Friedrich von Bernhardi – author of the book that started World War I and his villa in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

I felt that someone exceptional lived in this house, but I did not expect that the pre-war owner of the villa at today’s ul. Tkacka 19 in Jelenia Góra (pre-war Warmbrunnerstrasse 104 in Cunnersdorf) would turn out to be the author of the book that supposedly triggered World War I.

Contemporary view of the villa formerly owned by Friedrich von Bernhardi / Photo by Marta Maćkowiak

The first German who passed through the Arc de Triomphe after the Prussians entered Paris. One of the most controversial German militarists. Friedrich von Bernhardi lived and died in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg), specifically in Cunnersdorf, a village annexed to Hirschberg in 1922.

Friedrich Adam Julius von Bernhardi

Friedrich was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, on November 22, 1849, as the son of diplomat and historian Felix Theodor Bernhardi and Charlotte Friederike Julie (née Krusenstern), Baltic Germans. His maternal grandfather was Admiral Adam Johann Ritter von Krusenstern (Baltic Germans were recruited into the Russian administrative apparatus and the officer corps of the Russian army), the commander of the first Russian circumnavigation expedition and a co-founder of the Russian Geographical Society.

When Friedrich was 2 years old, the family moved to Cunnersdorf, an area known as the Little Post Office District in Jelenia Góra.

Friedrich’ s grandfather, Adam Johann Ritter von Krusenstern

During the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), he served as a cavalry lieutenant in the 14th Hussar Regiment of the Prussian Army. At that time, he had the honor of leading the parade that marched under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. From 1891 to 1894, he was a German military attaché in Bern, later the head of the military history department at the Great General Staff in Berlin, and then became a commanding general the VII Corps of the Army in Münster, Westphalia.

In 1909, he retired and devoted himself to writing, focusing on his favorite subject, which was military affairs.

His most famous work, Deutschland und der Nächste Krieg or Germany and the Next War, published in 1911, is considered a book that supposedly triggered World War I. In it, Bernhardi openly advocated for Germany to attack France and Britain, anticipating their moves.

Friedrich was also considered one of the most controversial militarists. He asserted, among other things, that war is a “biological necessity” and is in accordance with the “natural law upon which all laws of nature are based, the law of the struggle for existence.”

He also believed that war ensures development and that it was war that “forged Prussia hard as steel.” The rallying cry was to be: “World power or downfall,” and he advocated for an aggressive stance for Germany.

When the war finally broke out, Bernhardi was reinstated into active military service. Initially stationed in Poznań, in September 1915, he was transferred to the Eastern Front, where he commanded near Slonim and later in Volhynia. In 1918, due to health reasons, he retired from military service and returned to his family estate in Cunnersdorf.

Contemporary view of the house and photos of preserved historical interior details / Source: private archive

Friedrich was married twice. His first wife, Helene Agnes von Klitzing, whom he married in Berlin on January 19, 1881, hailed from Lüben, present-day Lubno in Wielkopolska (Greater Poland), and was the daughter of Max von Klitzing and Louise, owners of the now-ruined manor in Kłębowiec.

Helene Agnes passed away at the age of 31 on July 6, 1890, and 2 years later, Friedrich married for the second time. At the age of 44, on July 19, 1893, he married Katherine von Colomb in the Evangelical Church in Cassel. Katherine was born in Berlin and was the daughter of Prussian General Wilhelm Günther Von Colomb and Klara Louise von Binger.

Friedric’s father-in-law, Wilhelm Günther von Colomb

Katharine also passed away first – on April 5, 1929, in her home at Warmbrunnerstrasse 104 (today ul. Tkacka 19), having lived for 75 years. Friedrich, at the age of 80, departed a year later – on July 10, leaving no descendants.

Death certificate of Katharine von Bernhardi (left) and Friedrich von Bernhardi (right) / Source: State Archives in Wrocław, Jelenia Góra branch

Thank you very much to the owners for sharing these beautiful interior photos.

Sources:

private archive
Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu oddział w Jeleniej Górze (State Archives in Wrocław, Jelenia Góra branch)

Zur Eisenbahn Inn in Piechowice (Petersdorf)

At ul. Przemysłowa 6 in Piechowice (Przemysłowa Street 6, Petersdorf), there was an inn called Zur Eisenbahn, which, in the 1930s, was operated by the Deckwerth couple – Emil and Elsa. After Emil’s death, Elsa took over the management of the restaurant, a world of business and inns that had been familiar to her since childhood.

Zur Eisenbahn Inn, source: Polska-org.pl

The couple got married on March 12, 1928, in Piechowice (Petersdorf). Emil Deckwerth, a restaurant manager, was born on December 24, 1897, in Osiecznica (Wehrau kreis Bunzlau). Elsa Walter, née Werner, also a restaurateur, and a widow five years his senior, was born in Szklarska Poręba (Schreiberhau) on January 9, 1892. Her previous marriage took place on December 15, 1913, in Szklarska Poręba. Her first husband, Richard Adolf Kurt Walter, was a brewer and lived in Cieplice (Warmbrunn). He was the son of economic inspector Adolf Walter and Marie Lonny, née Frommhold, who both originally came from Legnica (Liegnitz), and eventually settled in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg).

On the left side, the first page of Elsa Werner’s marriage certificate; on the right – the first page of the marriage certificate of Elsa Werner and Emil Deckwerth.

From the marriage certificate, we can find out that Elsa was the daughter of Hermann Julius Werner, a restaurateur from Szklarska Poręba, and Anna Maria née John. The old Werner was the owner of Werner’s Gasthaus, an inn located at the site of today’s Museum of the Jizera Mountains (Muzeum Ziemi “Juna”, ul. Jeleniogórska 9, Szklarska Poręba; the building burned down in 2015 and was reconstructed). Interestingly, the original building was over 300 years old and stood on the foundations of an old watchtower. It housed the so-called Hunger Tavern, associated with the period of great famine. During public projects like building a mountain road along the Kamienna River, workers could receive, among other things, a loaf of freshly baked on-site bread.

Werner’s Inn, source: Polska-org.pl

Hermann Werner, as stated in the death certificate, originally came from Barcinek (Berthelsdorf), and passed away on October 3, 1922, at the age of 74, in house number 681 in Szklarska Poręba Górna. After Hermann’s death, the restaurant was taken over by Paul Kulas, a restaurateur residing in Pobiedna (Meffersdorf) at house number 30.

Emil Deckwerth’s death certificate

Returning to Piechowice and Elsa – her second husband, Emil Deckwerth, passed away on October 14, 1936, at the St. Hedwig Hospital in Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój (Bad Warmbrunn) at the age of 55. Elsa continued to run the Zur Eisenbahn Inn until at least 1939, as documentation from the W. Schimmelpfeng Information Office from that year has been preserved. It is unknown whether they had children or if Elsa survived the war.

Zur Eisenbahn Inn, source: Polska-org.pl

Today, the building serves a residential purpose. Does anyone know if there was a restaurant in the building again after the war? Let me know!

Contemporary view of the building that once housed the Zur Eisenbahn Inn / Photo by Marta Maćkowiak

Sources:

Polska-org.pl

Wiera Pupko – The Wannabe Miss Judaea and Diamond Cutter

Do you remember the Miss Judaea beauty contest that took place in Poland in 1929? You asked about the contestants’ fates, mainly whether they survived the war. Many of them applied under pseudonyms, which made it challenging to track their histories. Thankfully, some of the contestants used their real names, so there was something to discover. I was particularly intrigued by Wiera Pupko, especially her costume and wavy lock of hair, so I decided to start with her story.

Wiera Pupko, a photo from the beauty pageant competition in “Nasz Przegląd” (Our Review), 1929.

Right at the beginning, I came across information that Wiera was, due to ‘reasons independent of her,’ nevertheless forced to withdraw from the competition. What were those reasons? It’s unknown. Perhaps family matters, health issues, or maybe an impending trip.

“Miss Wiera Pupko (No. 10) asks us to note that, for reasons beyond her control, she is forced to withdraw from the competition.”

Wiera, affectionately called “Wieruszka” by her relatives, was born in 1907 in Lida as the daughter of Isaac Pupko and Maria (née Trakiner). Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Vilnius, and after World War I, they relocated to Warsaw. According to the recollections of her cousin, Irene Newhouse Pupko, Wiera’s parents sent her to Belgium to study vocational counseling. They, on the other hand, became trapped in Warsaw, from where, in August 1941, Wiera received the last postcard written by her father.

From left to right: Wiera Pupko with an unknown person,
Maria Pupko, née Trakiner, Wiera’s mother,
Isaac Pupko, Wiera’s father,
photos from the family collection of Irene Newhouse, née Pupko.

The last card Wiera received from her father from the Warsaw Ghetto, from the family collection of Irene Newhouse, née Pupko.

When deportations of Jews from Belgium began, Wiera managed to escape to Cuba, where she worked as a diamond cutter.

But how is that possible? To Cuba? During the war and without specialized education? It turns out that during the war, Cuba admitted 6,000 Jewish diamond cutters and their relatives fleeing from Belgium, and Wiera was among them.

Passenger list from Havana to Miami, Wiera Pupko is the last one on the list.

On May 3, 1948, Wiera arrived in the United States, where she married Emil Turnheim and started a new life. According to Irene’s memories, Wiera was interested in the lives of her relatives but was reluctant to delve into her own past. To any inquiries about her pre-war life, she would reply, “It should be enough that I say so.” When Irene started taking notes, Wiera fell silent and waited for her to put down the pen. In the end, Irene and her mother found a way to persuade her by bribing her with her favorite cornbread muffins.

Wiera Turnheim Pupko passed away in New York in 1989.

Sources:

Family collection of Irene Newhouse née Pupko
Polona.pl

Baraschheim – the History of the Dąbrówka Children’s Home in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

What is the connection between the building in Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój (Bad Warmbrunn), Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg), and the Feniks department store in Wrocław?

Dąbrówka Children’s Home in Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój / Photo by Marta Maćkowiak

At the end of the 19th century, the brothers Georg and Artur Barasch purchased a building with a restaurant and an English garden located on a hill known as Weinberg (Wine Mountain), now at ul. Podgórzyńska 6. In 1879, the hill belonged to Beata Oertel. Her daughter, Paulina Fuchs, sold the land to Mr. Kums, who constructed the aforementioned building, opened a restaurant named Offaschänke, and established the English garden. Later, the entire property was to be leased to a waiter named Schmidt, and at the end of the 19th century, it was sold to the Barasch brothers, the owners of the Warenhaus Gebrüder Barash department store in Breslau (currently: the Feniks department store in Wrocław).

The Barasch brothers carried out extensive renovations and established a holiday home for their employees, naming it Baraschheim.

Georg and Artur were born into a Jewish family in Ścinawa (Steinau an der Oder). Their first joint and successful business venture was the sale of Baratol shoe polish in their hometown. Their success encouraged them to expand their activities, and in 1896, they opened a store in Wrocław (Breslau). In 1904, they built the Warenhaus Gebrüder Barash department store (currently still existing under the changed name, as Feniks department store), and before World War I, they already had a network of department stores throughout Germany.

Georg and Arthur Barasch/ source: Erholungsheim Barasch bei Warmbrunn im Riesengebirge. (Polona)

What was the stay at Baraschheim like?

The employees of Artur and Georg could use the resort free of charge from May to September, and the possible duration of their stay depended on the length of their employment – anything from 5 days to 4 weeks. Round-trip transportation and meals were also covered by the Barasch brothers.

Artur’s son, Werner Barasch, recalls: ‘Dad bought a sanatorium in the mountains, in Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój, where all the employees of the Barasch department store could enjoy all the amenities and free meals during their annual leave. It was an exceptional addition to their salary. Dad was proud that he could offer this to them.’

Interiors of Baraschheim / source: Erholungsheim Barasch bei Warmbrunn im Riesengebirge. (Polona)

Around 1920, the Barasch estate was purchased by Eugen Füllner, the owner of a paper machine factory in Cieplice (Bad Warmbrunn). In 1930, it was acquired by Friedrich Grössler, who renamed the holiday home to Eichenhof. In 1934, the building briefly became a sports school, and from 1935, it served as a military garrison. The complex was also called Das Deutsche Heim for some time.

After the Nazis came to power, Georg Barasch fled to Switzerland with his wife and son, later they moved to Ecuador. Artur died in Auschwitz on November 6, 1942, but fortunately, his wife and son managed to survive the war. In the following years, a Stolperstein (memorial stone) was placed in front of their villa, at Wissmannstrasse 11 in Berlin. Descendants of the Barasch brothers live in the United States and South America.

Between 1945 and 1961, the building served as a holiday home for the Polish Teachers’ Union. Presently, since 1961, the building functions as the Dąbrówka Children’s Home.

Sources:

Przewodnik po żydowskim Dolnym Śląsku, region jeleniogórski, Tamara Włodarczyk (Guide to Jewish Lower Silesia, Jelenia Gora Region, Tamara Włodarczyk)
Polona.pl
Polska-org.pl

Elsa Baumm’s Villa Vegetarierheim – the Houses on Malinnik series

Out of love for Malinnik, once a village called Herischdorf, annexed to Bad-Warmbrunn (today’s Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój) before the war, I have created a special series dedicated to the beautiful villas in this area and their stories. I begin with the villa located at ul. Łabska 4, formerly Tannenberg 6 (and before World War I, Russische Kolonie), called Turm Villa and Vegetarierheim.

Postcard of the villa located at Tannenberg 6 (Russische Kolonie), today ul. Łabska 4 in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg) / Source: polska-org.pl

Elsa Baumm née Boeck

The house was run by Elsa Baum, née Boeck, the widow of a senior official. Later, the business was likely continued by her daughter Johanna (at least according to what can be inferred from the 1927 address book).

Information about Elsa on the pre-war map of Cieplice

At Vegetarierheim, they exclusively served vegetarian meals and non-alcoholic beverages. Smoking was, of course, prohibited. It was a truly comprehensive cleansing treatment, especially for those times.

And the villa had a wonderful motto in its advertisement:

„Allen Menschen recht gethan

Ist die Kunst, die kelner kann.

Und kannst Du sie, damn mit Vergunst,

Dann lehr mich diese schwere Kunst”

In free translation:

To cater to all people is an art that no one knows. And if you know it, please do me a favor and teach me.

Today, the building is a multi-family home.

The houses in Malinnik are beautiful, each of them unique and majestic, each hiding a special story. Almost each one belonged to barons, generals, officials holding higher positions, and factory owners.

Almost each one had a guesthouse episode due to the proximity to the spa, but ordinary people also lived in here – traders, bakers, bricklayers, blacksmiths, and gardeners. There’s still a lot to discover, so with this post, I open the second series – Houses in Malinnik. It will be interesting, I promise

Photo of the villa at ul. Łabska 4 in Jelenia Góra (Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój) / photo by Marta Maćkowiak

The Story of Rosel Aptekmann from Jelenia Góra

Today is the anniversary of Rosel Aptekmann’s death, so her story will be the first in a series dedicated to people buried in the Jewish cemetery in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg). Only a few tombstones with readable inscriptions have survived, just seven in total. Let’s learn about Rosel Aptekmann.

The gravestone of Rosel Aptekmann at the Jewish cemetery in Jelenia Góra / Photo: Marta Maćkowiak

Rosel Aptekmann née Hirschstein

On November 23, 1938, Leo Aptekmann came to the Civil Registry Office to report the death of his wife. Rosalie passed away on the same day at the age of 46 in the Martin Luther Evangelical Hospital in Jelenia Góra (formerly Hirschberg-Cunnersdorf). Presently, the building houses a Caritas care and medical facility (located at ul. Żeromskiego 2).

Two weeks after Kristallnacht. Perhaps this event had an impact on her health.

Rosalie Aptekmann’s death certificate / Source: Landesarchiv Berlin

Former Martin Luther Evangelical Hospital in Jelenia Góra, now Caritas care and medical facility at ul. Żeromskiego 2 / Source: Polska-org.pl

Leo and Rosalie lived at Hermann Göringstrasse 43 (formerly, before 1933, Warmbrunnerstrasse, now ul. Wolności), 600 meters from the hospital. According to available sources, it seems that the numbering of buildings has not changed.

The building on ul. Wolności (formerly Warmbrunnerstrasse/Hermann Göringstrasse) in Jelenia Góra / Source: Polska-org.pl

The building at ul. 43 Wolności 43 in Jelenia Góra today / Photo by Marta Maćkowiak.

The Aptekmanns were married for just under two decades, having tied the knot in Jelenia Góra on August 12, 1919.

Leo Aptekmann arrived in Jelenia Góra from Ukraine, specifically from the city of Smila, where he was born on February 25, 1892, as the son of Israel Aptekmann, a merchant, and Sophie née Brodski, residents of Kiev.

Rosalie, née Hirschstein, came into the world in Jelenia Góra on December 19, 1891, as the daughter of Julius Adolph Hirschstein, a merchant, and Rosalie née Moritz, who lived in Jelenia Góra in a house at plac Ratuszowy 4.

Leo and Rosalie initially resided at today’s ul. Wolności 32, in a house adorned with David’s stars on the veranda. Today, in addition to apartments, there is a shop and a Pentecostal church at that location.

Building at ul. Wolności 32 in Jelenia Góra / Photo: Marta Maćkowiak

Tenement at plac Ratuszowy 4 in Jelenia Góra, fragment from the exhibition at the Karkonosze Museum / Source: polska-org.pl

From Mainz to Hirschberg

Rosalie’s father, Julius Hirschstein, was a native of Jelenia Góra, while her mother, Rosalie Moritz, came from Mainz, nearly 700 km away. Their wedding took place on July 8, 1878, in Mainz. Rosalie was the daughter of Hermann Moritz, originally from Kórnik in Greater Poland, and Regine Metzger, while Julius Hirschstein was the son of leather merchant Kaspar Hirschstein and Johanna née Brann. After their marriage, they settled in Jelenia Góra, where they raised seven children.

Marriage certificate of Julius Hirschstein and Rosalie Moritz in Mainz / Source: Mainz City Archive

It is unknown whether Leo and Rosalie Aptekmann had any descendants. So far, I haven’t come across any trace of them, and it is also unclear whether Leo remarried.

However, it is certain that after Rosalie’s death, her husband lived for some time at Jägerstrasse 6 (today ul. Wyczółkowskiego) until he was deported and killed at Majdanek concentration camp.

Building at ul.Wyczółkowskiego 6 in Jelenia Góra / Photo: Marta Maćkowiak

Sources:

Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu oddział w Jeleniej Górze (State Archive in Wrocław, Jelenia Góra Branch)
Landesarchiv Berlin (Berlin City Archive)
Polska-org.pl
Mainz City Archive

Jewish Cemetery in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

The Jewish community in Jelenia Góra (formerly Hirschberg) was quite modest, with a peak population of only 450 people. Nevertheless, the city had two Jewish cemeteries.

New Jewish Cemetery in Jelenia Góra on Sudecka Street / Photo by Marta Maćkowiak

Old Jewish Cemetery

The first, so-called “old” cemetery, was established between 1818 and 1820 in the vicinity of Nowowiejska, Na Skałkach, and Studencka streets. Today, there is no trace of this cemetery. No tombstones or cemetery architecture have been preserved, and a public square now stands in its place. After the resolution to close the cemetery was adopted by the City Council Presidium in Jelenia Góra in 1957, the liquidation process began in 1961.

Map of Jelenia Góra featuring the marked location of the old Jewish cemetery / Source: Fotopolska.eu

Photograph, likely depicting remnants of the old Jewish cemetery according to Fotopolska users, year 1928 / Source: Fotopolska.eu

New Jewish Cemetery

In 1879, a kilometer away, the second Jewish cemetery was established on today’s Sudecka Street. It is said to have survived the war in fairly good condition – both the tombstones and the mortuary building did not suffer significant damage.

The mortuary building

Facing the street stood a beautiful mortuary building, which was set on fire during Kristallnacht in 1938. Surprisingly, the structure survived the war, and until 1972, it was inhabited by Leon and Maria Grzybek, the caretakers of the area. The Grzybek couple, quite fittingly named (Grzyb means ‘mushroom’ in Polish), tragically died due to mushroom poisoning. The cemetery was ultimately closed almost 100 years after its establishment, in 1974. The last burial in this building took place in 1959, and at that time, the Jewish community in Jelenia Góra consisted of 20 families.

Mortuary building at the Jewish cemetery in Jelenia Góra / Source: Okruchy z historii Żydów na Śląsku (Fragments from the history of Jews in Silesia), Warsaw 2014 via cmentarze-zydowskie.pl

Mortuary building at the Jewish cemetery on Sudecka Street in Jelenia Góra / Source: Polska-org.pl

Mortuary building at the Jewish cemetery in Jelenia Góra – building in the bottom right corner / Source: Polska-org.pl

Chevra Kadisha

In Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg), there was also Chevra Kadisha, a charitable burial association that dealt with organizing funerals and supporting mourners. In the early 1930s, Chevra Kadisha of the Jewish community in Jelenia Góra had its headquarters at Warmbrunnerstrasse 17 – today’s ul. Wolności.

The People

Today, one part of the cemetery serves as a parking lot. Along the sidewalk, likely on the site of the mortuary, there is a boulder with a commemorative plaque, and further back, you can find several well-preserved tombstones.

Seven of them have been deciphered, and each will be the subject of a dedicated article: Rosel Aptekmann, Mathilde Buttermilch, Wilhelmine Danziger, Betty Ucko, Herman Cohn, Fritz Singer, and Leon Goldgraber, a representative of the post-war Polish community.

“The bitter death will not separate love” – inscription on one of the tombstones at the Jewish cemetery on Sudecka Street in Jelenia Góra.

Sources:

www.cmentarze-zydowskie.pl
Landesarchiv Berlin
Polska-org.pl
Fotopolska.eu
https://jeleniagora.naszemiasto.pl/w-jeleniej-gorze-po-niektorych-nekropoliach-nie-ma-sladu-co/ar/c1-9047541

Masonic Lodge in Karpacz (Krummhubel)

Chrobry Recreation House – now a ruin, once the Preussischer Hof hotel. Located 711 meters above sea level, with excellent cuisine, situated directly by the forest. As it turns out, it also served as a meeting place for members of the local Masonic lodge.

Chrobry Recreation House in Karpacz (formerly Hotel Preussischer Hof in Krumhubbel) / Photo by Marta Maćkowiak

Chrobry Recreation House in Karpacz (formerly Hotel Preussischer Hof in Krumhubbel) / source: Polska-org.pl

Loge zur Schneekoppe

Loge zur Schneekoppe, or Lodge beneath the Śnieżka. Preussischer Hof, known as Chrobry after the war, was the weekly meeting place for members of the Carpathian lodge, gathering every Monday at 8:15 pm.

The Lodge was founded on November 29, 1924, and by 1931, it had 21 members.

Fragment of the list of members of the Masonic Lodge in Karpacz

Grand Masters

The Grand Masters of the Carpathian Lodge were Dr. Max Eisner and Hugo Reizig. The latter owned the Reitzig café and confectionery, located in the villa at today’s ul. Obrońców Pokoju 1 in Karpacz.

The building of the former confectionery and café owned by Hugo Reizig, today ul. Obrońców Pokoju 1 in Karpacz / Source: Polska-org.pl

The interior of the former confectionery and café owned by Hugo Reizig, today at ul. Obrońców Pokoju 1 in Karpacz / Source: Polska-org.pl

Max Eisner from Zabrze

Dr. Max Eisner was born into a Jewish family on December 28, 1863, in Zabrze (Hindenburg), the son of Wilhelm Eisner and Friederike née Boehm. On June 7, 1891, he married Margarethe Graetzer in Strzelce Opolskie, the daughter of another doctor, Aron Graetzer, and Lina Hoffmann. Max and Margarete had one son, Curt Otto, born a year after their wedding on September 20, 1892, in Miłków (Arnsdorf). The boy would later follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, becoming a medical doctor as well.

Margarete passed away on January 12, 1937, at the age of 66 in Berlin. According to the death certificate, Max and Margarete were living in Karpacz (Krummhubel) at the time, in house number 182.

Death certificate of Margarete Eisner / Source: Landesarchiv Berlin

Max had only five more years to live because on September 22, 1942, he perished in the Theresienstadt camp, much like most of the Jewish residents of pre-war Karkonosze. His son, Curt Eisner, was liberated from the Dachau camp on June 13, 1945. He was transported to the Benedictine monastery of Sankt Ottilien in Eresing, where former Dachau prisoners were treated, and unfortunately, he died there two months later on August 7.

Death certificate of Max Eisner

Sources:

Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu (State Archives in Wrocław)
Landesarchiv Berlin
Polska-org.pl

Flora Sachs – the Chairwoman of the Masonic Lodge in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

During my August visit to the State Archives in Szczecin, I came across an interesting collection – a file of Masonic lodge members compiled by the Main Security Office of the Reich from 1939 to 1945. In this collection, I found the record of a woman a Jewish woman from Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg), Flora Sachs, who served as the chairwoman of the Sisters Association of the Victoria Lodge.

Card of Flora Sachs from the file of Masonic lodge members / Photo: Marta Maćkowiak, State Archives in Szczecin

Flora Sachs from Jasna

The main headquarters of Victoria Loge was located in Goerlitz (specifically at Bismarckstrasse 13), and contrary to common belief, its activities did not revolve around esoteric knowledge. Instead, it primarily focused on educating about Judaism and promoting values such as tolerance, goodness, and humanity.

According to the aforementioned card, Flora lived precisely at Lichte Burgstrasse 21 in Hirschberg, which is now Jasna Street in Jelenia Góra.

She was born on October 11, 1878, in an apartment at Drahtzieher Gasse (ul. Druciana 1). She was the second of eight children of Adolf Nathan, a merchant originally from Cieplice (Warmbrunn), and Lina née Cohn. At the age of 20, she married Simon Sachs, a merchant from Kępno, who was four years older, the son of Michael Sachs and Marie née Markus, residing at Plac Ratuszowy 38. A year later, on May 16, 1899, their first son, Max, was born in the apartment at ul. Jasna 18, and on January 17, 1904, their second son, Lotar, was born in the apartment at ul. Jasna 3.

Parents of Flora Sachs née Nathan – Adolf Nathan and Lina née Cohn / Photos courtesy of Mr. Stephen Anthony Giesswein

Birth certificate of Flora Sachs / Source: Bundesarchiv in Berlin

In 1911, Flora became the owner of a tenement house at Jasna 21. According to the building documentation in the Yearbook of Jelenia Góra:

“The tenement had a facade width of 8.5 m, with a wide gate on the ground floor’s left side (Eastern), leading to a passage. In the middle, there were doors leading to the shop, and a display window. The depth of the tenement from the street to the backyard was 17.5 m, and its height was approximately 15 m. It consisted of four floors (ground floor and three upper floors) and a functional attic. The staircase was located in the central part of the building. The renovation project in 1911 was carried out by the well-known architectural company in Jelenia Góra, ‘Gebruder Albert Architecten’ – Albert Brothers Architects. Flora reinforced the building’s structure, renovated sanitary facilities (bathrooms, toilets), and the display window on the ground floor shop.”

In 1916, Flora’s husband, Simon Sachs, became the owner of the tenement. In 1923, he reconstructed the stairs in the utility building at the back, erected a chimney 9 meters above the ground, and in 1927, took care of a new facade.

The no longer existing tenements on Lichte Burgstrasse (today’s Jasna Street) in Jelenia Góra / Source: Polska-org.pl

The Sachs family also ran a business here, specializing in tanning leather and trading leather goods, while Simon served as a member of the Jewish community board in Jelenia Góra.

Advertisement of Simon Sachs in the Arbeiter Zeitung, 1931

Hitler in Power

Unfortunately, with Hitler coming to power, the situation for the Jewish community in Jelenia Góra became increasingly difficult. From around 360 members of the community in 1932, the number of Jewish residents dropped to about 144 in 1938. After Kristallnacht on November 9-10, 1938, during which Nazi militia destroyed the synagogue, cemetery, and Jewish shops, this number dropped even further to 67 people in 1939.

Flora and Simon perished in the Theresienstadt camp. Simon on April 5, 1943, and Flora a year later, on March 13, 1944.

Cards of Flora and Simon from the Theresienstadt camp.

Statement of Flora’s death posted by her sister / Source: Yad VaShem

Together forever, married 45 years

Two sisters of Flora survived and emigrated to Israel. Lothar, the younger son of Flora and Simon, managed to emigrate to the United States with his wife in 1938. Having lived to the age of 69, he was buried in Florida, and 22 years later, his beloved wife was laid to rest beside him, with the inscription: Together forever, married 45 years

One page of the passenger list featuring Lothar and Hildegarde Sachs. They departed from Hamburg on June 29, 1938.

Statement of intent by Lothar Sachs, son of Flora and Simon, regarding becoming a U.S. citizen.

Sources:

Landesarchiv w Berlinie
Rocznik Jeleniogórski, tom XXXIX 200 APJG, AmJG, sygn. 5442. IVO ŁABOREWICZ 28 AP JG, AmJG, sygn. 5442 („Bau akten betr. Lichte Burgstarsse nr 21, Grundbuch nr 192“, za latach 1875-1926)
Żydzi niemieccy w Jeleniej Górze tuż po zakończeniu II wojny światowej, Marek Szajda
Polska-org.pl
Archiwum Państwowe w Szczecinie
Yad VaShem

The Question of Anna Drescher’s Aryan Origin, a story from Villa Birkenhain in Karpacz

When visiting the state archives in search of specific documents, I like to order ‘random’ folders to see if similar records might come in handy in the future. It’s like a lottery – sometimes I browse through hundreds of boring listings and calculations, and at other times, I discover incredible stories. One of those incredible stories is undoubtedly the story of Anna Drescher.

Villa Birkenhain in Krummhübel (presently Brzozowy Sad in Karpacz), ulica Sadowa 2 / źródło: Polska-org.pl

Judenvermögensabgabe – “penance tax”

This time, I took on a folder concerning Judenvermögensabgabe, which can be translated as the Jewish Property Tax. Judenvermögensabgabe was a tax introduced on November 12, 1938, and it applied to every German Jew whose property was valued at a minimum of 5,000 marks. This tax was also referred to as the ‘penance tax’ because, after the assassination of the German Embassy Secretary Ernst Eduard vom Rath on November 7, 1938, by Herschel Grynszpan, a Polish-German Jew, Hermann Göring demanded the payment of one billion German marks as ‘penance’ for the damage caused to the German nation by Jews.

While reviewing case after case, my attention was drawn to Anna Drescher, who, in 1938, was residing in Villa Birkenhein in Krummhübel – today’s Brzozowy Gaj guesthouse located in Karpacz at ul. Sadowa 2.

The first page of the folder: “The question of Mrs. Drescher’s Aryan origin has not yet been resolved” – so let’s see what this is about.

Page regarding Judenvermögensabgabe and Anna Drescher / Source: State Archive in Wrocław

The wife of a mining counselor

According to German documentation, Anna Drescher was the wife of Franz Drescher, a mining counselor, director-general, engineer, and doctor, from whom she inherited the estate. Franz was born on March 2, 1871, in Zabrze (Hindenburg), into a Catholic family, as the son of another Franz, who was a mine director in Gliwice (Gleiwitz), and Anna (née Materne).

Franz quickly followed in his father’s footsteps and began to climb the ranks of the mining career. In 1907, he became the director of the Queen Luiza mine in Zabrze. In 1911, he was appointed to the mining council, and in 1921, he became the director-general. At that time, Franz Drescher was regarded as the top expert in the Silesian heavy industry.

Queen Luiza Mine in Zabrze, 1920s-1930s / Source: Polska-org.pl

Evangelical or Jewish?

In 1903, Franz married Anna Toeplitz, a native of Wrocław and an Evangelical, the daughter of Dr. Theodor Max and Franziska. A year after their wedding, their first daughter, Käthe, was born, and they moved to Małe Zabrze, residing at Kronprinzenstrasse 14 (today’s ul. Wolności). With a Catholic father and an Evangelical mother, where does the whole issue of the Jewish Property Tax come into play?

Fragment of the birth certificate of Franz Drescher and Anna Toeplitz’s daughter, along with information about their religion / Source: Landesarchiv Berlin

So, Anna Toeplitz was born in Wrocław (Breslau) on April 14, 1879, and was the second of nine children of Dr. Theodor Max and Franziska Toeplitz.

It turns out that 5 years earlier, on June 27, 1874, Theodor and Franziska got married, not in Wrocław but in Kaliningrad (then Königsberg). Interestingly, the wedding was registered in the Evangelical parish, but in the section related to the Jewish residents of the city. And that’s not the end of it.

Theodor Max was 23 years old, and Franziska was 22. Both were born in Gdańsk (Danzig), both had the same last name, and as it turned out, they were quite closely related. Specifically, their fathers, Heinrich and Benedikt, were brothers. To make it even more interesting, both Heinrich and Benedikt were born in Warsaw, and their parents were Theodor Toeplitz, a merchant from Lissa (today’s Leszno in Greater Poland), and Franciszka Osterreicher, a Warsaw native.

Photographs of Franziska and Theodor Max Toeplitz / Source: Ancestry, Stefan Toeplitz

Marriage certificate of Theodor Max and Francizka Toeplitz, Kaliningrad (Königsberg) / Source: Records of the Evangelical Church in Königsberg

Franziska Toeplitz’s parents settled in Gdańsk. Theodor’s mother, Chana (née Rafaelowicz), passed away a few months after his birth and was buried in Warsaw. His father, Heinrich, moved to Wrocław with his son and daughter-in-law. He resided at Tauentzienstrasse 31a (today’s Kościuszko Street), where he served as a railway director and lived to be nearly 69 years. To this day, you can visit his grave at the Old Jewish Cemetery in Wrocław. Theodor, who reported his father’s death on February 24, 1891, was residing at Teichstrasse 2 (nowadays Stawowa Street).

Excerpt from Heinrich Toeplitz’s death certificate / Source: State Archives in Wrocław

Tombstone of Heinrich Toeplitz at the Old Jewish Cemetery in Wrocław / Photo by Marta Maćkowiak

Returning to our heroine – Anna’s husband, Franz Drescher, passed away in Wrocław on January 20, 1934. Two years later, on October 12, 1936, Anna reported her mother’s death. She was living at Nova Strasse 4 (today’s Ksawery Liske Street) at that time.

At least since December 1938, Anna was residing in Karpacz. In the following years, Nazi officials must have uncovered her Jewish roots because on January 8, 1944, she was sent to the Theresienstadt camp. Fortunately, the story has a happy ending because in 1946, Anna registered with Sharit haPlatah – the Central Committee of Liberated Jews in Bavaria.

Transport document for Anna Drescher to the Theresienstadt camp (Terezin) / Source: International Tracing Service, Bad Arolsen

Sources:

Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu (State Archive in Wrocław)
Landesarchiv Berlin
Polska-org.pl

Friedrich von Bernhardi – author of the book that started World War I and his villa in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

Zur Eisenbahn Inn in Piechowice (Petersdorf)

Wiera Pupko – The Wannabe Miss Judaea and Diamond Cutter

Baraschheim – the History of the Dąbrówka Children’s Home in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

Elsa Baumm’s Villa Vegetarierheim – the Houses on Malinnik series

Elsa Baumm née Boeck

The Story of Rosel Aptekmann from Jelenia Góra

Rosel Aptekmann née Hirschstein

From Mainz to Hirschberg

Jewish Cemetery in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

Old Jewish Cemetery

New Jewish Cemetery

The mortuary building

Chevra Kadisha

The People

Masonic Lodge in Karpacz (Krummhubel)

Loge zur Schneekoppe

Grand Masters

Max Eisner from Zabrze

Flora Sachs – the Chairwoman of the Masonic Lodge in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

Flora Sachs from Jasna

Hitler in Power

Together forever, married 45 years

The Question of Anna Drescher’s Aryan Origin, a story from Villa Birkenhain in Karpacz

Judenvermögensabgabe – “penance tax”

The wife of a mining counselor

Evangelical or Jewish?

All rights reserved ® Marta Maćkowiak 2023

Impressum:
Projekt: lukaszhajduk.com
Kod: tomhajduk.com
Zdjęcia: @kasia_kaleta

Friedrich von Bernhardi – author of the book that started World War I and his villa in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

Zur Eisenbahn Inn in Piechowice (Petersdorf)

Wiera Pupko – The Wannabe Miss Judaea and Diamond Cutter

Baraschheim – the History of the Dąbrówka Children’s Home in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

Elsa Baumm’s Villa Vegetarierheim – the Houses on Malinnik series

Elsa Baumm née Boeck

The Story of Rosel Aptekmann from Jelenia Góra

Rosel Aptekmann née Hirschstein

From Mainz to Hirschberg

Jewish Cemetery in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

Old Jewish Cemetery

New Jewish Cemetery

The mortuary building

Chevra Kadisha

The People

Masonic Lodge in Karpacz (Krummhubel)

Loge zur Schneekoppe

Grand Masters

Max Eisner from Zabrze

Flora Sachs – the Chairwoman of the Masonic Lodge in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg)

Flora Sachs from Jasna

Hitler in Power

Together forever, married 45 years

The Question of Anna Drescher’s Aryan Origin, a story from Villa Birkenhain in Karpacz

Judenvermögensabgabe – “penance tax”

The wife of a mining counselor

Evangelical or Jewish?

All rights reserved ® Marta Maćkowiak 2023

Impressum: Projekt: lukaszhajduk.com Kod: tomhajduk.com Zdjęcia: @kasia_kaleta

Impressum:
Projekt: lukaszhajduk.com
Kod: tomhajduk.com
Zdjęcia: @kasia_kaleta