How strange it must have been to live in the Kingdom of Bohemia under the Austrian Empire’s rule. Emilie and Karl may have left in 1881 and 1882 respectively, but The City brought them together serendipitously. More than likely, they left their unnamed town in Bohemia — now known as Czechia or the Czech Republic — due to religious persecution and economic struggles (thanks to the Habsburgs). Life wasn’t easy for Catholics in the Old Country under Protestant rule, especially considering prices went up while income stagnated (sounds a bit familiar, doesn’t it?). We may not know much about where they lived, when they left, and how they met, we do know a bit about the area of Manhattan when they arrived.
The Lower East Side and East Village housed a large German-speaking Catholic Bohemian population, and Karl and Emilie married after they arrived here. Karl became Charles due to anglicization practices, and his name was passed down to my great-great-grandfather, his son, and my grandfather’s first cousin. Of course, that should tell you that my great-great-grandfather Charles gave us my great-grandmother, who we affectionately called “Mother Dear” — a name that stuck through several generations despite the fact that she became a grandmother and great-grandmother.
Although we have been talking mostly about origins during this series, I want to take a moment to remember Cousin Charlie who sadly lost his life during the Vietnam War. Based on military records, he was originally listed as missing in action in 1973, but they later identified bone fragments (our family confirms that they returned some teeth to his parents) and updated his status to deceased in 1986 (Bio, Wanzel, Charles J. III). Regardless of your opinions on the Vietnam War, Cousin Charlie’s sacrifice was needless — another example of the rich sending someone else’s son to fight over land, politics, and resources. Karl and Emilie may have escaped Habsburg rule, but did they really find something better here?
Mama, ooh, didn’t mean to make you cryIf I’m not back again this time tomorrowCarry on, carry on as if nothing really matters (Queen, lines 12-14)
Bio, Wanzel, Charles J. III, www.pownetwork.org/bios/w/w103.htm. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
Queen. “Bohemian Rhapsody.” A Night at the Opera, EMI Records, 1975.
Be First to Comment