|
III. Buildings Integral to the Former Life and/or Persecution of Jews in Hamburg - Rotherbaum II/Harvestehude.© Wilhelm Mosel, Deutsch-jüdische Gesellschaft Hamburg. 5. No. 38 Rothenbaumchaussee.
The new Gemeindehaus (Community Building) of the Deutsch-Israelitische Gemeinde (German Israelite Community) at No. 38 Rothenbaumchaussee was officially opened on 10.12.1916. Dr. Max Cohen (member of the Hamburg Bürgerschaft (parliament), vice-chairman of the Deutsch-Israelitische Gemeinde (German Israelite Community), established, among other things, that after long endeavour the community had succeeded in attaining an administrative building situated among the community's synagogues and schools. Dr. Samuel Spitzer, chief rabbi of the Synagoge-Verband (orthodox, Synagogue Association), emphasized in his speech that the building which had been established in war time (First World War) was to serve a peaceful purpose. Dr. David Leimdörfer, preacher, (the title given to rabbis by the liberal Israelitische Tempel-Verband (Israelite Temple Association)) emphasized in his speech that the name of the community (Deutsch-Israelitische) clearly stated the double significance of the general and the particular, the oneness of Jews and non-Jews and the otherness of German and Jew. The committee for the acquisition of the community building had informed the community and others that they had unanimously recommended the purchase of the circa 760 m² property which had previously been owned by Hermann Friedrich Heinrich Upmann. Good street connections allowed access from all directions. The Johnsallee public transport stop was close by. The building consisted of a cellar, accommodating the caretaker's flat, a groundfloor, and first and second floors containing 11 spacious, bright rooms. On the basis of this report the city architect Ernst Friedheim saw the building as being well suited to accommodate the community's offices, with the possibility of extending the rooms on the second floor. Ernst Friedheim's designs of June 1916 planned the groundfloor to accommodate: a Repräsentantensaal (representatives' room) for the meetings of the representatives, two Sitzungszimmer (conference rooms), and a room for the Publikum (public). The first floor was to accommodate: a main office, a room for the Syndikus (syndic), and rooms for the Depositenkasse (deposit office), Beerdigungssachen (burial arrangements), and the Archiv (archive). The second floor, following alterations, was to accommodate: a room for the Armen- und Wohlfahrtsweg (Poor and Social Department), a common waiting room, and a large Sitzungssaal (conference room) for consultation and advice. A conversion in 1923 again altered the function of the rooms. The property was sold to Nicolaus Joseph Kapeles and Siegmund Heller on 15.07.1869 by the Hamburg Finance Committee. It was a section of a larger plot ("sub No. 41") separate from No. 41 a. The property and building were signed over to Adolph Johann Schwartz in 1890 before being transfered to the ownership of H.F.H. Upmann in 1898. In accordance with the 1908 constitution of the Hamburg Deutsch-Israelitische Gemeinde (Hamburg German Israelite Community) it was the duty of the community to provide for the welfare, the school system and burial, as well as the general promotion of Jewish interests. Every mature male Jew was a community member and as such had to pay community taxes. Other community members who had an independent income were also subject to community taxes. The task of the Social Welfare department was to prevent the impoverishment of members when possible, and to give appropriate support to those already living in poverty, to care for the ill and infirm, to care for, maintain and educate orphans or the abandoned poor children of the community, and to provide free burial for deceased poor.
The Poor Commission was responsible for social welfare work. The community was also responsible
for promoting charity interests and the support of Jewish foundations, institutions and charitable
organizations. The community also had the responsibity to provide a school system
"in accordance with its capacity and the existing need". This was to be provided through the maintenance
of its own community schools and the subsidizing of other Jewish schools, the teaching of
the Jewish religion, as well as the normal schooling of
Women members of the community could be voted to the committee of the Poor and Welfare
Department, and to the borad of the Israelitische Töchterschule (Israelite Girls' School).
There were 9 standing committees during this period.
The board elected a new chairman and vice-chairman from its membership annually. The board officially
represented the community in communication with the city, the courts, and all government departments.
Internally, it officially represented the community in communication with the religious associations,
institutions connected with the community, and individual community members.
The committee of representatives consisted of 15 members. Every contribution-paying
member whose community taxes were fully paid up was entitled to vote and be elected to the committee.
7 replacement members were also elected. The committee of representatives was re-elected every
5 years.
The committee elected a chairman, vice-chairman and two secretaries from its membership annually.
The committee presented the board with a recommended budget annually. Everything concerning
community institutions, the condition of subsidies, the buying and selling of property, etc.
required the agreement of the committee of representatives.
In accordance with the 1908 constitution the meetings of the committee of representatives were open
to the public.
According to the 1925 constitution the board consisted of a minimum of 9 members, elected
for a period of 3 years.
The committee of representatives consisted of 21 members. All male and female
community members with a minimum age of 25 were entitled to vote. However, only male members with
a minimum age of 25 were electable.
At this time there were 16 committees. One such was the committee of the "Stiftungswesen und
Verwaltung der Depositenkasse milder Stiftungen" (donation and administration of the deposit
office for medium sized charities). This bank, in existence since 1908, was responsible for
administering all monies donated for the purpose of foundations and charities.
When the new community building was officially opened at No. 38 Rothenbaumchaussee on 10.12.1916
the 90 year old Levin Lion was chairman of the board of the community. He had
devoted 40 years to the service of the community, 35 years on the board, 25
years of which had been as vice-chairman.
Between 1929 and 1937 the following were members of the board of the community:
On 1.01.1938 the following were elected to the board of the Jüdische Religionsverband (Jewish
Religious Federation):
Nathan Hirsch Offenburg initially worked for the care of orphans for the city of Hamburg, and
with such "dedication" that in 1927 he was one of the first individuals to be honoured with the
Stolten Medallion. (Johannes Ernst Otto Stolten (1853-1928), mayor of Hamburg from 1919 to 1925. The
medallion is the highest honour awarded by the city of Hamburg). He was chairman of the
Synagoge-Verband (Synagogue Association) from 1928 on, and as member of the board of the community
was a member of numerous committees and organizations. He continued to carry out his official duties
in times of personal grief.
Between 1929 and 1931 the following were members of the committee of representatives:
Bernhard David, lawyer, was the president of the Jüdische Religionsverband (Jewish Religious
Federation) until 2.12.1938 when Dr. Max Plaut was appointed, when he became vice-president.
On the occasion of his 60th birthday Dr. Plaut confided to everyone that he sensed that Herr David
felt and suffered with him, and so he became father to the community.
From 1929 to 1937, Dr. Nathan Max Nathan was the community syndic. Later, he also
assumed the pastoral responsibility for the community after Chief Rabbi Dr. Josef Carlebach
was deported to Riga on 6.12.1941. He was himself deported to Theresienstadt on 19.07.1942.
Additional leading officials of the community were:
Dr. Bruno Tannenwald, lawyer, was born in Rendsburg, where his father was a teacher.
Later, his father became director of the Paulinenstift in Hamburg. In 1923 Dr. Bruno Tannenwald
was elected leading official of the community because of his outstanding knowledge of community law.
He held this position until his early death, at the age of 48, in 1931.
One of the most important committees was that of the Welfare Services. For example, in 1929/30 it had
a membership of 39, of whom 8 were women. From 1929 to 1937 the following were
members of the committee for part of, or the entire period:
On 1.01.1938, during the period of the community building at No. 38 Rothenbaumchasussee, the
former independent Jewish communities of Hamburg, Altona, Wandsbek and
Harburg-Wilhelmsburg were amalgamated. The amalgamation of the former independent towns to
produce the Hansestadt Hamburg necessitated this.
Leo Lippmann drew up the contract of merger of the 4 Jewish communities. He also led the
decisive negotiations with the Hamburg authorities, the communities and the three religious associations.
The amalgamation was only successful after the surmounting of major internal problems. The
amalgamation also necessitated a fundamental change to the constitution of the former Hamburg Community.
The religious concern now became one of the fundamental tasks of the community. The new
amalgamated community was to support the religious associations, as did the former Deutsch-Israelitische
Gemeinde (German Israelite Community). In addition to the three former religious associations of the
former Deutsch-Israelitische Gemeinde (German Israelite Community), i.e. the Deutsch-Israelitische
Synagoge-Verband, the Neue Dammtor-Synagoge-Verband and the Israelitischer Tempel-Verband, the
Kultusverband Altona (Altona Religious Association) joined.
The contract, approved by the committee of representatives, went via the Hamburg Schul- und
Kulturbehörde (Authority for Education and the Arts), responsible for religious associations, to
the Reichsministerien (Reichs Ministry) for approval. The Reichs Ministry stipulated that the
Deutsch-Israelitische Gemeinde (German Israelite Community) in Hamburg, whose name was intended to
be retained for the new amalgamated community, change its name so that the words "deutsch",
"israelitisch" and "Gemeinde" did not appear in the new title. After numerous further
meetings the name "Jüdische Religionsverband Hamburg" (Hamburg Jewish Religious Federation)
was finally agreed upon. After the committee of representatives had agreed upon the change of name
and changes to the constitution on 23.12.1937, the amalgamation of the four Jewish communities took
place.
Dr.L. Lippmann had been Staatsrat (Councillor of State) in the Finanzbehörde
(Tax Authority) from 1921 to 1933. As a public servant in Hamburg since 1906 he had always done more
than his duty. His public duties were so demanding that his dismissal in March 1933 hit him
totally unprepared. His work on the board of the Jewish community temporarily gave him new courage
to face life. He, and his wife, evaded their imminent deportation by taking their own lives.
The building at No. 38 Rothenbaumchaussee was also a victim of the Pogrom Night of
9./10.11.1938. Following the pogrom, the building was sold for just above the standard tax
value, which was below the then current market value, to a public department. The last meeting of
the board of the Religious Federation took place in the building on 21.09.1938. The first
meeting of the board of the Religious Federation in the community building at
No. 2 Beneckestraße took place a year later on 23.10.1939. The reason for the sale of
the property must have been the "Suhneleistung" (reparations) of 1,000,000,000 RM that Hermann Göring
demanded nationwide from the German Jews following the Pogrom Night. (Hermann Göring (1893-1946):
German Nazi leader and field marshal. He commanded Hitler's storm troops (1923), and as Prussian
prime minister and German commissioner for aviation (1933-45) he founded the Gestapo and mobilized
Germany for war. Sentenced to death at Nuremberg, he committed suicide.)
From 1941 to 1943 the owner of No. 38 Rothenbaumchaussee was "Das Deutsche Reich".
In 1940
the new owner submitted the plans of the conversion of the building to the Hamburg planning
department and identified it as "Dienstgebäude der Sicherheitspolizei" (Gestapo Police Station).
Head of Department was Kriminalkomissar SS Hauptsturmführer (captain) Claus Göttsche (1899-1945).
He was essentially the head of Dezernat II B (Department II B) of the Staatspolizeileitstelle
Hamburg (Gestapo Regional Headquarters Hamburg) that dealt with measures taken against the churches,
the Jews, and religious sects.
In 1938 the department "Jews" was made into a separate department Referat II B 2
(Department II B 2). Göttsche remained head of this department. Department II B 2 was initially
situated at No. 52 Düsternstraße, in the Neustadt district, before it moved to No. 38
Rothenbaumchaussee at the beginning of February 1942. Göttsche corresponded using the department's
abreviated title II B 2 until September 1943. Later, the Jewish Department had the
abreviation IV 4 b, under the direction of Kriminalsekretär Stephan.
All the major operations against the Jews were carried out under the direction of Göttsche.
In preparation for the Pogrom Night of 9./10.11.1938 the Jewish Department organized all measures to
be taken against the Jews, on instructions from the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA) (Reich
Security Head Office). The Gestapo had prior meetings with the Schutzpolizei (constabulary) to
guarantee that no action be taken against the individuals instructed to carry out the vandalism.
All actions in connection with the Pogrom Night of 9./10.11.1938 were carried out by personnel of
the Jewish Department, members of the Gestapo and SD (SS Security Service),
the Kriminalpolizei and the SS. All were sworn to secrecy.
The letter dated 2.12.1938 from Göttsche to Dr. Max Plaut, the then syndic of the
Religious Federation, also carried the abreviation II B 2 of the Jewish Department. This letter was
drawn up at the regional headquarters of the Gestapo in Hamburg, at No. 8 Stadthausbrücke,
in the Neustadt district. Göttsche instructed Dr. Plaut, that "from now on" he was to be solely
responsible for the business of the Religious Federation. Opposing regulations were temporarily
annulled. Dr. Plaut was responsible to the Gestapo for a faultless management of the Religious
Federation. He was additionally appointed to the board of all Jewish organizations. He was
authorized to demand a special tax from all deported Jews.
When the Jewish Department was expanded in 1939 Kriminalsekretär SS-Scharführer
(sergeant) Fritz Beck was temporarily assigned to the department. Other staff members were
Kriminalsekretär Walter Wohlers and Kriminalsekretär Walter Mecklenburg, whose principal work, later,
was the organization of the deportation transports. Polizeisekretär Heinrich Hammerich (senior)
was responsible for administering the property of the deported Jews. The Jewish Department
had far-reaching powers established through decrees from the RSHA. The regulations stipulated that
the deportations were to be carried out in a disciplined manner. Ill-treatment was strictly
prohibited. Göttsche had allegedly respected these regulations.
At the end of 1943, when the measures taken against the Jews were essentially concluded,
Göttsche became head of Department IV N (News) situated at No. 8 Stadthausbrücke,
Ziviljustizgebäude (Civil Law Court).
In May 1944 a special appeal was made against the prohibition of alteration to the
building at No. 38 Rothenbaumchaussee. The building application was for the installation of 3
prison cells. Special authorization was given.
In August 1944 No. 38 Rothenbaumchaussee was the police station for the district of Rothenbaum.
It accommodated the personnel of the Dezernat IV 1 c (Department IV 1 c) for the
"Bekämpfung staatsfeindlichen Ausländertums" and "Ausländerüberwachung" ("combatting of foreigners
hostile to the state" and "surveillance of foreigners"), headed by Kriminalkommissar
SS-Hauptsturmführer (captain) Albert Schweim.
On 18.09.1945 a meeting of 72 Jewish individuals took place at No. 38 Rothenbaumchaussee
with the intension of rebuilding the Jewish community in Hamburg by founding the
"Jüdische Gemeinde in Hamburg" (Hamburg Jewish Community).
No. 38 Rothenbaumchaussee was used by the Jewish community until 1960. Today, it is rented
from the community by a firm.
|
