlich, businessman, family man and punster, passed away on December 11. He was 85. The older of two sons, Harry (Hans Wilhelm) Froehlich was born to Lisel and Jakob Froehlich on December 15, 1920 in Mannheim, Germany. His family lived in a second-story flat over his father’s wholesale hardware business. His mother was also active in the business, which distributed nuts and bolts to major Mannheim manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz and Meier Lanz (today known as John Deere), and to the ‘Stassenbahnwerke,’ a streetcar factory. Hans’ life in Mannheim was cut short in mid-1934 because of indignities he suffered as a young Jew in a new school at age 14. His parents sent him to live with his maternal grandparents in Konstanz, Germany, where he lived two residences from the German/Swiss border and walked daily across the border into Kreuzlingen, Switzerland to continue his education. About this same time, discriminatory laws made it increasingly difficult for Jews to conduct business in Germany. Sensing what was to come, Jakob sold his business and, with Hans’ mother and brother Ernst, moved to Konstanz in early 1937. Hans’ father worked at a family member’s corset factory near the Swiss border, eventually taking over. The Froehlichs crossed the border three times a day, coming home for their noon meal. The Swiss would allow Jakob entry into Switzerland only if he guaranteed that his sons would never apply for Swiss residency. Hans, who was approaching adulthood, applied for a quota number to immigrate to the United States. He always enjoyed working with his hands and had a sharp mechanical mind, so while waiting for his quota number to be called, Hans prepared for employment in a new country by learning toolmaking and mechanics at a trade school in Winterthur, Switzerland. Hans’ American visa was issued the first week of November 1938. On November 9, Hans was in his parents’ flat in Konstanz gathering some clothes he wanted to take on his voyage to America. His parents had been warned that something serious and dangerous was about to happen and therefore did not return to Konstanz that night. The warning turned out to be what came to be called ‘Kristallnacht.’ Although the Gestapo did not come to the Froehlich’s door on that infamous night, late in the afternoon of the next day, Hans was seen at the window of the family flat and ended up being taken into custody at Gestapo headquarters. Fortunately for Hans, the Konstanz Jews who had been rounded up the night before had already been transported to Dachau. So this not-quite-18-year-old youth, with a passport and entry visa to the U.S. in his pocket’who would have greatly inconvenienced the Gestapo had they tried to send him to Dachau’was told to leave Germany within the hour, which he did by crossing into Switzerland. Hans arrived in New York harbor on December 9, 1938 and soon changed his name to Harry William Froehlich. He lived for three years in Pittsburgh with Betty (a cousin) and Wilbur Barker, who had provided Harry the necessary affidavit. He worked two jobs at minimum wage and learned English. Harry’s parents and brother arrived in New York on December 7, 1941–Pearl Harbor Day–on the last ship crossing the Atlantic before President Roosevelt declared war on the Axis powers. His family soon settled in Los Angeles and, after a short stint in the U.S. Army, Harry and his father combined their skills (including Harry’s fluency in English) to start their own garment business: Charmfit of Hollywood, which was an instant success and a firm which Harry’s brother Ernie later joined. On December 31, 1946 Harry married his childhood friend and sweetheart, Anneliese Rothschild, in Mexico City where both of them were visiting Harry’s friend and Anne’s cousin, Karlheinz (Carlos) Gimbel, who had played Cupid. Anne, also from Mannheim Germany, had escaped with her family to Australia, where she finished high school and worked in a cosmetics firm until she reunited with Harry in 1946. Harry was able to bring Anne, who had immigrated to Australia, to Los Angeles as a war bride and they soon owned their first home on Butler Avenue in West L.A. Daughter Marion was born in 1949 and son Clyde in 1951. Charmfit of Hollywood thrived and the young Froehlich family later moved into their beloved home on Marinette Road in Pacific Palisades in 1958. Over the next decades, Anne and Harry filled their home with objects of art they collected on their many trips around the world. Harry and his brother Ernie continued in business together for 10 years beyond their father’s death, until Charmfit was purchased by a large New York company in 1967. Harry stayed with that company until 1971 but then ventured out on his own to start his own firm, Radiant Fashions. Harry and Anne were delighted to become grandparents when Jesse and Will were born in the early 1980s and always made time for them. In 1988, Harry sold Radiant Fashions and did much consulting in the apparel industry during his retirement years, most notably in the former Soviet Union. He and Anne always cherished time with their children, grandchildren and extended family, often combining family time with world travel. Harry is most certainly remembered by all who knew him for his sense of humor and linguistic talents. He could not resist making puns, often employing his knowledge of several languages to do so. He could also fool anyone into thinking he came from the country or region he was visiting because of his ability to pick up the local dialect/accent. He was interested in world events, reading the Los Angeles Times every day until his eyes were mostly closed. As he wished, he took his last breath on Marinette Road, in the home he had lovingly created with his beloved wife Anne. His wife Anne preceded Froehlich in death in 2004. He is survived by his daughter, Marion Froehlich of San Diego; son and daughter-in-law, Clyde and Peggy Froehlich of Davis, CA; granddaughter Jesse Froehlich of Davis; and grandson Will Froehlich of Portland, OR. Memorial Contributions may be made to: * Pacific Palisades Democratic Club, P.O. Box 343, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 * American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 1131, Fairfax, VA 22038-1131 * Anti-Defamation League, 605 3rd Ave., New York, New York 10158 * Junior Blind of America, 5300 Angeles Vista Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90043