Jewish refugees in Manila; Plaza Santa Cruz businesses

Walter Rauscher (July 9, 1919 – December 1974) was born in Ošelín, Czechoslovakia to Oskar and Clementine (Schnurmacher) Rauscher. The family owned a general store in town and lived in the quarters above it. Oskar died in June 1936, leaving the business to his wife. Walter’s uncle, Leo Schnurmacher, was the Honorary Consul of Czechoslovakia in Manila, Philippines. In 1938, Leo connected Walter, who had been studying in Pilsen, with Marcel Blum, the president of Levy & Blum Inc. The company offered Walter a position in Manila and financial assistance for relocating. On December 8, 1938, Walter secured a visa along with thirteen other Jewish refugees in the third wave of the Open Doors immigration initiative. He left for Manila from Marseille, France on February 3, 1939 aboard the Aramis SS ship. Later that year, Walter’s mother Clementine, sister Irma, her husband Leo Eisner, their daughter Hanna, and Leo’s brother, Artur Eisner, found refuge in Manila. Walter worked for Levy & Blum, Inc. and the family lived together in Leo Schnurmacher’s diplomatic residence. The family left the Philippines for the United States on the SS President Taft arriving in San Francisco in October 7, 1940. They were sponsored by the Americans, Henry and Camilla Beck, from Cicero, IL. Walter Rauscher settled in Chicago, married Elaine Kraus in 1947, and had two sons, Russell (1950-1995) and Eric (1953-).

Leo Schnurmacher (April 26, 1889 – January 2, 1965), Honorary Consul of Czechoslovakia in Manila, Philippines https://www.mzv.cz/manila/cz/historie/osobnosti_ceske_historie_na_filipinach/schurnmacher_leo_honorarni_konzul.html

Artur Eisner (1915-1997), a Czech Jew, found refuge in Manila in 1940. He left the Philippines and joined the Czech Army in France, likely arriving by ship in Marseille and continuing to Agde by train. When France fell, Artur joined the British Army. After the war, he returned to Czechoslovakia and ran a relative’s business in Strakonice for 2 years. He married Jarka in 1947 and had two children Michal (b. 1948) and Alena (b. 1953) who now reside in Toronto, Canada.

Irma Rauscher (October 16, 1913-June 3, 1999) married Leo Eisner (1905-1984). They lived in Vimperk (Winterberg), Czechoslovakia and had two children, Hana (March 26, 1937-September 6, 2011) and Steve (April 19, 1948-July 24, 2020). In late 1939, they were able to relocate to Manila with Irma's mother, Clementine, and Leo's brother, Artur. They lived with Irma's brother, Walter Rauscher, in Manila. The family left the Philippines for the United States on the SS President Taft arriving in San Francisco in October 7, 1940. They were sponsored by the Americans, Henry and Camilla Beck, from Cicero, IL. The Eisners changed their last name to Eaton in 1946. They owned a collectable stamps store called Liberty Stamp Shop Inc. in Chicago, IL.

Leo Eisner (1905-1984) was married to Irma Rauscher. They lived in Vimperk (Winterberg), Czechoslovakia and had two children, Hana and Steve. They found refuge in Manila in late 1939 and immigrated to the United States in 1940. The family changed their name to Eaton in 1946. Leo’s parents owned a wholesale business in Vimperk and were forced to hand over their business to the Nazis. They were deported to Theresienstadt and then on transport C to Lodz on October 26, 1941; mother Franciszka did not survive the transport and father Berthold was murdered in the ghetto. The Eisner’s Czech store manager, Mr. Koci, saved much of the business documentation, which the family later used as evidence for their restitution case.

Hana Miriam Eisner (March 23, 1937-September 2011), later Hannah Eaton (last name adopted in the United States) or Hannah Deitch (married name)

Clementine Schnurmacher (August 15, 1895-June 9, 1972) was married to Oskar Rauscher. They had two children, Irma (b. 1913) and Walter (b. 1919). The family owned a general store in Ošelín, Czechoslovakia and lived in the quarters above it. Oskar died in June 1936, leaving the business to his wife. Clementine found refuge in Manila in 1939 and immigrated to the United States in 1940.