Who is Willamary Aszmann?

Posted: 3/2/2008 4:59:17 AM
carport888

From: Redmond, WA

Joined: 9/1/2007

Does anyone have info on Willamary Aszmann?

Check out these videos:
You Asked For It: Theremin Soloist pt. 1 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=U6V7dm0j0jQ)
You Asked For It: Theremin Soloist pt. 2 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=ac8eJsIO8Ys)

In the first video, her name is said to be "Willamary". A search on Google came up with this book clipping (http://books.google.com/books?id=mDm80Af6ymMC&pg=PA351&lpg=PA351&dq=willamary+theremin&source=web&ots=lNoWi51vU9&sig=troZWRDuEyf9BepcsuZqB5vcKeE&hl=en#PPA351,M1), giving her the last name "Aszmann". I couldn't find any other info about her anywhere. Does anyone know more about her?
Posted: 3/2/2008 8:44:14 AM
Brian R

From: Somerville, MA

Joined: 10/7/2005

Some further Googling reveals, in the University of Iowa libraries (http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/Msc/ToMsc250/MsC202/MsC202.htm), among "Advertising Literature: Lecturers and Entertainers":

Madame Lydja Aszmann and her Victor Theremin (musical instrument) -- typewritten letter on verso (1930) ad brochure for Richard Alexander, bass baritone, ad sheet (n.d.)

So I'm guessing that Willamary is Lydja's daughter or niece, and that Lydja was a Polish (or Russian?) immigrant to this country. Specifically, "Aszmann" looks like a Polish spelling of the German "Aschmann."

[i]fixed broken link TW-Staff[/i]
Posted: 3/2/2008 5:14:48 PM
jeshum

From: Netherlands

Joined: 7/9/2005

http://www.herschbach.com/tree.htm
mentions a Willamary Aszman as daughter of Lydia Herschbach and a mr. Aszman (first name unknown).
Aszman, or Aszmann, looks more like a Jewish Hungarian name to me. Herschbach is certainly German.

--
greetings,
Jessica
Posted: 3/2/2008 5:24:27 PM
jeshum

From: Netherlands

Joined: 7/9/2005

Also according to
http://www.herschbach.com/gerhard.htm
Willamary's maternal grandfather Henry Herschbach was born in Missouri to German immigrants.
See http://www.herschbach.com/gerchild.htm
for moreinformation on Henry and the Herschbach Building in Chester.

(If only we knew more about mr. Aszman...)
Posted: 3/2/2008 6:20:19 PM
jeshum

From: Netherlands

Joined: 7/9/2005

Willamary Aszmann is mentioned on the list of East St Louis Senior High School, Class Members, 1933, St Clair County, Illinois
1933list (http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/il/stclair/school/1933list.txt)
as
Also in 1933 there lived a dr. A.M. Aszmann in East St Louis, according to legacyofwrestling (http://www.legacyofwrestling.com/Results_-_ESLouis33.html)

This doesn't help much with the theremin connection, but at least it gives an idea about Willamary's year of birth.
Posted: 3/2/2008 6:45:09 PM
jeshum

From: Netherlands

Joined: 7/9/2005

Last one for tonight, I promise :-)

AZMANN, Lydia H., nee HERSCHBACH, 90, d. 11 Feb 1977, Sherman Oaks, CA

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/ROOTS/1996-11/18673
Posted: 3/2/2008 9:39:42 PM
Brian R

From: Somerville, MA

Joined: 10/7/2005

Hi, Jessica--

Great spadework!

I was guessing Polish rather than Hungarian, because I thought "Aschmann" more common than "Assmann" (though a Google search on that count suggests that I might have been quite wrong).

That is, I was thinking Ger. "Aschmann" --> "Aszmann" in Polish, but "Asmann" or "Assmann" in Hungarian.

But if it were orginally Ger. "Assmann" --> "Aszmann" in Hungarian.

Either way, I'll defer to your better knowledge of European Jewish history (something I wouldn't even pretend to know about).
Posted: 3/2/2008 9:47:08 PM
Brian R

From: Somerville, MA

Joined: 10/7/2005

P.S. Oh, right: A family name might have continued with old spelling, despite the various reforms toward more consistent orthography.

So, in the words of the late, great Emily Litella:

"...Never mind."
Posted: 3/3/2008 10:45:06 AM
GordonC

From: Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, UK

Joined: 10/5/2005

There's a more detailed version of the Herschbach family tree site on archive.org.

Here: herschbach (http://web.archive.org/web/20060908163928/www.herschbach.com/herschbach.htm)

There is more info about Lydia here:
fam00150 (http://web.archive.org/web/20020730205721/www.herschbach.com/tree/fam00150.htm)

"Born: JAN 1886 at: Illinois"

Have you considered emailing the Herschbach site owner - there might be some living relatives.
Posted: 1/27/2009 6:43:53 PM
jeshum

From: Netherlands

Joined: 7/9/2005

Just came across some other book clippings about 'Soror' Aszman and her theremin Rosicrucian Digest 1937 (http://books.google.nl/books?id=GBWCVgtAnOQC&pg=PT293&vq=theremin&dq=theremin+aszman&source=gbs_search_s&cad=0) [search on theremin] and Rosicrucian Digest 1949 (http://books.google.nl/books?id=0IIKUXbxwHQC&pg=PA346&lpg=PA346&dq=soror+willamary&source=bl&ots=yXrDvfzzvU&sig=FZtJXl0zpgeJyY5ce1s8IKDKDgU&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result#PPA346,M1) [search on theramin and theremin].

--
greetings,
Jessica

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