Life_under_Siege_The_Jews_of_Magdeburg_under_Nazi_Rule.pdf

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provincial capital it had an image to maintain. The letter reminded the police that
the streetscape had not been restored and that shopfronts on Alter Markt, Breiter
Weg and Jakobstraße were still shabbily boarded up, which was only meant to be
a temporary measure. The complaint requested that the police commissioner
respond with a detailed report by 30 November. 133
In an effort to pacify the government, on 6 December, the police
commissioner ordered that the shopfronts of damaged shops be covered with
sympathetic timber panelling in order that the damage be at least less visible. 134
On 15 December 1938, he further reported that with the exception of two
shopfronts, the display windows of all damaged ‘Jewish shops’ had been restored.
The report bemoaned the difficulties of both delays in freight and procuring the
various types and shapes of glass required. Various fixtures associated with doors,
shop fittings and windows were also still outstanding for a further four shops. The
police commissioner promised to keep the government informed of the
completion of the repairs as soon as his office received information from the
mayor. 135 Further to the efforts of ensuring the complete restoration of the
streetscape, on 14 December 1938 the provincial government sought advice from
Berlin as to when the debris and rubble from the ruined synagogues in its
administrative district would be cleared away, as this had already occurred in the
neighbouring district of Erfurt. 136
133
Betr.: Maßnahmen gegen jüdische Geschäfte, 24. November 1938, Bestand Rep. C
20 I. I b, Signatur Nr. 2537, LHASA MD, op. cit., p. 96.
134
Betr.: Maßnahmen gegen jüdische Geschäfte, 6. Dezember 1938, ibid., p. 97.
135
Betr.: Maßnahmen gegen jüdische Geschäfte, 15. Dezember 1938, ibid., pp. 103–
104.
136
Betrifft: Ruinen und Synagogen, 14. Dezember 1938, Bestand Rep. C 20 I. I b,
Signatur Nr. 119, LHASA MD, op. cit., p. 335.