The German Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum Photo Gallery by Karl R. Josker at pbase.com

The German Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum

The German RC Orphan Asylum traces its' roots to St. Mary's Church in the mid-1800's. Due to increasing need, a new facility was built in 1874-1875 at 564 Dodge St. Buffalo, from where the following pictures were taken.

The two larger buildings depicted were from an enlargement of the the orphanage in 1887. The original larger structure, with a center tower, burned in 1919. It was rebuilt, and included a kitchen and dining room along with other rooms and connecting corridors.

On the grounds, a separate school building was built in 1927, which still stands. The Sacred Heart Chapel was added in 1938.

In 1956, another fire destroyed the main central building, and the orphanage was closed later in the year.

The complex continued as a preparatory seminary for a few years, eventually evolving into a Diocesan Educational Campus, and subsequently closed. The entire complex was sold to private concerns in the 1990's, and has been vacant and apparently neglected since.

The orphanage housed and cared for over 15,000 children during the course of it's existence.

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Western Dormitory	Eastern Dormitory	Sacred Heart Chapel	1927 School
Western Dormitory Staircase	Kitchen	Kitchen Skylight	Dining Room Corridor
Collapsed Floor	Interior-Sacred Heart Chapel	Chapel Organ	Rear of Sacred Heart Chapel

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Ruth Pace		06-Jul-2019 16:00
A couple of the buildings still exist and have been refurbished into apartments. With new apartment buildings behind them. It is called St. Martin Village. My husband and I were just there this morning. It looks very nice. He was there at the orphanage mid to late 40's.

Steve Radliff		24-Feb-2019 00:30
Phedra, I am interested in the location of the information you accessed on your care and your siblings in the Bad Hersfeld Orphanage. My e-mail is:steveneradliff@gmail.com

Karl R. Josker		03-Apr-2018 10:08
Geralyn Goss, I suggest that you start with the Catholic Church's Buffalo Diocese main office. They would have the records or know who does.

Geralyn Goss		02-Apr-2018 23:47
I am researching my Fritton ancestry. I believe my father's great Uncle, Rev.Albert Fritton was a priest at this Orphanage. Is there any way to find out for sure? Thanks

Tracey Canny		28-Jan-2018 16:18
I'm starting to research my husband's mother side of the family. Many of her family members (I believe aunts and uncles) were placed in the orphanage sometime in the 40's. Their last name was Gendone...First names were Joseph, Jessie, Anna, Charlotte, and Ross. Would love any information that anyone may have.

orphan finder		09-Oct-2017 18:35
Hello everybody. My name is Tamie Rovnak. I am a genealogist and specialize in locating orphans. Just because somebody may have been "adopted", not all hope is lost in finding birth records. Feel free to contact me at tlr.research@gmail.com Many people weren't legally adopted, so to speak, they often assumed the last name of the family they were adopted by. If somebody wasn't legally adopted, the original birth certificate still exists. I used to host a website, with Buffalo Orphanage Studies, but needed to end it to protect my dream..Be on the lookout for "Where Did the Children Go? It will be about all the orphanages that were in the Buffalo area.

Irene Grove		29-Aug-2017 11:53
I am trying to find information on my mother who was placed in this orphanage, her name is Lucyna Fikus or maybe Lucy. Does anyone have any knowledge of her at all or her family she was killed when I was 9 and I have never been able to find out anything about her.

Liz		15-Jan-2017 04:23
I am trying to find information about my Great Grandmother, who went by Anna Margaret Smith, though I don't believe that was her birth name. She became Anna O'Connell. We believe she lived in this orphanage sometime between 1904-1918. She always said that there were no records of her birth, because the orphanage had burnt down. Are there records in existence from that far back?

Steven E. Radliff		09-Nov-2016 15:59
Hi Phedra, I was wondering who you contacted to get the records of your stay there. I was in the orphanage in 1952 along with an unknown number of siblings. Our last name was Riegelmann There were two of us who are confirmed by name...I was born Stefan, and my brother is Robert. I would really appreciate the contact information if you would be kind enough to send me the info.

Annie Harding		05-Nov-2016 03:02
Phaedra, who did you contact to get records? I am trying to find my Dad's history. He was probably there in the early 1930's.

Phedra		12-Jul-2016 22:33
I and my two brothers were there for two years between 1942-44. It was not a nice place. The boys were on one side, the girls on the other. When they let us out on the play yard, I always went to the fence so I could sit with my little brothers. I do not remember the names of any of the children but I suppose they were somewhere in the recesses of my mind. I do remember having to walk - alone - through a long dark tunnel that was underground to take my sheets to the laundry if I wet my bed. I was so scared most of the time that I did wet it. The tunnel was poorly lighted and I was terrified that something was going to get me (we heard stories of such happenings). I am still afraid of the dark and I'm 78 years old. A few years ago, I got curious about the orphanage and much to my surprise, I was able to get ALL of the records they kept on me and my siblings. They evaluated our physical and mental health and it was all documented. From that, I was able to learn the exact dates I was there, when I was hospitalized for scarlet fever, and it documented every vaccination, etc. The packet even contained all of the letters from social services as to how we got there. Very interesting!!

Dave		27-May-2016 04:32
I'm trying to find photos of the children that were here. My father his brother and sister were there. Does anyone have any photos from the early 30's? This place was such a big part of Buffalo history.

Guest		24-Mar-2016 15:41
My father was there with his three brothers and his sister from 1902 until 1906 then moved to father baker's Orphan home ( our lady of victory ) from which he ran away in 1914. He finally went to mass on my wedding day in 1962 his name was Leo j kern and he hated both places

Guest		10-Mar-2016 15:47
i live here

Guest		11-Dec-2015 17:13
Guest My brother and I were placed in the GRCO around 1940(s). We have BAD memories of this place. Other people I have talked with say that the experiences we had here colored our relationships (and not in a good way).

carol lenhardt		07-Oct-2015 05:39
Is there anyway we could get b a reunion together.

Guest		06-Jul-2015 01:18
Anyone remember and children in the mid to late 1920's with the last name Bode?

Pauline Keith		29-Jun-2015 03:24
Do any of the girls in 1955 or in the 50's remember how if you did something that the nuns didn't like that you had to stand on one foot with soap in your mouth and how the soap would drip out of your mouth because you couldn't swallow and if you dropped it you got another piece of soap in your mouth. Does anyone remember this? I'm trying to find someone in this group I was 8 yrs old at the time.

Dawn		14-Jun-2015 13:20
My Mom and her 2 brothers were there over a 5 year period in the late 40's I think. One Uncle is still alive - Chuck Spencer. I think this is too important not to document. I could not find a face book page on it so I started one. I would welcome any suggestions. 564 Dodge St Orphanage Buffalo NY

ed		15-May-2015 02:56
Sue I was 7 when I got out in 1955. It was a horrible place that stays with you for the rest of your life. My wife and I have raised 5 children and I made sure that they didn't have to go through what my brother and I endured As for your mom that was before my time. If those people did what they did today they would all be in jail.

Sue		12-May-2015 17:10
@ Virginia Gottstein Deinzer Virginia, my mother and siblings were there around 1938. Last name is Cottrell. Do you recall any Cottrells? I don't know when they left. My mother was 5 when she was first placed. From reading some of these comments, it sounds like a horrible environment to live in. It explains a lot of my mother's mind set.

ed		26-Mar-2015 01:49
remember the rotten nuns in the foyer?

Robert 44-48		22-Mar-2015 23:45
Remember the alabaster Guardian Angel in the foyer?

debbie		13-Feb-2015 01:45
are there any records of kids names late 1925-1931?

ed		19-Dec-2014 02:16
may they rot in hell!!!

ed		18-Dec-2014 01:33
My brother and I were there in the 1950,s The nuns beat the hell out of us every day.Here it is 60 years later and I hate nuns. Also they are the reason I'm not religious

ed		18-Dec-2014 01:25
my brother and i were in this facility in 1955. the nuns beat the hell out of us and then smiled when family came to visit. this is why i am not religious

Joanna		10-Oct-2014 23:03
I believe my grandmother was there sometime between 1922 and 1925. We are trying to gather information on her biological family. Does anyone know where records may be kept?

Jerry		31-Aug-2014 21:50
There was a teacher named Mrs.O'Brian that used to jam her keys into my hands if I forgot to dust something or if I waved to my brother Bill,she would jam them into my head. I was there late 40's & 50's.

Guest		31-Aug-2014 21:39
Mrs.O'Brian used to jam her keys into my hands if I forgot to dust something or into my head if I waved to my brother in line.

Virginia Gottstein Deinzer		21-Aug-2014 23:21
Billie, maybe I can help you find out about your family....I was there from 1931 to 1944. My name is Virginia Gottstein Deinzer.

Behroo Kh.		25-Dec-2013 17:02
This property is now St. Martin Village, a Belmont property for families. It is comprised of apartments and townhouses in new and renovated buildings. You can view the property on Google maps and at the Belmont website.

Steven Radliff		14-Jan-2013 16:44
I'm am looking for a brother Robert Riegelmann who was placed for adoption there between 1952 and 1954. I was born Stefan Riegelmann to mother Elfriede Riegelmann. I would appreciate any information regarding records that might have survived the fire and where they may be found. Thanks, Steve

Richard		05-Oct-2011 15:24
Any old records available from the 1920s?, besides the 1920 census. Would like to know the parents of a orphan.

Boyks		20-May-2011 15:55
It is quite troubling to hear of the tramas that many of you underwent when this location was an orphanage. My memories of this location are quite the oposite. I had the pleasure of attanding this location when it was Diocesan Educational Campus and my memories of the time I spent there are some of the best memories of my life. The education that I received and some of the friendships that I forged there helped to shape my life. You would be hard pressed to find better teachers than the ones we were blessed with and they had genuine cares and concerns about us and the wellbeing of our families. There was a true sense of family and togetherness. The bonds that were created were so meaningful that the students and teachers that were once lucky enough to be a part of it are getting together in the summer of 2011 to celebrate and reflect upon the great times we once had there. I thank my parents for sending me there and I will never forget the caring and guidance that I received from the entire staff. BB Class of 81'.

marie		25-Mar-2010 15:19
those nuns were child abusers they mentaly and physicaly abused the children there. my two brothers and baby sister were there in the early 50's for 6 monthes while my mother was recovering from a serious leg injury.it was our worst nitemare.they beat kids with leather straps,especialy the bed wetters and over active kids,they robbed the gifts,clothing,and treats your parents and family brought you, and forbid you to see or speak to your siblings.never did they hug or comfort any of the kids they were very inhumane creatures. my father had to take us out of there after he realized how bad it was,which made thier situation very difficult but friends faimly and nieghbors came to the rescue thank god.i know all this is hard to believe but its all true and then some. i believe as time goes on many more horrible stories will surface

jayk		16-Mar-2010 23:14
in 1950, i was at the orphanage for about six months. the nuns were strict, but it wasn't that bad . one night, i had a terrible toothache and kept all the kids up in the dormitory with my crying and moaning. that was bad enough, but the dentist who pulled the tooth was a very mean person and really caused me a lot of pain. i guess he hated kids. he probably worked at some correctional institution. lousy rat!

RScoma		06-Jan-2010 19:50
I lived here from 8/55 until Summer 0f '56, when we were all moved out following the fire that was set by a resident in Jan.6,56. He was angry that he wasn't allowed a home visit. I rember Sr. Charles Vincent who was in charge of the boys group of 8 to 14 y/o I was assigned to. She woke us up each morning screaming and would make a bee line to a group of three kids that were bed wetters and begin screaming and beating them into the showers. She was angry w/ another kid for not cleaning up properly and picked him up and threw him across a bunch of beds. She would shreik when playtex commercials came on TV and fuss until the channel was changed (1955! commercials)and made us stand to attention when Pres. Eisenhower was on TV giving a speech to the country. Would love to know how many of us survived this stuff. I also remember roller skating in the gym and movies on Sunday nites.

joan cray		28-Aug-2009 18:28
Joan, Lived a few blocks away in the 30's and couldn't understand why I couldn't live there because they has all those swings and slides to play on.

billie		05-Dec-2008 00:53
looking for info on an orphan fom around 1930. trying to find info about my husbands father who was a child that lived there.

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