Julius Stern was born on June 25, 1879 to Levi (b. February 27, 1851, d. March 15, 1903) and Settchen (nee Grunstein, b. November 14, 1856, d. December 16, 1925) in Bad Hersfeld, Germany.   When his father died, Julius helped his mother raise the other 7 children who were all younger than him.  With his horse and wagon, Julius traveled the countryside selling rags.  He married Johanna (nee Metzger) on May 6, 1920.  They had two children – Irmgard (Irme) (b. January 29, 1921, d. December 24, 2004, married to Walter Herz) and Ludwig (Lou) (b. November 30, 1924, d. July 3, 1988, married to Lottie nee Seligman) and 2 grandchildren, Alvin (married to Jodi Cohen) and Betty (married to Frank Adler).  The family lived in a home in the center of town in the German village, above the local newspaper office.   Seeing the rise of Nazism, Julius took his wife and 2 teenage children to the US, arriving in NYC on September 3, 1938, just 2 months before Kristalnacht.   He was unable to find employment in the US, but spent his time studying Jewish texts and playing chess.  They lived in a 4th floor walk-up apartment in Astoria, in Queens New York close to most of his siblings and nieces and nephews; one of his brothers, Nathan, who never married, lived with them.  Julius died on December 13, 1963.