Bernard Werth

Bernard Werth

Who epitomized the American dream, and was an original "Inglorious Bastard," died peacefully at his home in the San Francisco Towers on December 15, 2014 at the age of 93. Bernard is survived by his beloved wife of 72 years, Marianne, his three children, Margaret, Ronald, and Steven, his seven grandchildren, and his four great-grandchildren.

Born on December 4, 1921 at the Jewish Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany, Bernard and his sister, Paula, and their parents Franz and Irma, lived a relatively normal and happy life until 1933 when Adolf Hitler came to power. After that, life in Germany as Bernard knew it would never be the same. In 1937, after graduating high school, Bernard took a position as a clerical apprentice with a leather goods manufacturer. However, in October, 1938 he was given a one month's termination notice because of the firm's "Aryanization." On Kristallnacht, Bernard managed to avoid arrest by going someplace where he felt the SS would not be looking for Jews – by the synagogue that the SS was burning down.

Bernard managed to leave Germany in January, 1939, and wound up in London, where he spent many a night in the West Hempstead Tube Station when the Germans sent their bombers over London. In mid-1940 Bernard received his immigration visa to the United States, and he departed England on the SS Vollendam. However, about 200 miles west of Ireland, the convoy in which the SS Vollendam was sailing was attacked by a German U-boat. The SS Vollendam was hit by one or more torpedoes, and, with only his German passport and his precious U.S. immigration visa in hand, Bernard made his way onto a lifeboat, where he and other passengers were eventually rescued by a Norwegian freighter.

Because those passengers with German passports were considered enemy aliens, Bernard was soon off to His Majesty's prison in Greenock, Scotland where, years later, he would remark that his "accommodations" were "first class – a roof over my head and three meals a day." Eventually, Bernard was released and returned to London, where he developed a lifelong soft spot in his heart for the British. A few months later Bernard gained passage to the United States, arriving in New York Harbor on October 3, 1940.

Bernard made his way out west, and landed a job in August, 1941 with a San Francisco wholesale grocer, Haas Brothers. There he met Marianne, the love of his life, and they were married on September 22, 1942. After the outbreak of hostilities that engulfed the United States, Bernard went to an Army recruiter to volunteer for service. When the recruiting officer learned that he was an enemy alien, Bernard was told he could not enlist but had to wait for an Induction Notice, which arrived shortly after the birth of Margaret in July, 1943.

Bernard spent the better part of the next two years with the United States Army's 5th Armored Division. Because of his fluency in German, Bernard was assigned to the intelligence section of his battalion, where his job was to interrogate German prisoners in order to learn about troop and artillery locations. Some of Bernard's memories of his service included entering Paris in August, 1944, following closely behind the 2d French Armored Division, which had been given the honor of liberating Paris; being captured in April, 1945, but convincing the young German soldier guarding him that he should accompany him, and two other captured American soldiers, back across American lines so that he could receive medical treatment; and returning with American forces to his hometown of Frankfurt in May, 1945 to retrieve many of his family's belongings.

Returning to the United States in January, 1946, Bernard returned to work at Haas Brothers. However, Bernard soon took a position with Koret of California, where he spent the vast majority of his career. Bernard worked his way up the corporate ranks, eventually obtaining the position of Vice President and Controller of Koracorp Industries. One of Bernard's proudest achievements was passing the CPA examination on his first attempt without any post-high school formal education. As Bernard put it, he graduated from the "College of Hard Knocks."

In 1980, shortly before he retired, Bernard was asked to join the Board of Directors of the Jewish Family and Children's Services. Bernard served on the Board, and then on the JFCS' Finance and Investment Committee to 2000. Bernard also trained and was certified as a long term care ombudsman, and volunteered to work at Laguna Honda Hospital, where he served as a patient advocate for seven years. During his retirement, Bernard travelled extensively with Marianne, and regularly hiked on Mt. Tamalpais and at Point Reyes.

Bernard was a loving husband and father, and a tremendous role model for his children and grandchildren. He taught us the meaning of hard work, responsibility, and compassion for those less fortunate. He will be sorely missed, but his legacy will continue in all of those he impacted over the years.

For those who wish to make a contribution in Bernard's memory, a donation to Jewish Family and Children's Services or Friends of Laguna Honda Hospital would be very much appreciated.