Life_under_Siege_The_Jews_of_Magdeburg_under_Nazi_Rule.pdf

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the knowledge of the mayor’s office that Bertha Silbermann had in fact already
left Magdeburg between 27 and 29 October 1938. 160 Prior to these events,
Heinrich Silbermann had died in Berlin. 161 Bertha Silbermann did leave
Magdeburg, and together with her son Horst and daughter Rita emigrated to
Australia. Quite clearly, she left without having sold her business. Given the
events leading up to Dietrich’s application in December 1938, it must be assumed
that earlier in 1938 Bertha Silbermann had unsuccessfully attempted to sell the
family business. In this instance, even with a willing Jewish vendor and a non-
Jewish purchaser, the Magdeburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce, together
with the other parties, had effectively blocked any sale at all. This situation was
possibly the worst of all scenarios, as Bertha Silbermann received absolutely
nothing at all for her business. This incident also highlights the collective power
and might of governmental and non-governmental bodies working co-operatively
to remove Jews from the local economy and to reduce them to financial ruin in the
process.
In the aftermath of the pogrom in November 1938, the approximately 30% to
40% of the remaining Jewish-owned businesses were ‘aryanised’ at an expedited
pace, abandoned and/or eventually confiscated. On 24 October 1940, a
memorandum from the provincial government declared that the removal of the
Jews from the local economy had been achieved. Only two businesses remained to
be dealt with administratively, as their former major Jewish shareholders had
160 Betrifft: Bestellung eines Abwicklers für Musikhaus Silbermann, 11. März 1939,
Bestand Rep. C 28 I f, Signatur Nr. 933, Band 5, LHASA MD, op. cit., p. 103.
161 Prior to these events Heinrich Silbermann had died at the Jewish Hospital in Berlin
on 21 February 1938 at the age of fifty-seven, Death Certificate of Heinrich
Silbermann, 21 February 1938, Private Archive of Léa Rothberg, daughter of Rita
White (née Silbermann).