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Bertha Gansel (née Gabriel) * 1873

Brahmsallee 6 (Eimsbüttel, Harvestehude)

HIER WOHNTE
BERTHA GANSEL
GEB. GABRIEL
JG. 1873
DEPORTIERT 1941
ERMORDET IN
LODZ / LITZMANNSTADT

further stumbling stones in Brahmsallee 6:
Julius Behrend, Minka Behrend, Martha Hess, Siegfried Hess, Henny Hoffmann, Max Hoffmann, Oswald Pander, James Hermann Schwabe

Bertha Gansel, née Gabriel, b. 9.2.1873 in Danzig, deported to Lodz on 10.25.1941

Brahmsallee 6

Bertha Gansel, née Gabriel, was married to the businessman Jakob Gansel (b. 8.18.1876 in Hungary). The couple had a daughter, Margot Amalie (b. 7.21.1911 in Berlin) and a son, Walter Gansel (birthdate unknown). The family lived 1½ years in Paris. Jakob Gansel attempted to make good on business losses there, by constructing a new existence and restoring his former standard of living. He died unexpectedly on 13 September 1929, leaving his family without financial support. Mother and daughter moved to Grindelallee 53 in Hamburg. Hamburg was the center of the lives of Bertha’s six brothers and sisters. They helped the two, as far as it was possible for them. However, it did not save them from applying for aid from the welfare system.

Walter remained in Paris and attempted to make his living as a pianist. His financial means were quite limited, for which reason he could not support his mother and sister. On 1 July 1939, after the rent at Grindelallee had become financially untenable, Bertha and Margot moved to Brahmsallee 6, where they sublet from the Hoffmann family.

On 8 September 1940, Bertha had to move once again, this time to Rutschbahn 25a, a "Jew house.” She now lived alone because Margot Amalie married Alfred Littmann (b. 6.12.1908 in Hamburg) and moved with him to Strasse Beim Schlump 9.

On the first transport train out of Hamburg to the Lodz ghetto, on 25 October 1941, were Bertha Gansel, Alfred, his mother Amalie, and Margot Amalie Littmann. At 68 years of age, Bertha Gansel was among those, who according to the deportation guidelines, should not have been deported "to the East,” but rather held back for later deportation to Theresienstadt.

In May 1942, the family was probably carried off in a transport from Lodz to the Chelmno extermination camp and immediately murdered.

The subsequent fate of Walter Gansel is not known.


Translator: Richard Levy
Kindly supported by the Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung, Hamburg.


Stand: September 2019
© Christina Igla

Quelle: StaH, 351-14 Arbeits- u. Sozialfürsorge – Sonderakten_1199, 332-8 Meldewesen Hausmeldekartei Film B2440; Korrespondenz mit Fritz Neubauer, USHMM/Universität Bielefeld v. vom 31.7.2015.