Search for Names, Places and Biographies

Paul Sternberg * 1902

Hegestraße 1 (Hamburg-Nord, Hoheluft-Ost)

1941 Minsk

further stumbling stones in Hegestraße 1:
Anni Dettmann, Paula Knopf

Paul Sternberg, b. 5.30.1902 in Hamburg, deported to Minsk on 11.18.1941

Hegestraße 1

Paul Sternberg was the elder son of Leopold (19 July 1869–30 October 1941) and Auguste Sternberg, née Philipp (4 June 1878–18 March 1930); his younger brother was named Siegfried (22 April 1908–8 January 1922). From Leopold’s Jewish communal religion tax record it is apparent that he came from Bromberg and was active as a pawnbroker. Between 1914 and 1923 he was regularly assessed for tax purposes, that is, he had what was considered a taxable income. At that time, the family lived at Wilhelmsplatz 5 in the St. Pauli district (today, Hans-Albers Platz) and later moved to Agathenstrasse 3, in the Nanny Jonas Foundation.

Paul Steinberg was an employee, that is, a buyer for various companies, among others, Ephraim, Gumpel & Co., an import-export firm that dealt in gaming, hardware, and haberdashery items.

The businessman Donat Wolf (b. 30 November 1902 in Hamburg, d. 31 July 1984 in the USA) recalled his acquaintance with Paul Sternberg in a letter to his grandson. Wolf had held a position at Ephraim, Gumpel & Co., where he worked with Sternberg: "At Ephraim, Gumpel & Co., I met a series of nice people that I worked with and still have fond memories of. For example, there was a young man by the name of Paul Sternberg, with whom I worked very closely and who, unfortunately, did not succeed in getting out of Germany. I would like to mention the day, after my cousin had left the firm, when two Gestapo agents came into the office and asked: ‘Paul Sternberg, are you a Jew?’ Upon answering in the affirmative, they took him into custody. I sat there helplessly and still wonder today why they did not take me at the same time.”

Concerning the period when the firm was "Aryanized" in 1938 and 1939, he wrote further:
"It so happened that Ephraim, Gumpel & Co. was taken over by a wine wholesaler, an acquaintance of my father and my oldest brother. In order to facilitate a smooth transition to the new ownership, a few employees had to remain, among them Sternberg and me.”

Paul Sternberg, probably after his arrest by the Gestapo in September 1938, was taken to the Fuhlsbüttel concentration camp in Hamburg and subsequently to Sachsenhausen. There he sat, prisoner no. 008529 in cell block 20, until on 11 January 1939 he was released. Thereafter, he was listed by the Jewish Community at several addresses: Bogenstrasse 15 (with Levisohn), Schlachterstrasse 40–42 in the Marcus Nordheim Foundation, and finally at Hegestrasse 1.

On 2 February 1939, he filled out the "Questionnaire for Émigrés" at the Office of the Chief Financial Governor of Hamburg. He stated that he was booked on the steamer "Cap Norte” to emigrate to São Paulo. He planned to leave by himself for Brazil where he hoped to become a businessman and sales representative. By way of foreign experience he indicated that he had been to Chile for business purposes in 1930 and 1931. At this time he lived at Reeperbahn 95 in a sublet from Deeth.

On 15 February 1939, Paul Sternberg received a clearance certificate from the Office of the Chief Financial Governor, which was sent to his parents’ home address at Wilhelmsplatz 5. It was valid until 30 April 1939. However, his departure was delayed so that he could not maintain his reservation on the "Cap Norte.”

A communication of 21 February 1939, from the customs investigation office of Hamburg, concerning the "relocation of goods by the Jew Paul Sternberg" states that the customs investigation office had no objections about most of the objects that he wanted to take to Brazil listed by him because they were in "used condition.” However, he was not permitted to take objects of value and jewelry. A ring, a tie pin, a pair of gold cufflinks, a silver pocket watch, a cigarette case, a lighter, two forks, four tablespoons, a teaspoon, and a goblet had to remain behind.

For his imminent trip to the tropics, Paul Sternberg purchased a linen suit and white slacks, a pair of canvas shoes and a straw hat for a sum of 56.50 RM; he had to surrender an equal sum to the Berlin Gold Discount Bank (Dego). An inventory of his goods for relocation shows that he was taking along an extensive wardrobe, as well as household objects, books, a typewriter, and photographic equipment. As an observant Jew, he also had two silk bags, one for a prayer shawl and one for his phylacteries. Nevertheless, for reasons unknown, Paul Sternberg missed his ship to South America.

On 30 March 1940, Paul Sternberg wrote to the Office of the Chief Financial Governor: "In accordance with the enclosed transcript of a deposit slip, I have today deposited in the New Savings Bank of 1864 the gold and silver objects in my possession that are mandated for delivery, under deposit no. 3221. I hope to be able to retrieve these objects by submission of the appropriate amount in foreign currency and most humbly inquire of the Currency Exchange Office concerning the things placed in storage. Most respectfully, P. I. S. Appended, handwritten:
Delivered to the teller station on the stationery of the New Savings Bank of 1864 on 6.24.40.

On 18 November 1941, he was deported to the Minsk ghetto, from which he did not return. His cousin, Werner Philipp, placed a page of remembrance in the database at Yad Vashem.
The above-mentioned Donat Wolf succeeded, together with his brother, in emigrating. His wife Olga and his son Dan went into the Riga ghetto where they lost their lives. A commemorative stone for her is at Eppendorfer Baum 10 (see her biographical entry).


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

Stand: January 2019
© Claudia García

Quellen: 1; 2; 4; 5; 8; StaH 314-15 OFP, Fvg 5895; StaH 522-1 Jüd. Gemeinden, 992e2 Band 3; Schriftl. Auskunft Gedenkstätte und Museum Sachsenhausen vom 6.11.2008 AZ 2-10/5; Donat Wolf, "To my grandchildren Daniel and Jessica”, San Francisco, March 9th, 1977, deutsche Übersetzung von Johann-Hinrich und Lena-Maria Möller, Halstenbek 2004; UHH Musikwissenschaftliches Institut Hamburg, LexM, Personen, Donat Wolf: http://www.lexm.uni-hamburg.de/object/lexm_lexmperson_00001014 [Geladen am 04.06.2010].
Zur Nummerierung häufig genutzter Quellen siehe Link "Recherche und Quellen".