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Alfred Felsenthal * 1907

Isestraße 67 (Eimsbüttel, Harvestehude)

1941 Lodz

further stumbling stones in Isestraße 67:
Henriette Ballin, Edwin Ballin, Herbert Cohn, Käthe Cohn, Helene Felsenthal, Dr. Richard Hoffmann, Elisabeth Hoffmann, Gertrud Horwitz, Hugo Horwitz, Amalie Salomon, Mathel Windmüller, Denny Windmüller

Helene Felsenthal, née Bauer, born 20 Aug. 1883 in Hamburg, deported to Minsk 18 Nov. 1941
Alfred Felsenthal, born 14 Mar. 1907 in Hamburg, deported to Lodz 25 Oct. 1941

Helene Felsenthal’s non-Jewish husband Adolph died in 1924, so as a widow she no longer had the protection of a "mixed marriage,” and her sons, even though they were "half-Jews,” were classified as Geltungsjuden because they were members of the Jewish Community. They had left the Community in 1937 on grounds that they were Lutheran, but in 1939 they were forced to join the Reich Association of Jews.

On her mother’s side, Helene Felsenthal was the heiress of the Bauer department store. She owned half of the property on Neuer Steinweg, where the store was probably located. She lived there until 1939. She then sold the property, probably under duress, and she and her son Alfred rented rooms with Gertrud Horwitz on Isestraße.

Helene Felsenthal had two sons. The elder, Kurt (*1902), had a successful car dealership that was "Aryanized” in 1938. He survived the Third Reich, and could thus give a first-hand account of his arrest: When he was banned from his business premises after the "Aryanization,” he "lost his temper” and attacked an SA-man (he probably means a Gestapo agent). He was charged with assault and sentenced, but at the last minute he was able to flee to Belgium, with the help of an English friend who provided him with a forged passport.

The younger son Alfred (*1907) was an independent businessman until "Aryanization.” He traded in rubber goods and nursing materials.

It is likely that he was in "protective custody” for a week in June 1938, possibly for the same reasons as his brother. A short time later he and his mother applied for permission to emigrate to Holland. The request was unusual. Both declared that they did not intend to emigrate permanently, but wanted to look for job opportunities in Holland. Helene Felsenthal was looking for a position as household help, Adolf as a chauffeur. Both assured the officials that, should they find jobs, they would return to Germany and formally apply for permission to emigrate. The application was approved, and in August 1938 they both received their certificates of approval from the Regional Tax Office. They did not leave for Holland, however.

Alfred Felsenthal was again in "protective custody” from 14 November to 21 December 1938, this time probably as a result of the wave of arrests in the pogrom night of 9-10 November. It is possible that his imprisonment destroyed all hope of emigration.

Alfred Felsenthal was deported to Lodz on 25 October 1941. His mother received notification of her deportation to Minsk on 18 November 1941, ten days after her landlady and her landlady’s son had received theirs. The dates of death for neither Helene nor Alfred Felsenthal can be determined. Both are considered missing.

Translator: Amy Lee

Kindly supported by the Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung, Hamburg.

© Christa Fladhammer

Quellen: 1; 2; StaH, 213-8, Abl.2 Sig. 451 a B1,1c; FZH 6262.
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