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Edgar Ephraim Hirsch * 1897

Bornstraße 28 (Eimsbüttel, Rotherbaum)

1941 Minsk
ermordet

further stumbling stones in Bornstraße 28:
Inge Cossmann

Edgar Ephraim Hirsch, born 31 July 1897, deported 8 Nov. 1941 to Minsk

Upon finishing his "one year” (with his secondary school exam, he was only required to do one year of military service), Edgar Ephraim Hirsch successfully completed a commercial apprenticeship with the company Fa. Haleres, owned by Cahn. During the First World War, he was awarded the Iron Cross. He recovered from a war-related injury during a hospital stay lasting several months.

In 1925 he began working in his father’s firm, an export agent based at Neuen Wall in the Prediger-Haus. He was sole proprietor from 1926 and ran it under the name Simon Hirsch Nachf. His sister, who had immigrated to the USA, later remembered: "My father was proud of his son who expanded the business and made good profits." In 1935 Edgar Ephraim Hirsch dissolved the general partnership and bore sole liability. He likely had poor turnover because he also worked as a sales representative. On 16 Feb. 1940, the company was removed from the trade register. Edgar Ephraim H. lived at Springelteich, Heidberg, in Grindelhof, on Schlüterstraße, at Schlump and finally at Bornstr. 29, subletting from Stein. His tax card carries the note, dated 18 Mar. 1940: "without any income or assets". Yet he made no attempt to emigrate. "Edgar was an enthusiastic resident of Hamburg who never wanted to leave his hometown during the Hitler years, despite my warnings", wrote his sister in 1952 who lived in San Francisco.

He stayed in Hamburg and received his deportation orders at Bornstr. 29. On 8 May 1945 he was declared deceased.

Translator: Suzanne von Engelhardt

Kindly supported by the Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung, Hamburg

Stand: October 2016
© Beate Meyer

Quellen: StaH, 522-1, Jüdische Gemeinden, 992b, Kultussteuerkartei der Deutsch-Israelitischen Gemeinde Hamburgs; ebd., 522-1 Jüdische Gemeinden 992e;Adressbücher 1938, 1942; Amt f. Wiedergutmachung 3107 97; Hamburger jüdische Opfer des Nationalsozialismus. Gedenkbuch, Hamburg 1995.