By Danielle Roy
Our goal with this series to spotlight meaningful leaders in the community. Inspirational leadership makes our world a better place. – Morale Matters
What does resilience mean and how does it define us? According to San Fernando Valley businessman Bill Frankenstein, “Whatever experiences you have, good or bad, it happens for a reason.” Local Chamber of Commerce members recognize Frankenstein for his friendliness, professionalism, and his magic tricks. Yet most do not know his origin story; a story of survival and resilience against all odds.
Bill Frankenstein was born Bernard Baron in Belgium to Abraham Baron, a tailor, and Hene Baron, a housewife. His father went to work in August 1942 and never came home. In September when all Jews were to be arrested and killed, Hene put her young son in an orphanage in Brussels, Belgium, which he later came to find saved his life. By October, Hene was arrested. Both Abraham and Hene were killed in the gas chambers at Auschwitz.
Frankenstein spent the next 1.5 years of his life in an orphanage for displaced Jewish children. Shortly after his arrival, the Nazis decreed that all children five and older were to be sent to Auschwitz to die. Fourteen of the younger children were secretly taken to Sint-Eramus Hospital and went into hiding. The Nazis raided the hospital often, and Frankenstein recalls being instructed to hide in closets and under dirty clothes, sternly instructed to not say a word. After 18 months, he was arrested by the Nazis in June 1944. Fearing deportation to Auschwitz, he and other children were rescued by the Belgian resistance. Only 13 of 39 children from the orphanage survived the war.
Miraculously, 76 years after his time at Sint-Eramus Hospital, Frankenstein was reunited via Zoom with his childhood friend, Jacques Weisser, after 25-year- old Dutch law student Reiner Heinsman tracked down the orphans. Weisser’s father Jacob survived a 400-mile death march and was liberated in Germany by Americans in 1945. His mother was killed in Auschwitz. Both Frankenstein and Weisser found they each had one daughter and two grandsons. In 2021, they joined six additional orphanage survivors in Brussels for a tearful and memorable reunion.
Although Weisser remained in the UK, Frankenstein was eventually adopted by American parents. At the age of five, he was chosen from a photo lineup by Dr. Herbert and Beatrice Frankenstein in Pittsburg. He knew no English at the time and learned through total immersion. Frankenstein notes, “My state of mind was ‘scared to death.’” He remembers experiencing significant trauma and is grateful his parents provided him the support, love, and attention he needed.
In May 1965, Frankenstein joined the United States Army and spent active time stationed in Germany during the Vietnam War. He used the G.I. Bill to get his business degree during night school. As a young veteran, he first went into a private family business then later transitioned to a career in insurance sales. Frankenstein met his wife Gale in Pittsburg and they were married for 32 years until her passing. He is proud that every Sunday they had dinner with his parents. Frankenstein moved his father to Van Nuys until his passing at the ripe age of 97.
Frankenstein moved from Pittsburg to Westwood, California, in 1974, and later relocated to Woodland Hills. His daughter was born in 1975. Frankenstein spent his career in insurance sales, climbing the ranks at New York Life Insurance and Cetera Advisors. For any professionals considering a career change, Frankenstein recommends, “If you have a passion for what you do and you like it, don’t quit! If you don’t like your job, find something you will like. It’s harder to make a change the older you are. If you like something, start doing it!”
Nowadays, Frankenstein spends his time playing golf and enjoying quality time with his daughter and grandsons in Calabasas. He was a member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood for 37 years and still entertains friends and family with close up magic. He has been a member of the West Valley Warner Center Chamber of Commerce for over five years and retains his positive outlook, engaging and inspiring hundreds of professionals in the community. Frankenstein notes, “The secret to getting older is moderation. Don’t do it if it’s bad for you. If it’s good for you, don’t overdo it. Everything is a balance.”
Danielle Roy is the Founder of Morale Matters, which offers consulting services to businesses seeking to grow. Her mission is to empower inspirational leaders.
Visit morale-matters.com.
