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Hanna Meyberg * 1907

Königsreihe 32 (Wandsbek, Wandsbek)

1941 Riga
ermordet

further stumbling stones in Königsreihe 32:
Sophie Hirsch, Erna Fratje Michelsohn, Oskar Ludwig Michelsohn, Hanna Stiefel

Hanna Meyberg, born on 11 Mar. 1907, deported on 6 Dec. 1941 to Riga

Königsreihe 32 (Langereihe 58)

Hanna Meyberg was among the few persons deported directly from an address in Wandsbek and she was the person with the shortest residence in Wandsbek. As a single woman, she came to Hamburg in the late 1930s where, in addition to greater protection from anti-Semitic attacks, she probably hoped for better living conditions and career opportunities.

(Jo)Hanna Meyberg was born in Eschwege on 11 Mar. 1907. She was the oldest child of her parents Max Meyberg and Julie, née Hammerschlag, who had two more children, sons Sally (born in 1908) and Siegfried (born in 1911). The family lived at Marktplatz 6 in a house of their own. Hanna Meyberg attended the girls’ high school (Lyzeum) until about 1923, subsequently business school, where she was taught accounting, stenography, and typewriting. She found employment with the Max Stein wholesale business in Eschwege; she worked there as an accountant and stenographer until 1937. However, since no contributions were made to the pension scheme, it was probably not a permanent, continuous position.

It is striking that starting in the late 1930s, Hanna Meyberg moved quite frequently. Her emigrated brother later described her situation: "She lost her job due to persecution in the course of the year 1937 and being Jewish, she was not able to find a (permanent) position anymore.” The frequent changes of residence reflect the limited job opportunities: Hanna Meyberg obviously felt compelled to move after the jobs. For instance, in 1937 she lived in Frankfurt/Main for a while, and in 1938 in Warburg for half a year.

In the meantime, the tax authorities had initiated, via the mayor of Eschwege, "security proceedings” ("Sicherungsverfahren”) against her father, Max Meyberg, because her parents intended to emigrate to South Africa and had just obtained the entry permit. The two sons had already been living there since 1928 and 1930, respectively. Hanna Meyberg had also applied for entry but she had been turned down.

The Chief Finance Administrator (Oberfinanzpräsident) in Kassel then demanded from Max Meyberg a list of assets. In his response, he stated "that I own a residential building at Marktplatz 6 worth 8,000–9,000 RM [reichsmark]. We do not have any other bank accounts.”

One week later, the family received an inquiry from the foreign currency office as to whether the property had already been sold. If that were not the case, the transaction should take place and an account was to be communicated to which the proceeds could be transferred. The house changed hands for 6,100 RM on 7 July 1939.

On 24 July 1939, Max Meyberg wrote to the foreign currency office in Kassel that he had made reservations for passage on a ship on 9 August, asking for the unblocking of the funds on the frozen account that he required for purchases toward this departure, such as food, crates, freight, customs dues, etc.

Two days later, the Eschwege-based agent of the Hamburg America Line, Richard Riedel, informed the Meyberg couple that the booking had been changed to a 25 Aug. 1939 departure from Hamburg. In addition, he reminded them of the advance payment. The charges due for two reservations at 48 British pounds each amounted to the equivalent of 1,152 RM, plus 120 RM in gratuities and 200 RM to cover on-board expenses. The costs for luggage and freight were a separate item. In closing, Riedel stressed, "Again, payment must be made immediately, otherwise there is no guarantee of the booking.” Right away, Max Meyberg applied once again for the unblocking of his money.

However, the foreign currency office was in no hurry, first wishing to know the amount of money in the blocked account, something that Meyberg communicated on 28 July. Once more, he urgently asked for unblocking the sum. On 29 July, the foreign currency office finally gave the green light to the district savings bank, the Kreissparkasse: "No objections against transferring the amount for two reservations for passage.” However, it took another five days until the tax clearance certificate (Unbedenklichkeitserklärung) issued by the tax office became available. The father transferred the balance remaining to his daughter for safekeeping.

The parents had barely left their long-standing place of residence when the foreign currency office in Kassel turned to Hanna Meyberg, demanding a list of assets from her. In addition to the sum of slightly over 1,000 RM transferred to her, she indicated 29.63 RM in cash. "Nothing else.” She asked for an allowance of 150 RM a month from the account transferred to her, a sum she was granted.

However, she was not able to use the money only for herself: The parents returned to Eschwege. The Deutsche Afrika-Linien shipping line confirmed for them "that you as passengers in the economy class of the steamship ‘Pretoria’ were unable to set out on your departure because the sailing of said steamship had to be delayed until further notice due to the political situation.” Because of the impending start of war (1 Sept. 1939), the emigrant ship was unable to sail. The parents, who had given notice for their apartment and sold their belongings, moved in with their daughter again, the address being Blauer Steinweg 13. As a monthly allowance, Hanna Meyberg then asked for 300 RM, enclosing the letter from the Afrika-Linien. In terms of expenses, she claimed 212 RM, plus 62 RM in rent, plus extra costs. She added, "The figures include my parents’ living expenses which I have to cover.” The foreign currency office granted the amount.

Despite the relatively meager funds on the blocked account, Dec. 1939 saw a security order (Sicherungsanordnung) being issued against Hanna Meyberg as well. In 1940, her parents once again initiated their emigration to Johannesburg, this time succeeding. They gave notification to the authorities that they were moving from Eschwege on 9 Feb. 1940. Their daughter accompanied them to Hamburg.

After her parents had departed Germany aboard a ship, Hanna Meyberg remained in Hamburg, joining the Hamburg Jewish Religious Organization (Jüdischer Religionsverband), thereby obtaining eligibility to receive benefits from the Jewish welfare office if need be. However, she entered service as a domestic help with, among others, a family residing at Schlachterstrasse 40 in Hamburg-Neustadt. Another job was located in the house at An der Alster 21 with Leon.

Apparently, she was unable to gain a permanent foothold either in Hamburg or any other towns. She moved to Castellaun, a few days later to Eschwege, then returning via Kassel to Hamburg, Hamburg-Volksdorf, to be precise, where she was registered with the authorities as residing at Im Alten Dorf 61. The address was that of the villa of the Liebermann family. In late 1941, the residents at this location were Robert and Annemarie Liebermann as well as their tenants, Dr. Thilo with his wife and one daughter. Probably Hanna Meyberg worked in the household of one of these families (see entry in Volksdorf, chapter on Liebermann). She stayed there for only about a month before changing her address with the authorities to Hamburg-Blankenese and on 18 Nov. 1941 to Hamburg-Wandsbek, at Langereihe 58 on the second floor with the Hirschs. The occupants at that address, Sophie Hirsch, her daughter and her grandson, were forced to take in another person (see entry on Hirsch).

In the meantime, the Hamburg foreign currency office had taken over the security proceedings, sending Hanna Meyberg a summons. However, she was no longer able to keep the appointment, something she communicated to the authority in a letter dated 4 Dec. 1941:
"With polite reference to your enclosed letter I would like to inform you that I will be evacuated today. Therefore, I am no longer able to meet with your demand. Yours sincerely, Hanna Sara Meyberg, domestic help
Hamburg-Wandsbek, Langereihe 58 second floor with Hirsch”

Her reply suggests stylistic sensitivity, correctness, and a sense of duty.
On the same day, she was to report to the Moorweide assembly point for deportation. She was forced to board the train to Riga on 6 December. Since it was impossible to learn anything else about her subsequent fate and to find a death notice, she has been considered deceased as of 8 May 1945.

In the mid-1950s, her brothers, as reversionary heirs of their deceased parents, submitted applications for restitution from their place of residence in South Africa. The official investigation found that Hanna Meyberg had paid pension contributions for her work as a domestic help to the state insurance institution (Landesversicherungsanstalt – LVA) for only six weeks between 9 Sept. 1940 and 26 Aug. 1941. This circumstance sheds light on the oppressive situation of Hamburg Jews in general and leaves one to conclude that Jewish women often did housework in return for undeclared compensation. If they were single, sometimes they only received free room. All told, though, most of them depended on benefits from the Jewish welfare authority. After all, their employers or fellow occupants, respectively, were no longer able to pay them because accounts were blocked, allowances cut, and gainful forms of employment banned.


Translator: Erwin Fink

Kindly supported by the Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung, Hamburg.

Stand: October 2017
© Astrid Louven

Quellen: 1; 2 R 1941/227; AfW 110307; Auskunft Standesamt Eschwege vom 5.6.2007; Auskunft von Eva Lindemann, E-Mail vom 5.6.2007.
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