Stephen Theodore Norman – the last descendant of T. Herzl

Jerry Klinger

“The Zionist groups in Washington along with the Jewish War Veterans color guard attended the funeral. Diplomats from the British Embassy and representatives of the British Scientific Office were also in attendance. Norman’s coffin was draped with the blue-and-white Zionist colors, the Union Jack, American bunting and the colors of the Jewish War Veterans. His eulogists included Rabbi Solomon Metz and Mr. Moshe Frelichov, who was acquainted with both Herzl and his grandson. ……

The New Palestine pointed out that Norman’s funeral took place at the same time that delegates were gathering in Basle, Switzerland, for what would be the last Zionist Congress in the Diaspora…..

As Moshe Frelichov observed in his graveside tribute, “with the death of Captain Norman, no descendant is left of the great founder of the Zionist movement. The great Herzl now lives only in his great work.”2

It was cold, a wintry day in early December, 1946, as the simple wooden coffin was lowered into the ground. The semi frozen earth slowly and then more rapidly clumping down upon the wooden box, a hollow diminishing finality with each shovel.

Two months would pass. Jan. 30, 1947, the Jewish Agency paid Adas Israel Cemetery $100.00 for the burial and the only Zionist in Herzl’s family, Stephan Norman, was forgotten.

A stone was eventually erected over the grave by an unknown person. The inscription read simply:

“Stephen Theodore Norman, Captain Royal Artillery, British Army, Grandson of Theodore Herzl, April 21, 1918, November 26, 1946”.

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