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Herbert Hintz, 1937
© Archiv Evangelische Stiftung Alsterdorf

Herbert Hintz * 1917

Wrangelstraße 113 (Eimsbüttel, Hoheluft-West)

HIER WOHNTE
HERBERT HINTZ
JG. 1917
EINGEWIESEN 1925
ALSTERDORFER ANSTALTEN
"VERLEGT" 10.8.1943
HEILANSTALT MAINKOFEN
TOT 10.5.1945

Herbert Hintz, born on 2 May 1917 in Hamburg, admitted to what was then the Alsterdorf Asylum (Alsterdorfer Anstalten; today Evangelische Stiftung Alsterdorf) on 22 Aug. 1925, "transferred” on 10 Aug. 1943 to the "Mainkofen sanatorium and nursing home” ("Heil- und Pflegeanstalt Mainkofen”), died on 10 May 1945

Wrangelstrasse 113, Hoheluft-West

Herbert Hintz was born on 2 May 1917 as the third child of a working-class family in Hamburg. The father, Friedrich Hintz, born on 25 Sept. 1883, passed away on 4 Dec. 1953, worked as a coachman at the time of his son’s birth. The mother Carolina, née Klötzing, born on 15 Aug. 1883 at Hof Bliestorf near Berkenthin, in today’s District of Herzogtum Lauenburg, had worked as a maid in Stellingen before the marriage. They had married in Hamburg on 28 Apr. 1906. In addition to Herbert, the couple had another son and a daughter.

The Hamburg directories list Herbert’s father from 1920 onward with the occupation of "smoker” (preserving meat or fish) at Niendorferstrasse 14 in Lokstedt. Nine years later, they listed him as a "laborer” residing at 113 Wrangelstrasse in the Hoheluft-West quarter.

At birth, Herbert had suffered neurological damage from a lack of oxygen. In addition, he contracted nasal diphtheria in infancy and retained a "spastic hemiplegia” on the right side after a poliomyelitis (polio) infection. When Herbert reached school age, he was initially deferred for a year.

He was then supposed to attend a "special school,” but he was not admitted because he still spoke "inarticulately.” After an examination by a school doctor, Herbert was exempted from attending school. On 22 Aug. 1925, a public health officer of the social administration had him admitted to the Alsterdorf Asylum (Alsterdorfer Anstalten; today Evangelische Stiftung Alsterdorf) with the diagnosis of "feeble-mindedness” ("Schwachsinn”). Reportedly, his mother stated that she hoped he would be able to learn something there.

After some initial homesickness, Herbert settled in well at Alsterdorf. He initially attended kindergarten and enjoyed keeping himself busy. Just four weeks after his admission to Alsterdorf, Herbert was hospitalized for an extended period with inflammation of his auditory passage. Possibly this illness was also the reason for his slurred speech. In Nov. 1926, Herbert received a splint boot with a raised heel as an orthopedic aid. Remaining prone to illness, he was admitted to the institutional hospital several more times during the following years for various infectious diseases.

Herbert attended the Alsterdorf Asylum school from 1928 and made progress in his development, according to school reports. His "imaginative life” was good, as was "his perceptive faculty and reproduction.” Reportedly, he showed great zeal in his work and interest in his lessons. He worked diligently and produced, due to his willpower in drawing and cutting out, though somewhat slower being left-handed, work just as good as the other children did. His teacher described Herbert as a friendly, compassionate boy who was affectionate and easy to guide.

Herbert also gave the nursing staff no cause for complaint: "Quiet and orderly, always obedient and well-behaved.” Because of his physical disability, Herbert could not participate in the other boys’ outdoor games; however, he made friends among them and felt comfortable in their circles.

Then, at Easter 1931, his school report said that Herbert could no longer keep up with the others, going on to state that he was already 14 years old and was being transferred to a work class. However, an attempt was to be made to support him in the afternoon with individual lessons. In the so-called work class, Herbert was kept busy making woven bead coasters. Presumably, this marked the end of his school days.

Herbert’s family had kept in touch with him since his admission to Alsterdorf. His parents visited him regularly and requested several days of institutional leave for him. Since he needed a cane to walk, they picked him up by car. After Herbert’s sixteenth birthday, however, this was no longer possible for two years, given the difficult economic times for the Hintz family.

In Nov. 1936, it was noted in Herbert’s patient file that by then he suffered intermittently from mild attacks of weakness with headaches and dizziness and felt very miserable for days afterward.

Herbert Hintz, like all young men, was registered for military service, but was mustered out as "unfit” in 1937.

In the Alsterdorf Asylum, he continued to be perceived as a "quiet and peaceful” resident, who was hampered in his walking by his polio, but who was able to look after himself. Permanent institutionalization was considered necessary.

The last entry in Herbert’s Alsterdorf patient file, dated 6 Aug. 1943, read, "Transferred to Mainkofen due to severe damage to the Asylum by air raid.”

During the heavy air raids on Hamburg in July/Aug. 1943 ("Operation Gomorrah”), the Alsterdorf Asylum also sustained bomb damage. After consultation with the public health authorities, the management of the institution took the opportunity to transfer some of the residents who were considered to be "weak in labor performance, in need of much care or particularly difficult” to other sanatoriums and nursing homes.

With four transports between 7 and 16 August, a total of 468 girls and women, boys and men were transferred to the "Eichberg State Sanatorium and Nursing Home” ("Landes-Heil- und Pflegeanstalt Eichberg”) near Wiesbaden, to the "Kalmenhof sanatorium and nursing home” ("Heil- und Pflegeanstalt Kalmenhof”) near Idstein in the Rheingau, to the Mainkofen "sanatorium and nursing home” ("Heil- und Pflegeanstalt Mainkofen”) near Passau, and to the "Vienna Municipal Wagner von Jauregg-Heil- und Pflegeanstalt,” a "sanatorium and nursing home” ("Am Steinhof”).

Herbert Hintz was one of the 112 male adults, adolescents, and children who were transferred to the "Kalmenhof sanatorium and nursing home” near Passau in Lower Bavaria on 10 or 11 Aug. 1943. His family probably learned of his transfer only during the last of their frequent visits to Alsterdorf. His parents sent him parcels of food to Mainkofen and they and Herbert wrote letters to each other.

In Apr. 1945, the parents were concerned about not having received any mail from their son since February. On the 29th of that month, they sent an inquiry to the institutional administration in Alsterdorf asking whether their son had been "sent elsewhere” from Mainkofen. The answer came on 2 May, saying it was understandable that they were worried. Unfortunately, however, the letter continued, it was not possible to give more details, since staff were no longer in contact with the individual institutions.

Herbert Hintz died on 10 May 1945, a few days after the end of the war. The cause of death given was pulmonary tuberculosis, as was the case with many other patients transferred along with him from Alsterdorf to Mainkofen. Allegedly, it was not possible to notify the "responsible authorities” – probably meaning Herbert’s parents – "because of the postal blockade.”

Believing that he was still alive, Herbert Hintz’ parents again sent a postcard to their son on 3 Nov. 1945, inquiring about his health and asking whether he and his fellow patients would soon return to Hamburg. The reply, dated 28 November, read, "In response to your card dated 3 Nov. 1945, addressed to your son Herbert Hintz, we regret to inform you that he died here on 10 May 1945. Notification was not possible at the time because of the postal blockade. As was to be expected in view of the nature of his illness, there had been no change in the patient’s mental state since his arrival here. Physically, a pathological lung condition with a cough had occurred since last winter, which had to be regarded as tubercular. This condition resulted in a gradual physical deterioration and finally led to death, which, considering the overall condition of your son, can almost be regarded as a release from a difficult fate. He did not express any special wishes and did not suffer significantly before his passing. He is buried in the local institutional cemetery.”

Patients had been forcibly taken from the Mainkofen institution to the Schloss Hartheim "euthanasia” killing center near Linz and murdered by gas until Aug. 1941. Of these persons, 604 are known by name. After that, the death of the patients was deliberately brought about in Mainkofen itself in accordance with the "Bavarian starvation decree,” by food deprivation (starvation diet, meat- and fat-free diet, in Mainkofen called "3-b diet”), but also by neglect in nursing care, and overdosed medication. In Mainkofen, 762 patients died in the so-called "hunger houses.” Instead, the cause of death was recorded as enteritis, TB, pneumonia, or pulmonary tuberculosis in particular.

Since 2014, a "Learning and Memorial Site” ("Lern- und Gedenkort”) has been located on the grounds of today’s Mainkofen District Hospital, where the murdered Mainkofen patients are named and visitors can commemorate the victims. Another memorial plaque commemorates the more than 500 adolescents and adults who were subjected to forced sterilizations.

Translator: Erwin Fink
Kindly supported by the Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung, Hamburg.

Stand: May 2021
© Susanne Rosendahl

Quellen: StaH 332-5 Standesämter 8884 Heiratsregister Nr. 25/1906 Friedrich Johannes Louis Hintz/Karoline Helene Maria Klötzing; 332-5 Standesämter 2059 Geburtsregister Nr. 4563/1883 Friedrich Johannes Louis Hintz; Archiv der Evangelischen Stiftung Alsterdorf, Sonderakte V 404 Herbert Hintz; Michael Wunder, Ingrid Genkel, Harald Jenner, Auf dieser schiefen Ebene gibt es kein Halten mehr. Die Alsterdorfer Anstalten im Nationalsozialismus, 3. Aufl., Stuttgart 2016, S. 283 ff, insbesondere S. 315 ff.; http://www.mainkofen.de/209.html (Zugriff 28.8.2019).