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Friedrich Löser * 1904

Nagelsweg 33 (Hamburg-Mitte, Hammerbrook)

HIER WOHNTE
FRIEDRICH LÖSER
JG. 1904
VERHAFTET 1935 UND 40
GEFÄNGNIS FUHLSBÜTTEL
TOT AN HAFTFOLGEN
11.4.1943

further stumbling stones in Nagelsweg 33:
Emma Böhme

Friedrich Löser, born on 10 Nov. 1904, detained in 1935 and 1940, died on 11 Apr. 1943 in the Bahrenfeld pulmonary tuberculosis convalescent home

Nagelsweg 33 (formerly Viktoriastrasse 26)

The Hamburg resident Friedrich Löser did not find an apprenticeship position after completing the eight-grade elementary school (Volksschule). As a result, he worked for various companies as a messenger, and in the very end as a packer at the Mont Blanc fountain pen plant. Since his eighteenth birthday, Löser was suffering from a lung condition and was under supervision by the public lung care service (Lungenfürsorge).

In 1925, he was registered for the first time by police due to his homosexuality – without any criminal charges laid against him, however. He met his sex partners in "homo localities” and in the Wallanlagen (Hamburg’s early modern ramparts). For unknown reasons, in June 1935, he had to answer for "preparation to high treason” ("Vorbereitung zum Hochverrat”) before the Hamburg Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht – OLG). The sentence passed was one year and three months in prison. Until 13 Jan. 1936, he served his prison term in the Fuhlsbüttel penitentiary.

On 8 June 1940, he was imprisoned in the Hamburg-Stadt pretrial detention center because a former sex partner had named him during questioning. The trial took place before the Hamburg District Court (Amtsgericht) on 16 Sept. 1940. The sentence was 14 months in prison because of "continued sexual offenses” in accordance with Sec. 175 of the Reich Criminal Code (Reichsstrafgesetzbuch – RStGB). A passage from the judgment of Regional Court Director (Landgerichtsdirektor) Dr. Egbert Bülter: "In terms of his personality, the accused is an arrant homosexual who pursued his drives without any restraint over the past years.” In Feb. 1941, his brother used a petition for clemency to plead for Löser’s transfer from the hospital of the pretrial detention facility and admission to a hospital specializing in lung diseases.

Hamburg, 14 Feb. 1941
To the Public Prosecutor’s Office
of the Hanseatic City of Hamburg
Hamburg
Sievekingplatz
The undersigned politely asks the highly esteemed Public Prosecutor’s Office to review the case of my brother, Friedrich Löser, born on 10 Nov. 1904 in Hamburg, currently staying in the hospital section of the pretrial detention facility, and to transfer him, if possible, to a hospital specializing in lung disease. Said brother has already been suffering from tuberculosis since 1925 and his current condition is very serious. Detained in the pretrial center since June of last year, Friedrich Löser still has to serve a sentence until Aug. 1941 and it seems to me very questionable whether in his current condition he will make it until then.
As his brother, I hope with this to be able to make the prisoner’s lot easier and I take the view that he brought this penalty upon himself only due to imprudence and ignorance.
I would ask that the Public Prosecutor’s Office make a decision after reviewing the case and I hope that with my plea I have not committed a wrongful request.
I am looking forward to your esteemed reply.
Heil Hitler

On 21 Mar. 1941, Friedrich Löser was released from punitive detention due to unfitness to undergo detention and transferred to the Bahrenfeld pulmonary tuberculosis sanatorium. He died there on 11 Apr. 1943.


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

Stand: March 2017
© Bernhard Rosenkranz/Ulf Bollmann

Quellen: StaHH, 213-11 Staatsanwaltschaft Landgericht – Strafsachen, 2967/43; 241-1I Justizverwaltung I, 2911; StaHH, 242-1II Gefängnisverwaltung II, Ablieferungen 13 und 16.