Passport and Naturalization Papers of Aron Sztejnberg, Vishnevets

(later Harry Staenberg, Omaha, NE USA)

Contributed by Steven Wise

The following information is from Steven Wise of Deerfield, Illinois, grandson of Harry Staenberg:


"There are big gaps in what we know about my Zayde before he came to the United States. . . . The family story is he went to gymnasia in Kiev and went to one with Jewish quotas. . . . My mother says that he remained a Russian nationalist until World War II. His younger brother and his buddies got out of Eastern Europe, sneaked into Palestine in 1938, and was one of the early settlers of a very socialistic kibbutz in northern Israel."


"The family story is that he had to get out of the Soviet Union in a hurry because he was wanted for political activity. My guess is that he was a socialists and the Bolsheviks were rounding up the socialists."


"Per the Ellis Island manifest (ID No. 100310120235)

  • Aron Sztejnberg (last name later Americanized to Staenberg, and his brother convinced him to change his name to Harry).

  • Arrived New York November 27, 1920

  • Departed from Danzig

  • 23 years old

  • Male, unmarried

  • Nationality: Polish, Hebrew

  • Residence: Wisnewce, Poland

  • Bookkeeper, could read and write

  • Nearest relative in Europe: Mother, Scheiva Steinberg

  • Going to brother Benj. Steinberg, 661 E. 75th, NYC"

Aron Sztejnberg's Polish passport, front and back covers. "As you can see, he [later] put his Americanized name and social security number on the back cover."

Aron Sztejnberg's Polish passport, inside cover and page 1

Aron Sztejnberg's Polish passport, pages 2 and 3

Aron Sztejnberg's Polish passport, pages 4 and 5

Aron Sztejnberg's Polish passport, inside back cover

Naturalization certificate for Harry Staenberg

Reverse of naturalization certificate, with name change noted