[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 92 (Thursday, June 28, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1239]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1239]]



                    SOPHIE HEIMBACH'S 100TH BIRTHDAY

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                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 28, 2001

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a wonderful woman, 
Sophie Heimbach who will be 100 years old on August 10, 2001. As is the 
case with most Jews born in the early twentieth century, Sophie's life 
began very peacefully, and happily. She was born on August 10, 1901 in 
Ochtrup, Germany. In 1938, with the rising strength of the Nazi party, 
Sophie was forced to flee Germany. While at first she was able to make 
a new home in Belgium, the outbreak of World War Two forced her to flee 
again, this time for France, Spain, Portugal, and finally Casablanca. 
As if being uprooted from one's home and having a death marking on 
one's chest were not bad enough, Sophie was also separated from her 
family for a very painful period of time. We have all heard tales of 
the horrors for the Jews during World War Two, but this woman lived 
them, and she did it not knowing what would become of her family.
  Sophie was reunited with her husband and family in Casablanca, and 
from that point slowly began to relearn the small joys in life, even 
amidst pain. Casablanca led Sophie and her family to Cuba, and then 
eventually to the United States in 1942. They moved to Goshen, New York 
where Sophie earned her U.S. citizenship in 1947. Sophie and her 
husband worked diligently and humbly in their first months in the 
United States. She worked as a housekeeper for a wealthy landowner, and 
her husband Arthur as a farm hand. After a mere nine months, Sophie and 
Arthur had the resources to fulfill their American dream enabling them 
to purchase the family farm in Wallkill, New York. The Heimbach family 
flourished during their time in Wallkill, and succeeded in developing 
their farm to over 400 acres.
  Arthur is now deceased, but he and Sophie are followed by two 
children, Charlotte and Louis, five grandchildren, and six great 
grandchildren.
  Sophie is a woman of great devotion and dedication to her temple, her 
home and her family. She has lived a full life with as much grief as 
joy, hardship as luck. I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring 
her on her millstone 100th birthday.

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