In 1888 J. R. Warburg purchased a 1,800 m² area of land, a part of what was formerly Papenland, in Bundesstraße on the corner with Papendamm, and built a housing trust. The architects were Rambatz and Jolasse. The central building was completed in 1890 and the wings in 1891. In 1899 the trust had 54 tenants. Individuals and families had to produce evidence of a secure income. Individuals in receipt of social assistance were not accepted. The purpose of the former John R. Warburg-Stiftung vom Jahre 1888 (John R. Warburg Housing Trust established 1888), as stated in its statutes, was to provide flats for "worthy" citizens of Hamburg, of all religious denominations, who were in dire circumstances. The weekly rent for a family was 50 pfennig and for an individual 30 pfennig. In exceptional circumstances non-citizens of Hamburg could acquire a flat.
The head of the trust was entrusted to J. R. Warburg and his wife until they freely relinquished it. Following the voluntary resignation or death of both, the management was to pass to the direct descendants of J. R. Warburg's siblings. Should the latter no longer live in Hamburg, or for some reason refuse the administration of the trust, the property was to pass, gratis, to the Vaterstädtischen Stiftung vom Jahre 1876, under the sole condition that the trust retain its name. An annual audit was to be presented to the Aufsichtsbehörde für die milden Stiftungen (public department for charitable institutions). An amendment to the statutes required the authorization of the Hamburg Senat (executive).
The founder J. R. Warburg died in July 1890, shortly before the opening of the building.
His widow, Bernhardine Warburg administered the housing trust until her death in 1925.
An amendment to the statutes in November 1933 determined that the board of directors had
the right to prescribe the amount of rent to be paid by the tenants. It was no longer to be a sum
paid on admission, and a monthly rent sufficient to cover the running costs and upkeep of the
building,
and an assistance to tenants in special need. With a ruling from 11th September 1936
the Hamburg Senat approved, among others, the following amendment to the statutes: the approval of
the Senate was required before any change could be made to the name, address, or purpose of the
trust, and to the disposition of the property. On 25th February 1939 the
Reichsstatthalter (governor) of the Hansestadt Hamburg authorized an amendment to the statutes in
that tenants of the housing trust were to be restricted to Jewish citizens of Hamburg as defined
within the 1st
regulation of the Reichsbürgergesetz of 15.09.1935 (Act defining German nationality), and to
Mischlinge ersten Grades (individuals with two completely Jewish grandparents), and secondly
when the board of the trust could no longer be constituted from siblings of the founder, the board
of the Jüdischen Religionsverband (Jewish Religious Association) was to nominate its members.
Following this change to the statutes, which also occured to the two other similarly legally
constituted trusts, i.e. Martin-Brunn-Stift at No. 24 Frickestraße, and
Mendelsohn-Israel-Stift at No. 6
Kurzer Kamp the Hamburg Social Services were initially supportive in not designating the three
housing trusts
as accommodation solely for "German countrymen".
In 1942 the three trusts were assigned to the administration of the Jüdischen
Religionsverband (Jewish Religious Association). The tenants were to be exclusively Jews. A
sum of money was made available from the former trust's assets to maintain the trust. This is
the reason that until July 1942 many Jews were accommodated in this property. Following
the "Abwanderung" (deportations) in July 1942 the "Aufsichtsbehörde" (Gestapo) ordered that Jews
were no longer allowed to live in the building.
The address of the Warburg Housing Trust is frequently registered as the last address in Hamburg of
deportees on the Gestapo deportation transport lists of the three deportaions in July 1942.
It must have been extremely overcrowded in this "Judenhaus" ("Jewish Building") as at least
126 individuals were deported from here, of whom 107 were deported on 15.07.1942.
The following individuals are representative of those deported:
| Name | Status | Date of Birth | Place of Birth | Occupation | Address | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kohlstädt, Helmuth I. | Single | 8.06.1931 | Hamburg | Bundesstraße 43 | German | |
| Kohlstädt, Manfred I. | Single | 20.02.1930 | Hamburg | Bundesstraße 43 | German | |
| Levy, Sabine S. | Single | 18.10.1976 | Hamburg | Teacher | Bundesstraße 43 | German |
| Magnus, Antonie S. | Single | 20.12.1921 | Kassel | Bundesstraße 43 | German |
| Name | Status | Date of Birth | Place of Birth | Occupation | Address | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacobsohn, Jeanette S. | Single | 2.10.1892 | Hamburg | Teacher | Bundesstraße 43 | German |
| Leon, Franziska S. | Single | 22.09.1866 | Dannenberg/Hannover | Private Tutor | Bundesstraße 43 | German |
| Luria, Aron Dr. | Married | 5.09.1869 | Altona | Lawyer | Bundesstraße 43 | German |
| Philipp, Bertha née Sophar | Widow | 12.12.1881 | Hamburg | Writer | Bundesstraße 43 | German |
| Sohn, Wilma Lore Erika S. | Single | 16.10.1920 | Hamburg | Bundesstraße 43 | German |
| Name | Status | Date of Birth | Place of Birth | Occupation | Address | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindenborn, Lilli Henriette S. | Single | 18.07.1928 | Hamburg | Bundesstraße 43 | German | |
| Loewy, Berthold Dr. I. | 18.12.1990 | Neumittelwalde | Dentist | Bundesstraße 43 | German | |
| Rosenstein, Herta Else née Klyszcz | Married | 22.11.1903 | Beuthen | Nurse | Bundesstraße 43 |
Following the deportations the John R. Warburg-Stiftung, the Martin-Brunn-Stift, and the Mendelsohn-Israel-Stift had to be surrendered to the Vaterstädtische Stiftung with its offices at No. 25 Kielortallee. In October 1944 the Reichsstatthalter in Hamburg ordered the Vaterstädtische Stiftung to dissolve the Warburg-Stiftung as the fulfilment of the purpose of the trust had become "impossible".
The Warburg Trust building was gutted during the war. After the war it was renovated and is today private property. Today it houses the Institute for Technical and Macro Molecular Chemistry, the Institute for Physical Chemistry, and the Institute for Pharmacy of the University of Hamburg. Its almost 50 metre long frontage on Bundesstraße is architecturally impressive. Neither externally nor internally does the building reflect its former character or function. However, the tradition of the trust is continued on a smaller scale, by the Warburgstift, Kurzer Kamp, in the district of Fuhlsbüttel.
Many members of the Wohlwill family were administrators of the Warburg Trust.
Dr. Paul Wohlwill was for years, together with John R. Warburg's widow,
Bernhardine Warburg, a member of the board of directors of the trust. In 1929, following
the death of Bernhardine Warburg, Dr. Rudolf Wohlwill and Sophie Wohlwill were voted
to the board. Dr Paul Wohlwill was compulsorily retired as Oberlandesgerichtsrat on 30.09.1934.
In 1939, at a meeting of the descendants of the Warburg siblings, at which Gretchen
Wohlwill was also present, Dr. Paul Wohlwill announced his resignation from the board of the
trust as he was no longer a resident of Hamburg. Following this Dr. Heinrich Wohlwill, chemist
and brother to Sophie and Gretchen, was voted to the board. Dr. Heinrich Wohlwill was deported to
Theresienstadt on 19.07.1942, where he died. Dr. Paul Wohlwill was not deported.
Today the Paul-Wohlwill-Stift, Kurzer Kamp, in the district of Fuhlsbüttel, carries his name.