Selma Petzal née Hirschberg

Selma Petzal, née Hirschberg, was born on 24 July 1881 in Berlin, the youngest daughter of Leopold Hirschberg, born 14 November 1846, and Johanne Hirschberg, née Oborniker, born 5 June 1850. Selma's parents are buried at the Weißensee cemetery in Berlin.
She had two older brothers and two older sisters. She became engaged to Hermann Petzal on 3 August 1904 and their wedding took place on 30 October 1904. During her marriage to Hermann, they travelled throughout Europe, as can be seen from the photo books that are in the family's possession. The family was wealthy enough to own a Blüthner grand piano and Rosenthal crockery and to employ a housekeeper.
Little is known about Selma, apart from her close relationship with her two sons and her later move to the Netherlands with her son Werner. Selma was on transport 24/4, No. 526 from Westerbork to Theresienstadt on 26 February 1944 and was then deported to Auschwitz on 16 October 1944. She was murdered two days later, on 18 October 1944.