Vestermanis (Westermann) Aron Shmuelevich
(February 6, 1918, Gorky) — shop assistant.
Aron Vestermanis was born to parents originally from the Latvian town of Jaunjelgava, who had been evacuated to Gorky during World War I. In 1920, the family returned to Latvia and settled in Liepāja; in 1926, they moved to Jaunjelgava. From 1926 to 1934, Aron attended school and lived in Jaunjelgava. From 1934 to 1940, he worked in perfume and chemical shops in Jaunjelgava and Liepāja.
In 1940, he served in the Latvian Army in the town of Auce. From 1940 to 1941, he worked as a shop assistant in a perfume store in Liepāja. In 1941, he was imprisoned in the Liepāja Ghetto. In April 1944, he managed to escape from custody and hid from the Nazi occupiers until May 1945 at the home of an acquaintance, Liepāja resident Robert Sedols (Tirgoņu Street 14).
In 1945, he worked in the transportation department of the Pharmaceutical Administration of Liepāja. From 1945 to 1961, he was employed as a raw materials receiver at the Liepāja branch of “Zagotzhivsyryo” (Procurement of Animal Raw Materials).
In 1961 and 1962, Vestermanis was convicted and sentenced by the Supreme Court of the Latvian SSR to 7 years of imprisonment under Article 88, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Latvian SSR. He served his sentence in Olaine and Jelgava. Released on parole in 1965. After his release, he worked as a laborer at the “Latvenergo” plant until 1967. From 1967 to 1975, he worked as a loader-forwarder and shop assistant for the Mārupe Consumers' Cooperative. Since 1975, he was no longer employed due to health reasons.
During the Nazi occupation, Vestermanis lost nearly his entire family:
Shmuel Westermann (1880–1941), father — killed in Jaunjelgava
Gusta Westermann (née Katz) (1886–1941), mother — killed in Jaunjelgava
Meer Westermann (1924–1941), brother — killed in Jaunjelgava
Leib Westermann (1909–1941?), brother — killed in the Ventspils district
Frida Wolfsone (née Westermann) (1911–1941), sister — killed in Liepāja
Raphael Westermann (1912–1941), brother — killed in Liepāja
Boris Westermann (1914–1941), brother — killed in Liepāja
Aron Vestermanis was married twice. His first wife was Riva Elelman (née Rosenberg, formerly Westermann) (1926, Liepāja). Their daughter Ida Teitelbaum (née Westerman) was born in 1946. The marriage ended in divorce in 1950.
His second wife was Chaya Westermann (née Hirshovich) (1930, Paris), with whom he had a son, Lev Westerman (born 1958).
1.
In 1976, Aron Vestermanis received permission to emigrate from Latvia.
Riva Elelman (née Rosenberg, formerly Westerman) (1926, Liepāja) – first wife
Ida Teitelbaum (née Westerman) (1946, Liepāja) – daughter
Chaya Westerman (née Hirshovich) (1930, Paris) – second wife
Lev Westerman (1958, Liepāja) – son
Shmuel Westerman (1880–1941, Jaunjelgava) – father
Gusta Westerman (née Katz) (1886–1941, Jaunjelgava) – mother
Leib Westerman (1909–1941?, Ventspils) – brother
Frida Wolfsone (née Westerman) (1911–1941, Liepāja) – sister
Raphael Westerman (1912–1941, Liepāja) – brother
Boris Westerman (1914–1941, Liepāja) – brother
Meer Westerman (1924–1941, Jaunjelgava) – brother