Memorial Steinfeld Augsburg

In the city center of Augsburg, an "Erinnerungsband" (memorial band) was installed at the house of Hugo and Karolina STEINFELD on 28-6-2017

"Bahnhofstrasse 18 1/5
Lived here
Hugo STEINFELD
Born on 20-11-1864 in Rinteln / Lower Saxony
Karolina STEINFELD-Heilbronner
Born 3-12-1869 in Zweibrücken / Rheinland-Pfalz
Together they committed suicide here on November 6, 1941."

Hugo Steinfeld came from a family of traders and merchants, members of a Jewish community. Karolina's parents had a clothing factory and textile business.
After her father's death, her husband Hugo became a partner in the company, which had now specialized in wholesale and retail trade and in the shipping of textiles.
The company continued to grow and developed into an "important and respected textile company." In April 1896, Hugo Steinfeld and his partner Jakob Wimpfheimer purchased a building in a prime location. At Bahnhofstrasse 18 1/5 they had a commercial and residential building built in neo-Renaissance style with copper-covered towers and bay windows, combined with modern technology such as electricity, steam heating and an elevator.

Hugo Steinfeld enjoyed a high social reputation. He was one of the first Jews to become active in local politics: from 1909 to 1917 as a municipal representative and in the Weimar Republic from 1920 to 1924 as a municipal councilor for the liberal German Democratic Party.
During the First World War it was natural for them to be devoted to their homeland. They rendered their services to the war economy and the supply of the army and received the King Ludwig Cross for this in 1917.
Hugo Steinfeld was also honored for his extensive social commitment in the Weimar Republic, in 1924 he was given the title of councilor for commerce.
The tide turned in 1931 after the first call for a boycott of shops by the Augsburg National Socialists who took power.
After a few years, the Jewish entrepreneurs were forced to sell at rock-bottom prices. On October 15, 1938 they were forced to sell their company
For Karolina and Hugo Steinfeld (70 and 75 years old). life became unbearable due to increasing repression and the planned emigration of their daughter and son-in-law.
They saw suicide as the only way out of this desperate situation.
(Gedenkbuch Augsburg)

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Wim Wouters