Family Tree of a Talented Family

.....I just reminded myself that my previous blog was written on Bastille Day. Not too many people that I asked knew that, or else they once knew but being old, they forgot. Actually, no one remembered what happened in France on that day over 200 years ago--just about the time we were celebrating our independence.

.....Bastille Day is the French national holiday which is celebrated on 14 July each year. It commemorates the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, during the French

Revolution. The Bastille was the name of a prison and symbol of the absolutism of the Louis XVI, Attacking the prison was a representation of freedom and the fight against oppression. Traditionally Bastille Day is celebrated with a military parade on the morning of 14 July, on the Champs-Élysées in Paris in front of the President of the Republic. Many large-scale public events are held, including a military parade in Paris, as well as spectacular fireworks, concerts, dances, and partying into the wee hours.

.....But today I didn't mean to write about Bastille Day. Just thought I'd add something I ought to have thought of on my blog of July 14. But, now I do want to write about cousins and the Auslander family. As far back as I could remember, my maternal grandparents were Isidore and Rebecca Auslander, who came here from Russia in 1882 and settled in the Bronx. Isadore's parents were Abraham Auslander and Bessie Reitenberg both of whom were born in the Ukraine. So, they were my great grandparents. Isadore and Rebecca had six children; Harry, Herman, Irving, Shirley, Bessie & Esther. They, in turn sired 15 children. And 13 of them are my cousins, six of whom still carry the name, Auslander. I don't have enough time or energy to tell you how many second cousins I have, but they are numerous!

.....Over time, all my cousins became scattered thoughout the country, Boston, Arizona, Chicago, California, New York, Florida, etc. Consequently, we lost touch with each other and knew little about our lives. I thought it a good idea--through email--to have each of them who still survive write me a short bio of them, their lives, and their families and then I would make a document of their responses and send it out as an attachment to an email. Thus far, I have received seven replies. I think that reading these "bios" will prove very enlightening about our cousins' lives, and bring closer together, the descendants of Abraham and Bessie Auslander, the great grandparents, and my children's great, great grandparents.