Herman Frank Broch

Herman Broch was born in Cologne, Germany on September 12, 1921, to Rosa Holler and Saul Lichtman. He died on August 29, 2021, just two weeks shy of his 100th birthday. His biological father abandoned the family around 1925 (a fact he had never mentioned to us) and Rosa ran a furniture store to support the family, along with the help of her many siblings and her parents who lived nearby. In 1935, she married Leo Broch, whose Czech passport enabled the family to leave Germany for Belgium after Kristallnacht. Herman attended nautical college in Antwerp until the German invasion in May 1940. Leaving for France (and separating from Leo Broch) Herman sailed with his mother and brother from Le Havre to Liverpool in June 1940. Both his birth and adoptive fathers, and many of his aunts and uncles, were Holocaust victims.

After spending World War II as a sailor in the British Merchant Navy, Herman emigrated to White Plains, New York in 1946 where his Uncle Willie and Tante Lola were living. His mother and brother had returned from Australia, where they had spent the war. We believe he worked for his uncle, and then as a longshoreman. In 1952 he married Rose Hecht whom he’d met through their shared interest in Zionism. By 1955 he was working in a delicatessen, by 1960 repairing time clocks.

After being fired from the time clocks (supposedly for trying to organize a union), he attended RCA institute. After that he worked at Design Service and then eventually to Western Electric in Newark and the inspiration for his comments on commuting (“the first 35 years are the worst”). He was so proud of every microwave tower we saw and felt compelled to point them out.

By 1960, they had relocated to Brooklyn, first on Ocean Avenue and then on Avenue S. After retiring in 1988, he and Rose had a few good years to travel. He spent many hours playing chess. Diagnosed with leukemia in 1994, surviving a heart attack in 1996, we were lucky to have him for so many years, although the aggressive treatment he sought for his leukemia took a tremendous toll on him. In 2000, their declining health necessitated a move to North Carolina, to be cared for by their youngest daughter, Debbie and her husband, Michael.

He was a loving, affectionate person who loved his children and grandchildren.

In addition to Rose’s death 39 days before his, he was predeceased by his parents and brother, Nathan Broch. He is survived by his children Elana (Steve Panter), Daniel (Lauren), and Debbie Weiss (Michael) and grandchildren Ben, Julia, Noah, Josh, Eli, and Emma; brother. The amazing caregivers provided fantastic care for many years.

Donations can be made to Doctors without Borders or the USHMM.