The Abt siblings were early pioneers in Vryburg. Like many of the early Jews to reach Vryburg, they were from Germany. From the History of Stellelland written by Major. Dennison (published in 1928) we learn that they established the town's first store and hotel. Herman’s death certificate (issued in 1905) indicates that he was born in Neustadtgödens, in Lower Saxony. The old synagogue (built in 1852) was restored and is today a tourist attraction. For a while the Synagogue served the Jews of Wilhelmshaven. The community was established in 1708, with the consent of Count Burchard Phillip von Frydag and had a rabbi 1742. The Abt's parents were parents were Levy and Matilda.

 

Brothers Daniel and Hermann (Haim ben Yahudah Leib) established the first Hotel in Vryburg, the Criterion. That Hotel later became the Grand Hotel. Daniel Abt – along with Charles Sonnenberg – was one of four members of the Vryburg Village Management Council, created in 1886. Hermann was also behind the establishment of irrigation schemes at Geluk and Putpan – nearer to Kuruman. This effort was commenced in 1898. It seems that the Geluk / Putpan project was developed in partnership with his brother, Daniel. In addition to the founding of the Criterion Hotel (sold in 1901), they were engaged in trade. As a result of which, Hermann was in some trouble regarding trade with the ZAR in the Second Boer War.

 

Their sister Jenny was married to Sigmund Hammerschlag. The Hammerschlags also lived in Vryburg and were presumably in business with the Abts. Sigmund and Jenny Hammerschalg's son, Ludwig, worked and died in Vryburg and is buried in the local Jewish cemetery. His brother Herman (born in Vryburg in 1892) lived and practiced in Kuruman as a lawyer.

 

Hermann Abt passed away in Cape Town 1905. He is buried in Maitland cemetery. It is not clear what brought him to Cape Town, and one can assume he sought health care. After Geluk and Putpan, Daniel also gravitated towards Kuruman where he ran the Grand Hotel. Earlier he also ran a general dealership/ store. He died in Kuruman and is buried in the old cemetery.  Though Daniel never married, he through a liaison with a non-white woman fathered a daughter, Regina. Regina would later become the significant other of a Lithuanian Jew, Louis Sher. There was also a so-called colored Herman Abt who was married in Vryburg in 1913.

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