Dealing with Disenfranchisement Landmarks of Jewish History

From 1933 onward, people persecuted as “Jewish” were forced out of society. In addition to exclusion, this meant increasing disenfranchisement, deprivation, and physical violence. Those affected reacted in different ways: emigrating, waiting and seeing, and getting involved locally. The scope for action and strategies depended on gender, age, financial situation, and family circumstances.

In 1933, approximately 19,000 Jews resided in Hamburg, Altona, and Wandsbek. The German-Israelite Congregation and welfare organizations took care of the growing number of unemployed and impoverished people among them. Counseling centers arranged jobs and loans. Retraining, e. g., in training workshops, was intended to create the best possible prospects for emigration. Jewish associations, libraries, and events were aimed at enabling participation in cultural life.

Jewish Cultural Association

Jewish artists were excluded from cultural life in 1933. In the same year, a precursor to the Jewish Cultural Association (‘Jüdischer Kulturbund’) of Hamburg was founded. Its primary goal was to find work for unemployed artists. This led to the creation of its own theater and music ensembles, which were only allowed to perform before Jewish audiences. The program was closely monitored by the Nazi authorities. In 1941, the association was disbanded.

Emigration and flight

Between 1933 and 1941, more than half of Hamburg’s Jewish population emigrated: up to 12,000 people. The pogroms in November 1938 triggered a large wave of emigration. Parents and congregations organized so-called children transports (‘Kindertransporte’) to supposedly safe countries abroad. The outbreak of World War II made escape more difficult from 1939 onward. In October 1941, emigration was banned. Deportations began in the same month.