Viktor Engel was born in Unterriedenberg on March 3, 1877 as the son of Jakob and Sophie Engel, née Stern. In 1903 he came from Munich into the Franconian spa town and first lived in Brunnengasse. In December 1906, the merchant was granted the right of citizenship in Bad Kissingen. Since 1904, he had been married to Fanny, née Strauß who had been born in Bad Kissingen in 1876. His wife Fanny died in 1911 and Viktor Engel then married Selma (called Sybilla) Strauß, the sister of his deceased wife. But she also died few years later, in January 1914. In his third marriage the widower married Henny Sichel from Fulda. With her he had his son Martin who was born on August 17, 1920.

Viktor Engel was also engaged in the Jewish community, initially as an assessor and representative of the community's loan fund. From 1931, he was chairman of the Chevra Association.

The family lived in Bad Kissingen in Schönbornstrasse, Pfaffstrasse and Ludwigstrasse, among other places. Together with his sister-in-law Betty Katz and her daughters Claire and Adele, Viktor Engel ran the Samuel Strauß OHG, a glass, porcelain and textile business in Brunnengasse. Viktor and Henny Engel sent their only 14-year-old son to the United States in December 1934, where his Uncle Josef Sichel took care of him. In July 1937, Viktor Engel and his wife emigrated to New York. 

 In a farewell letter, Nathan Bretzfelder, chairman of the Jewish Community, thanked him for his “many years of loyal and conscientious service” to the community and highlighted his achievements as “long-standing chairman of the Chevra.” “For everything you have done in your dedicated work for the Jewish community, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks. We wish you and your wife all the best for the future and ask you to keep the Jewish community of Bad Kissingen in fond memory.” (CAHJP, Jewish Community Archives/Community of Bad Kissingen/Correspondence and General Administrative Files (Register A-M), 1937–1938, D-BA1-30.2.1, sheet 93).

Abschiedsbrief an Victor Engel, 894 KB

Viktor Engel died in Manhattan on January 11, 1943 at the age of 65. His wife Henny outlived him by more than three decades; she died in August 1977 at the age of 86.