1933-1938: Nazification: Identification, Expropriation, and Emigration

The Holocaust (1933-45) refers to Nazi Germany’s deliberate, progressive persecution and systematic murder of the Jews of Europe. Nazi anti-Semitism superseded traditional Judeo-Christian religious conflict by uniting a racial ideology with social Darwinism: the Jew is seen as subhuman, a disease threatening the body politic, and the cause of Germany’s problems—its economic woes, its defeat in World War I, its cultural degeneracy—and thus must be eradicated. As soon as Hitler came to power in 1933, the Nazis commenced the organized persecution of the Jews. Jewish books were burned and businesses boycotted. Jews were excluded from professions, public life, and from the arts. The Nuremberg laws of 1935 identified and defined a Jew based on immutable racial characteristics and lineage, less so his religion. Jews were stripped of their civil rights as German citizens. More than 120 decrees and ordinances were enacted subsequent to the Nuremberg laws. In 1938, Kristallnacht occurred, the planned pogrom that led to the destruction of synagogues, mass arrests, and the looting of Jewish businesses. Jews were murdered, and many more were interned in concentration camps that had been established for political prisoners. Jewish property was registered, confiscated, and ultimately arianized. Life in Nazi Germany was sufficiently intolerable that more than to 200,000 Jews emigrated. Hitler’s goal of making Germany “Judenrein” was proving successful.

With the Nazi’s ascension to power, other groups were imperiled as well, vulnerable to discriminatory treatment, persecution and death; for example, the Roma and Sinti, the developmentally and physically disabled, homosexuals, and political and social "undesirables". Slavic people were considered Untermenschen, fit only for servitude in the new and expanded Reich. During this period of time, in direct contravention of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was also secretly building its military and preparing for an eventual war. Yet it was the Nazi’s growing confidence and skill in pruning the Aryan tree of its undesirables that allowed it to perfect the technical apparatus for carrying out mass murder on an industrial scale, with its ultimate goal the “final solution to the Jewish question”.

This collection features numerous examples of identification documents for Jews used during the Third Reich; a selection of mail covers and Francotyp cards which record the mail history of Jewish-owned companies or corporate entities both before and subsequent to arianization during the era of the Third Reich; Julius Streicher anti-Semitic literature, posters from der Sturmer; and a general selection of anti-Semitic literature and postcards

--Michael D. Bulmash, K1966

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German Anti-Semitic Postcard

Front: Black and white rendering of the busts of four Jewish men with pencil writing on the right third of the card. 'Ein Vierblatteriges Kleeblatt' [A four leaf clover] Back: Message handwritten in pencil with green postal stamp and several black hand stamps.
“Kolner Hof” Anti-Semitic Postcard

Front: White postcard with an illustration of the hotel on top. Includes a boot coming out of the hotel and kicking a cariacturized Jewish man in pinstripe pants out onto the street, his bag opening and his belongings falling out in the process. In the lower lefthand corner is an illustration of a statue. A message is written in messy handwriting next to the statue, and across the rest of the postcard. Back: Green postcard lines filled in with an address in pencil. Green 5 cent stamp in upper right corner, with a black Frankfurt circular handstamp over it. Another black hand stamp in lower left corner. The Frankfurt Hotel "Kölner Hof" barred Jews since 1895 and advertised itself as the "only Jew-free hotel" in the city.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: The Frankfurt Hotel "Kölner Hof" barred Jews since 1895 and advertised itself as the "only Jew-free hotel" in the city. The owner of Kölner Hof, Hermann Laass, took great pride in the fact that Jews were excluded. A variety of anti-Semitic media were used: posters, postcards, and advertisements in anti-Semtiic newspapers. Laass was a member of a number of anti-Semtiic organizations, culminating in his joining the NSDAP, the Nazi Party in 1933.
Irene Erdheim, a Jewish Woman from Vienna, Austria

Formal portrait of female wearing dark jacket with hair pulled back

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Irene Erdheim, who had worked at the German post office in Vienna, was able to leave Vienna as a Jewish refugee for Palestine by 1940
Adolf Hitler Spricht Postcard Set

Adolf Hitler Spricht: 6 photographische Momente während einer Rede Adolf HItler's aufgenommen' [Adolf Hitler speaks: Six photographic moments during an Adolf Hitler speech included]; Photographed by Heinrich Hoffmann; with two protective cover sleeves; one with window. Note: Five of six postcards included in collection.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Early Heinrich Hoffmann real photo postcards of Hitler practicing dramatic gestures to heighten the impact of his speeches on his audiences. Like any actor, Hitler knew that perfecting his talent to mesmerize his audiences required that he appear natural and unrehearsed
"Statement by Henry Ford" Pamphlet

Tan pamphlet in English with title, "Statement by Henry Ford." Interior includes statements by Ford regarding Jews.
Picture Postcard of Dachau

Front: Panoramic view of the small town, many of the buildings covered by trees. A church is in the middle and is the tallest building in the picture. Back: Handwritten note. Leftside is the message in German cursive. Right side has the address on it. The upper righthand corner has a green stamp of Beethoven. The bottom has several numbers written in pencil.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: A panoramic view of Dachau, a town in Upper Bavaria, mailed five years before it was to become the site of the infamous concentration camp, the first in Germany and the model for all to follow. Created by Himmler in March, 1933, the first inmates were political prisoners, communists and socialists. Within its first two years the prison population was to swell to over 100,000. Dachau was essentially born with the Third Reich and died with it, having lasted the entire 12 years of its existence.
Francotyp Card Tracing History and Arianization of Kantorowicz-Kahlbaum Liquor and Wine Firm During Third Reich

Front: “Weinbrand Kahlbaum Edel” in red at top right; three adhered stamps, two hand stamps, all red. Back: two adhered stamps with typewritten and handwritten text starting with date 27.12.29.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Francotyp machines have been used since 1923 as a franking system for mailing purposes. This card is a record of servicing these Francotyp machines, and shows the mail history of the company in question, and in this case, the changes occurring to the corporate name and address both before and subsequent to arianization during the Third Reich. Kantorowicz-Kahlbaum had been a world-renowned liquor and wine manufacturer located in Poznan, Poland since 1823. As a Jewish-owned firm, it was ultimately arianized and management was given over to representatives of the Reich in 1939, after the German army marched into Poland. On the reverse side of the card is the new name of the company: the name Kantorowicz was eliminated from the label.
"Albert Ballin" Hamburg-Amerika Linie Postcard

Front: Black and white photograph of the Albert Ballin ship with a man at center right.Back: Handwritten markings in purple and grey pencil with a green Beethoven stamp in the upper right.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: The Albert Ballin was a ship named after the Jew who had been on the personal staff of Kaiser Wilhelm and became instrumental in the rise of the shipping company of the Hamburg-Amerika Line. After the Nuremburg Laws of 1935 the ship was renamed Hansa. Thus it was not just people who had to undergo a name change consequent to the odious Nuremburg Laws.
Anti-Semitic Cartoon by Fips for Der Sturmer

An anti-semitic illustration of a Jewish man holding the Talmud signed 'Fips.' This drawing was intended for Der Stürmer Newspaper, as indicated by the stamp in the lower left corner.
Anti-Semitic Cartoon by Fips for Der Sturmer

A pencil drawing of an obese Jewish man wearing many medals, including the Star of David, smoking a cigar.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Among Philipp Rupprecht's best known works were Der Giftpilz (The Poisonous Mushroom) from 1938 and Trau keinem Fuchs auf gruner Heid und keinem Jud auf seinem Eid (Don't Trust a Fox in a Green Pasture or a Jew Upon His Oath) from 1936.
Envelope Sent During Spanish Civil War from Malaga, Spain, to Germany

Faded envelope with typewritten addressee. Two stamps, both of Isabella I of Castille. One purple for 40 cts, one red for 30 cts. The red has a circular black hand stamp over it. The return address is 'Compania Mata' in Malaga. Three puple stamps, 'Viva ECRANA', 'Viva Franco!' and 'Censura Militar Malaga' also a '102' stamped in blue. Back: One purple stamp on the bottom, 'Correspondencia Comercial'.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Spanish Civil War Malaga Franco's Censor of Letter Addressed to Germany
M.M. Warburg and Company Envelope

M. M. WARBURG & CO., HAMBURG 1' printed at bottom left; Addressed to Herrn Hugo Hartig.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: The brothers Warburg, Moses and Gerson, founded teh Warburg bank, one of the world's largest privately owned banks, in 1798. While the Warburg family still owns the bank, most members of the family fled Nazi Germany to either the United States or to England by 1938.
The Arianization of Wertheim: a Postal History of the Jewish-Owned Department Store from 1931 - 1939

24 envelopes with red circular postmark from Berlin

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: A collection of meter marks (made from the francotyp machine) from the department store Wertheim, including 11 from 1931 to 1935 for “special sales” (e.g. Christmas, travel, swimming, etc.). The Arianization of Wertheim is likewise expressed in changes to the meter marks: the slogans show AWAG (Allgemeine Warenhandels-Gesellschaft A.G.) and AWAG (vormals WERTHEIM). Arianization notwithstanding, the Wertheim name was continued during this period of time to maintain the customer base. Meter marks show Deutsche Reichspost AWAG for travel, summer, etc. Eventually the Nazi swastika appears within the indicia of the meter mark.Wertheimwas one of the largest department store chains in Germany with four stores in Berlin. It had been founded by Georg Wertheim. It was subjected to Nazi Arianization policies during the 1930’s. In an effort to avoid loss of their stores through what was tantamount to institutionalized theft, the Wertheim family attempted to make Georg’s wife Ursula the principal shareholder since she was acceptable as “Aryan” under the laws. However, even a divorce was not enough to prevent the inevitable loss of their business, and the Wertheim family were forced to sell their firm to an Aryan company, after which it was renamed AWAG. Georg Wertheim died in 1939.
Henrietta Szold Typed Letter in Hebrew - Jewish Community of Palestine Letterhead

Tan paper with Jewish Community of Palestine return address in left corner, Hebrew in the right. Both printed. Letter typewritten in Hebrew. Signature in lower left.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Szold was a Jewish Zionist from Baltimore, Maryland who founded the Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America. She immigrated to Palestine in 1933 where she helped run the Youth Aliyah, the organization founded by Recha Freier responsible for rescuing 30,000 Jewish children from Nazi Europe. She died in 1945 in the very hospital she helped build in Jerusalem.
Flier for Nazi Party Meeting

An orange flier with black printed text.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: The flyers (2014.1.7-.9) claim that the Nazis are fighting capitalism, and attack Social Democrats for protecting capitalists and harming workers.
Flier for Nazi Party Meeting

A green flier with black printed text and a swastika in the lower left.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: The flyers (2014.1.7-.9) claim that the Nazis are fighting capitalism, and attack Social Democrats for protecting capitalists and harming workers.
Candidate Adolf Hitler on Election Ballot

Small election ballet with an X next to Adolf Hitler's name. Titled "Reichspräfidentenwahl."

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: A ballot related to the German presidential election of March 13, 1932. Along with Hitler's name are Thalmann, Winter, Hindenburg, and Duesterberg.
Elect Hitler Political Flier

Tan sign with red text. Titled, "Bis zum Weissbluten."

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Flyer related to elections on July 31, 1932. The sign described the economic crisis of joblessness, corruption, and break down of the middle class and so on in Germany. Translation in part:…”The nation woke up and recognized that Hitler predicted correctly as the nation will discover together, and millions will settle up with the guilty ones and those responsible. And now, the betrayers lie in their fear. They hope that the nation is too stupid to see the swindle. They hope they can distract from 13 years mismanagement. They hope they can shake the belief in Hitler. But it's no use! The nation will unite with the largest German party and settle up with the betrayers and will vote on July 31 for the NSDAP.”
Letter from Friedrich Jeckeln

Typewritten letter on "Abschnitt IV der Schutzstaffeln der NSDAP" stationery. Includes Nazi insignia and signature in blue.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: As Commanding SS General of Eisatzgruppen, Friedrich Jeckeln was responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 Jews, Romanians, and Slavs. As SS-Obergruppenfuhrer and police chief in eastern Russia, he controlled all Einsatzgruppen mass executions and partisan operations in his district. Jekeln was responsible for the systematic slaughter of men, women, children, and the elderly at Babi Yar, Kiamanets-Podilskyi, and Bubula. Captured by Russians, he was hanged at Riga in 1946.
Arianized Victor Wolf Company, Dreiturm Seife Envelope

Front: White envelope with series of red hand stamps on top. Bottom left has printed Victor Wolf symbol in teal, bottom right has address writen in black ink. Information Provided by Michael D. BulmashDreiturm (Three Towers) had been a German company owned by Max Wolf, a Jewish businessman. In 1933 Dreiturm was confiscated by the Nazis. At this point Mr. Wolf was counseled by his tax accountant to place the company in Aryan hands so that he could enjoy a "peaceful future." In July 1934 Dreiturm was officially Aryanized by the state and then "purchased" by the Aryan firm Sidol for a fraction of its worth. Max Wolf and his family ultimately emigrated to England. The name Dreiturm Seife in Steinau is kept in place, but Wolf was no longer on the logo. Instead, the name of the washing powder produced by the firm, "Hexawa," was placed on the label on the "archive card," in spite of the fact that part of the old name Dreiturm had been retained. The Sidol Group was known to have worked on armaments production during the War. Many of Sidol's workers were forced laborers, especially Russian prisoners of war.
Letter Involving Christoph Diehm, Richard Hildebrandt and Heinrich Himmler

Letter on tan "13. S.S. Standarte der N.S.D.A.P." stationery. Includes typewritten message and signature in black ink.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: A letter on early SS Standarte NSDAP letterhead, signed by Brigadefuhrer Christoph Diehm, SS Obergruppenfuhrer Richard Hildebrandt and initialed by Heinrich Himmler. The front bears a letter from Sturmbannfuhrer Schuster to SS Abschnitt X regarding the transfer of a freemason considered a troublemaker, on ESS Sturmfuhrer Jacob Hauser. On the back, Diehm approvesthe transfer, as does Hildebrandt three days later. On April 29th Himmler initals final approval. Diehm would later command the Kaminski, 29th Waffen SS Grenadier Div., SS Rona, fighting in the east and Warsaw. Hildebrandt headed the Office of Race and Resettlement of the SS and was found guilty of forced abductions, forced resettlements, kidnapping of children, euthenasia and a host of other crimes. He was executed by Poles in 1952.
Postcard Commemorating Nazi Seizure of Power

Front: Off-white postcard with an illustration of a Nazi rally near a classical-looking buildling. Includes brown printed postcard lines, an address written in black ink, black hand stamps, and black and orange postage stamps.Back: Message written in black ink.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Postcard sent from Dresden, Germany to Akron, Ohio on the first anniversary of Hitler's assumption of power.
American Boycott German Goods Stamp

Small white stamp with blue illustration of the Star of David. Titled, "For Humanity's Sake, Don't Buy German Goods."

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Pre-World War II German boycott stamp issued in the United States by Jewish war veterans. Probable date is 1933, as counter-measure to German boycott of Jewish stores.
American Boycott German Goods Stamp

Small white stamp with teal illustration of the Star of David. Titled, "For Humanity's Sake, Don't Buy German Goods."

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Pre-World War II German boycott stamp issued in the United States by Jewish war veterans. Probable date is 1933, as counter-measure to German boycott of Jewish stores.
American Federation of Polish Jews Stamp

Blue stamp with illustration of immigrants and the Statue of Liberty. Titled, "America Will not Forsake You, American Federation for Polish Jews."

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Stamp most likely issued in 1933 by the American Federation of Polish Jews.