Daniel Abraham

Moritz Datnowsky

Alternate names: Moshe, Movsha, Mozes
Alternate spellings: Datnovsky, Datnowski, Datnovskis, Dotnowski

Moritz Datnowsky was born in 1860, the son of Jossel (Yossef) Meier Datnowsky and Sore (Sarah) Datnowsky. He was given the name Movsha (or any similar variation of Moshe) at birth, and later went by the German-sounding Moritz. He was Abraham's younger brother.

Moritz was born in Dotnuva, Lithuania (the origin of the Datnowsky name); he later resided in Kovno (Kaunas), the second largest city in Lithuania.

Moritz Datnowsky's passport.

(Photo courtesy of Michael Frumkin)

A doctor, he received his "Permanent Certificate Degree" in Moscow in 1885, according to the directory of Lithuanian Doctors, Pharmacists, & Veterinarians published in Kaunas, 1925. (JewishGen)

Moritz Datnowsky's name appears in the Courland Voters Lists for the 1907 Russian Duma (Parliament) election. He was registered as eligible to vote in Windau (now Ventspils, Latvia), which may indicate this was his residence at the time, or that he came from the surrounding areas.

(Source: jewishgen.org, The Courland 1907 Duma Voters Lists)

To be eligible to vote, voters had to be "of good character" and in good standing in the community. Based on their position in the community, voters belonged to different categories of eligibility. Voters in Section A were the most prominent citizens, likely to own substantial real estate or business interests. These voters had weighted votes that counted for more than those in the second half of the list.

Moritz belonged to this first group, and his registration number A-84 and his Eligibility 1 rank indicate that he was a prominent member of the community.

Moritz Datnowsky (sitting, 2nd from the right)

(Photo courtesy of Michael Frumkin)

Moritz was married to Bertha - they had a daughter - Polja (Paulina), and a son Grischa.

Moritz and Bertha Datnowsky - St Petersburg.

(Photo courtesy of Michael Frumkin)

Bertha, wife of Moritz Datnowsky

(Photo courtesy of Michael Frumkin)

Moritz and Bertha Datnowsky

(Photo courtesy of Michael Frumkin)

Moritz and Bertha Datnowsky

(Photo courtesy of Michael Frumkin)

Moritz Datnowsky - Kaunas.

(Photo courtesy of Michael Frumkin)

Moritz later moved to Berlin (he is listed in the 1932 Berlin Address Directory), where he later died.

Moritz and Abraham Datnowsky, Berlin 1920

Moritz and Abraham Datnowsky, Berlin 1920

Bertha Braina Miriam Datnowsky

Not to be confused with Bertha Datnowsky, daughter of Abraham and sister of Ronya, Eva, and Israel.

Bertha Braina Miriam was born between 1860-1865. She married Moritz Datnowsky and was the mother of Grischa and Polja.

Bertha Datnowsky, mother of Grisha and Polja

Bertha moved to Haifa, but went back to Kovno (Kaunas) in 1939. After the war started, she was stuck there and unable to leave. She was murdered in 1941.