Eva Cohen, who now lives in Israel, recently visited the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum accompanied by her children and relatives—ten people in total. During the visit, they retraced the profound bond her father, Dr. Wilhelm Mainzer, had with China.

Dr. Mainzer lived in China for 10 years. During the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he made great contributions and developed a profound bond with China. The connection between his family and the museum first began back in 2012.

Miriam Hausman (first from left) at the opening ceremony 

In August 2012, Dr. Mainzer’s second daughter Miriam Hausman, who was born in Shanghai, attended the opening ceremony of the “Jewish Refugees and Shanghai” exhibition held by the museum in Jerusalem, Israel and delivered a speech. She also donated over twenty pieces of historical materials, including the business license of Dr. Mainzer’s clinic in Shanghai, as well as letters, bills and certificates, which have helped the museum restore historical details and enrich its display.

Eva (first from left) and her family learning about her father’s life in China

In front of the showcase featuring historical materials about Dr. Mainzer and his family, Eva and her family members lingered for a long while, sharing memories of their family’s past in Shanghai. They also visited historical sites near the museum, including the Blumenthal Residence, Huoshan Park and the former site of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Later, they visited the White Horse Inn, where they continued their conversations with the museum staff.

Eva and her daughter (second from left) talking with a staff member

Eva mentioned that this was her second visit to Shanghai and her first time visiting the museum. Though she lives in Israel, both trips to the city gave her a warm feeling of “coming home”. She also once returned to Kunming to look for the hospital where she was born, only to learn that it had been destroyed during the war. She has kept her birth certificate all these years, as she puts it, “This is my precious bond with China.” This visit to Shanghai also brought her many surprises. She was deeply moved by how the local Chinese residents and Jewish refugees supported each other in Shanghai. She said that if possible, she would like to bring more family members to come back for a visit in the future.

Eva and her family with director Chen Jian (sixth from left)

The experience of Dr. Mainzer in China

The Mainzer couple

Dr. Mainzer was born near Frankfurt, Germany, in 1909 and received medical education in Germany. In May 1939, he arrived in China from Amsterdam. Invited by the Health Department of Yunnan Province, he came to Kunming, where he taught at Central China University, while providing medical services at the university’s affiliated clinic. He later joined the Chinese Military Academy in Kunming as a professor of dermatology, holding the rank of Medical Colonel, and contributed to the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

In 1943, Dr. Mainzer married Lee Se-Ling, a Chinese nurse he had met in Kunming. Their first daughter Eva was born there in 1945. In 1947, the family moved to Shanghai, where Dr. Mainzer obtained a medical license. He also became a member of the Chinese Medical Association, and worked in the medical department of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee as well as at Shanghai Refugee Hospital. That same year, their second daughter Miriam was born in Shanghai.

In January 1949, Dr. Mainzer and his family sailed from Shanghai to Israel, where he practiced medicine until his death in 1984.