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News Page:

On this page you will find all news, questions and (un)solved mysteries.

The following events are not in the right order by date.

Last update: January 2011

June 2011: Found an article about a trial in Florence. The article was in the Dordrechtsche Courant 2 september 1841.
I will first write down the Dutch text ( the old spelling) and after that the English translation.

"Kortelings geleden is te Florence uitspraak gedaan in het proces gevoerd door een uit het gevolg van den Dey van Algiers tegen een Joodschen koopman te Livorno, met name Busnack, die in verdenking stond van een gedeelte der aan de laatsten dey van Algiers toebehoorende schatten ontvreemd te hebben.
De Dey had al aan dezen namelijk verzegelde kisten in bewaring gegeven en deze vond men naderhand met kiezelsteenen opgevuld. Twee der voorname getuigen waren gestorven, weshalve het zeer moeijelijk was den diefstal te bewijzen.
Onderscheiden der voornaamste regtsgeleerden waren in dit proces opgetreden, hetwelk reeds sedert het jaar 1832 aanhangig was.
Busnack is schuldig verklaard tot teruggave van het ontvreemde, tot betaling der proceskosten en tot 20 jarige galeistraf veroordeeld. De laatste straf is echter in aanmerking der 8 jaren, die hij reeds in gevangenschap doorbragt, in tweejarigen dwangarbeid in een verbeterhuis veranderd. De veroordeelde heeft van dit vonnis bij het hof van cassatie te Florence geappelleerd, welks uitspraak men binnen kort te gemoet ziet."

English:

"Not long ago in Florence a verdict was given in the process executed by and as a result of the case of Algeria against a Jewish tradesman from Livorno, named Busnack, who is accused of stealing valuables belonging to Algeria.
The defendant had given these money chests in custody and afterwards found them to be filled with pebbles.
Two of the most important witnesses had died which made it very difficult to prove the theft.
As the most distinguished judges had handled this case, which had been going on since 1832, Busnack was found guilty and was sentenced to returning the stolen goods, to payment of the court costs and a 20 year jail sentence.
The last is seen the 8 years he had spent in preliminary custody reduced to 2 years hard labour. The accused objected to this sentence to the higher court, and their decision in the matter is expected soon."



Now it's up to us to find out who this Busnack was an how the court case ended????

February 2010: update of the Busnach Tree and Busnach Chart with some minor changes and major contributions form the UK.
If you find/know missing links, wrong dates, etc., please let me know.
Next project: Updating the Link page, a lot of links are dead or changed.

2009 was a year of getting much new information and a meeting with English clan members. All information will be processed very soon (february 2010).

The Busnach meeting in Israel - Italian Busnach's and Israel Busnach's

New look for the web site

31 January 2002

I found a book dealing with the dark side of the last century, WW II.
Koos Groen wrote a book with the title:

"When victims become offender" - the case of the jewish traiter Ans van Dijk.

I will give you some quotes:

Pages 114-115

The end of March 1944 Ans van Dijk let a certain Michiel Busnach 'hide' with Branca Simons. He has been hidding with Mrs. Theodora Polak-Huber (1899). Mrs. Polak met Ans van Dijk and Branca Simons somewhere on the street. She knew Ans van Dijk, because she has been a cliënt of Maison Evany (a shop in Amsterdam)

- part of a investigation report -
Busnach (Michiel) had a lot of money, and he liked to show this of. Jopie (Ans van Dijk) acted like she was in love with him and tried to have a date with him. Finally Simons took him to her house on the Kerkstraat (Churchstreet). This is where he was picked up by the SD. (German Security Service)

Probably Ans van Dijk was used as a ""Cell-Spy", because the 27th of March Mozer, Nap en Van den Berg (collaborators with the Germans) arrested his brother Abraham Busnach. Schaap en Van den Berg tortured him badly when he wanted (or couldn't ) tell where his brother was hiding his gold and jewelery. Also his (Ariën) wife was arrested and treated badly by Nap.© K. Groen - Publisher Ambo/Baarn

Last updated 21-05-2001 **

Michael S. Busnach, a cigar maker who first appears in the city directories in 1856. He appears in the directories until at least 1892. After 1880 he is listed as "constable, collector, and cigars." There is an ad for his cigar- making business in the 1865 directory. He wa a constable, this is a civilian (not a policeman), who has received an appointment as a low-level officer of the court. His function is to serve summonses and court papers on defendants and to execute legal judgements, not on salary but on a fee basis. He apparently was also a bill collector.
Michael Busnach owned a row of four wood frame houses at 19-25 Watson Street in Cambridgeport during this period, and his front door may still be in place.

Name shields from Michael Solomons front door, photo's Jim Busnach

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Lots of information from Cambridge MA - USA Found the homepage of Arnold & Fran Schutzberg, will appear on my link page.
Arnold gave me the following information, I have to check some info in the archives in Amsterdam and will ask somebody to do the same in England.
Here we go:
The first of the London born Jews to arrive apears to be Michael Busnach and his family. He appears to have arrived US in 1849 @ the age of 32 (b1817) from London England , with his wife of 9 years, Maria 34 years old, and Solomon age 6 and one year old Henry. Per the Cambridge death record, Michael’s father, Solomon was born in Italy but married a London born Rachel Levy. The Sphardim or secret Jews of Spain and Portugal apear to have acquired surnames at a much earlier date than their east european counterparts as can be seen by the 1840 Bevis Marks, mairrage contract. His new wife Maria, miriam, was a spinster daughter of an ashkenazi who used both his family ( 1780’s Hapsburg Emperor Joseph II decreed) Harris and paternal, Zevi bar samuel, names on the contract. The contract also specifiers michael to be a bachelor cigar Maker.
1880 census
Michael 63 Cigar Manufg b England 11 Watson St w Maria 65 b England s Solomon 37 Cigar Maker b England, 1843 s Henry 32 Barber b England , 1848
The couple have a daughter Elizabeth born in Cambridge Massachusetts in 1857 (Check Birth records). The 3 Jun. 1893 Cambridge Chronicle obituary claims family arrival in the city in 1853. His first Cambridge directory entry is in 1856 as a cigar maker living on Bridge St. opposite Water. The Directory confirms his cigar business is at 576 Main from 1863-70. The obituary claim of the businesss being located at 476 Main from 1862 is a typographic error. He apears to have been appointed a constable, notary, in 1885? and used the same business address. His Son Henry had a hair dressing establishment next door @ 574 Main his participation as an organizer in 1858 of the cambridge temperance reform association (check Chronicle) membership in Commonwealth Lodge Knights of Pythius , Boston and various religious societies (???? check othe Jewis Pubs of Period Boston Hebrew Observer Jan 1883-Jan 1886, Jewish Herald June 1893 aug 1894) leaves 3 sons---Solomon, Henry, ? 2 daughters--Elizabeth Lemon, ? in cigar manufactering business at 476 ( Typo should be 576)Main since 1862 funeral Thursday 1 June Bevis Marks Records III p28-29 Ketuba no(contract) 35 17 Jun 1840 Michael Busnach FA(23) B Cigar Maker 14 Bell Lane, Spitalfields gfather Solomon Busnach deceased 14 Bel Lane, Spitalfields place of wedding wtnesssed by Isaac de Gabriel Costa, S. Genese, junior, S. Almosnino (reistrar) Notes:150 lp Husbands Addition, Ketubah witnessses D.A. LE SOLA, Isaac ALMOSNINO Maria (Miriam) Harris FA(25) S,same place residence, brides father Henry Harris (Zevi bar Samuel Bevis Marks Records PartII---1949 p120 Abstract of Ketubot "1541 Selomoh de Michael Busnach and Rachel de Moses de Mosesde Juda. 18 Iyar 5576" 1815-16 Maria (Miriam) Harris FA(25) S same place residence brides father Henry Harris (Zevi bar Samuel) Dealer The Portugeses Syn mairrage contract ( Ketuba) records page 28 & 29 no. 34 show that Michael Busnach age 23 on 17 June 1840 as a cigar maker with a house on Bridge oppositte Water. The 6 year period between 1849 and 1856 is not acounted for except that his daughter Lizzie was born in as in 1856-must check births in Cambridge of that year.
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After working on a lot of other homepages, I thought it was time to change mine again. Not much news at this moment. Claudia Boesnach keeps writing and I keep answering (good for my French)
The USA is very silent at this moment, so no news from that part of the world.
Jeffrey Busnach lives in France now, he is in Europe from the States.
Still have to write the Boesnach's in Napels (It)

** Received a letter from Claudia Boesnach in France, she will lookup all information she has for me.

** Received the familytree "The descendants of Abramo Busnach"
I will ask Danny Busnach if I can put it on the Web.

** Found Carles Busnach, he married Magdalena Fabrega 2 December 1614 in San Feliu, Gerona Spain. I will try to get a print of the microfilm so I can give more information.

** Found two Boesnach's living in Napoli-Italy, will write them soon and let you know.

* (!) Working on a new page: with all the streetnames where Busnach's etc. lived in Amsterdam and London

*(!) Found the story of Busnach-Bacri in "France Militair" this story gives more info. It is in French, will translate it (time???) and put it on a seperate page.

* (!) Received a letter from Mireille Boesnach in France.
Joesph Boesnach (born 11-02-1851) married Olimpe Mentrel 10-6-1883
Children, Adolphe Boesnach, Jean Boesnach, Poupoule ?, Louise Boesnach and Albertine Boesnach.
Adolphe(born 10-6-1883) married Irma Poiffait, they had six children Maurice, Carmen, Roger, André Albert-Jean and Jean.
I did not yet find the connection to our tree but the most likely Joseph Boesnach the number 108 in the tree, son of Soetje/Joseph Boesnach and Petronella Hart.
I will investigate this further.

* (!) More French news!!! Edouard Busnach in Marseille wrote me a small note. He must be linked to the Busnach's in Israel. The son of his brother (died) lives in Israel. I must ask him where. I gave the info to Danny Busnach in Israel.

*(!) Mireille Boesnach gave me the address of another Boesnach in France, I will write to here. The French Boesnach don't have email, as far as I know, so this will take a while.

(?) Villa Busnack-Bacri in Livorno - I asked help from the Historical Museum in Livorno

(?) William Busnach - Son of an Algerian Jew, aid to the "Bey d'Alger" who fled to Paris in 1830.

(!) 14 september 1999 - Met Daniel Busnach from Israel, he gave some usefull information and promised to send me more.

(!) Samual and Abraham Busnac came to my house for coffee and they learned about their roots. Hope they get back to me with more info.

(!) 18 september 1999 - Had a letter from Victor Busnach in Marseille, he is the son of Robert Busnach from Egypt. (more details later) There must be a link to the Busnach's in Israel.

(!) Found Ingo Boesnach in Dusseldorf - Germany. He can be traced back to the Busnach's in the Netherlands via South Africa, Zeeland (Nld) and Rotterdam.

(!) There will be a new newsletter with pictures etc. in october 1999. Have to find the time and the $$$ to keep up the good work.

(!) Roland Bacri wrote a story about the Busnach-Bacri affaire called Rois d'Alger - Kings of Algeria. A nice short story.

(!?) In 1902 a Marid Busnach married George Swinnerton in Maine USA. they both lived in Cambridge Massachusetts. Marriage dat 08/23/1902. I need help on this one (America wake up)

(!?) Tried to get in touch through email with the Italian Busnach's but they never answer.

Wouter Busnach - Amsterdam