In Focus

Unlike the later deportations to the East, it was a relatively regular occurrence for those individuals being expelled in October 1940 to be photographed on their way to the collection camps or train stations. Photographic evidence has survived from Bretten, Bruchsal, Emmendingen, Gailingen, Kippenheim, Ludwigshafen, Lörrach and Tauberbischofsheim. Evidently, when it came to photography there were few inhibitions and no official prohibitions, and photographs were taken by police officers and onlookers alike. Bruchsal’s city archive collection even includes a short piece of film footage that featured in a chronicle of the city.

The film footage of the deportation from the city of Bruchsal and the surrounding countryside on the 22nd of October 1940 shows Jews being brought to the train under surveillance. After years of work, a local initiative has succeeded in being able to identify a few of these people: In the middle of the photograph, the 75-year- old doctor, Walter Grzymisch, struggles to the train with his case. He carries another coat over his arm – winter is approaching. Walter Grzymisch was murdered in March 1944 in Auschwitz-Birkenau.<br /> <br /> Stills from a film made by an unknown photographer, 22.10.1940
© Stadtarchiv Bruchsal
The film footage of the deportation from the city of Bruchsal and the surrounding countryside on the 22nd of October 1940 shows Jews being brought to the train under surveillance. After years of work, a local initiative has succeeded in being able to identify a few of these people: In the middle of the photograph, the 75-year- old doctor, Walter Grzymisch, struggles to the train with his case. He carries another coat over his arm – winter is approaching. Walter Grzymisch was murdered in March 1944 in Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Stills from a film made by an unknown photographer, 22.10.1940
A number of elderly men and women can be seen in the footage. This corresponds to the age pattern of the remaining Jewish community after years of persecution. Those that had already fled or had been expelled were primarily of the younger generations. However, there are also some children shown here: on the right edge of the image Edith Löb crosses the tracks with her hat box. In November 1941, the fourteen-year-old was taken from the camp in Rivesaltes by a French aid organisation and brought to a children’s home. As the situation became more critical, she received false identification papers and survived in a castle being rented by the Œuvre de secours aux enfants (OSE) children’s relief organisation in the department of Creuse. Her mother was murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau, and so, after the liberation she travelled alone to her father who had fled to the United States in 1938. <br /> <br /> Stills from a film made by an unknown photographer, 22.10.1940
© Stadtarchiv Bruchsal
A number of elderly men and women can be seen in the footage. This corresponds to the age pattern of the remaining Jewish community after years of persecution. Those that had already fled or had been expelled were primarily of the younger generations. However, there are also some children shown here: on the right edge of the image Edith Löb crosses the tracks with her hat box. In November 1941, the fourteen-year-old was taken from the camp in Rivesaltes by a French aid organisation and brought to a children’s home. As the situation became more critical, she received false identification papers and survived in a castle being rented by the Œuvre de secours aux enfants (OSE) children’s relief organisation in the department of Creuse. Her mother was murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau, and so, after the liberation she travelled alone to her father who had fled to the United States in 1938.

Stills from a film made by an unknown photographer, 22.10.1940
The film footage also shows perpetrators. The uniformed police were armed and given the order to guard the train. It is assumed that these are members of the 74th police battalion stationed in Strasbourg. In 1941, these policemen would be placed under the command of the security police commander in Krakow, Eberhard Schöngarth. Many of them would be directly involved in the mass murder of Jews. Schöngarth participated in the Wannsee Conference in January 1942.<br /> <br /> Stills from a film made by an unknown photographer, 22.10.1940
© Stadtarchiv Bruchsal
The film footage also shows perpetrators. The uniformed police were armed and given the order to guard the train. It is assumed that these are members of the 74th police battalion stationed in Strasbourg. In 1941, these policemen would be placed under the command of the security police commander in Krakow, Eberhard Schöngarth. Many of them would be directly involved in the mass murder of Jews. Schöngarth participated in the Wannsee Conference in January 1942.

Stills from a film made by an unknown photographer, 22.10.1940
A member of the local uniformed police, identifiable through his typical headgear, the shako, also helped bring Jews to the station on this Tuesday. Many onlookers secured themselves a good view of their neighbours’ transport from their position on the freight shed. What the film does not show are the abuses. A train station official later remembered how the Jews were “kicked down the steps, spat on, and jostled. <br /> <br /> Stills from a film made by an unknown photographer, 22.10.1940
© Stadtarchiv Bruchsal
A member of the local uniformed police, identifiable through his typical headgear, the shako, also helped bring Jews to the station on this Tuesday. Many onlookers secured themselves a good view of their neighbours’ transport from their position on the freight shed. What the film does not show are the abuses. A train station official later remembered how the Jews were “kicked down the steps, spat on, and jostled.

Stills from a film made by an unknown photographer, 22.10.1940
© Marchivum, KF013139, KF013142
Photo by an unknown photographer / 22.10.1940

The photograph shows Jews waiting for their bags to be searched and for the forced conversion of their remaining cash. The woman looking past the camera is Elsa Löb (wearing glasses), she was murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1942. The man looking into the camera is Ludwig Pinkus (centre), he survived but died soon after in 1947, in Aix-les.Bains. Nothing is known about the woman with the blanket over her shoulder.