German “J” passport under Nazi occupation, belonging to a Jewish girl named Eva Lotte Heilbronner, who left Germany together with her mother (See next item) shortly after Kristallnacht, on December 6, 1938, and immigrated to Eretz Israel at the age of 8.
Deutsches Reich Reisepass – German passport issued on December 6, 1938, in Erfurt, Germany, for the child Eva Lotte Heilbronner, born in Erfurt on April 19, 1930. Passport numbered 1934, stamped with the letter J – Jude – “Jew”, and bearing Nazi stamps alongside Eva’s passport photo. The passport was issued in the name of the mother: Marie Löbermann née Weil, who was born on December 7, 1892, in the city of Heilbronn. The child is additionally registered in the mother’s passport, with no record of a spouse or other children. A visa to Eretz Israel (Palestine) was issued in Berlin on December 7, 1938, under the category “Traveller.” On the visa, the following note appears in English: “A deposit of £50 has been made – valid for sole domicile in Palestine one year.” This indicates that a sum of £50 was deposited for immigration purposes (likely in accordance with the policy of a “Capitalist B” type certificate or something similar – immigration terms that required a financial deposit to ensure the immigrant would not become a financial burden on the country). About half a year later, the entry into Eretz Israel was recorded on June 16, 1939, when the Department of Migration in Eretz Israel repeatedly extended the family’s stay until December 1941, due to the policy of delaying new immigrants following the outbreak of World War II: upon her arrival, the permit was valid until January 15, 1940, later extended to December 15, 1940, and then again until December 15, 1941.
The stamps of the British Mandate authorities (Government of Palestine – Department of Migration) indicate that the mother and daughter were granted residence permits in the country, with restrictions such as a prohibition on employment and temporary extensions. On the last page are stamps indicating that the passport was “CANCELLED”, presumably after the family received permanent status in the country.
Maria and her daughter Eva were Jewish refugees from Germany who fled the Nazi regime shortly after Kristallnacht. They managed to obtain an entry visa to Eretz Israel through the “independent immigrant” route, after depositing a large sum of money. They followed the classic immigration route via Trieste, Italy, and arrived in Tel Aviv in June 1939. After a period of temporary residence permits, they settled permanently in the country.
On October 5, 1938, the Nazis issued a decree requiring all German Jews to submit their passports to the authorities in order to have them marked with the letter “J” (short for “Jude” – “Jew” in German). These marked passports became an official tool for identifying Jews and were also intended to humiliate them. At the same time, a law was enacted requiring Jews to bear “identifiable” names: Jewish men were required to add the name “Israel” in their passport, and women were required to add the name “Sara.” This marking effectively prevented Jews from leaving Germany and closed the gates of countries that cooperated with the Nazis and refused to issue them entry visas. This measure helped Nazi authorities to enforce the racial laws and carry out targeted persecution against Jews. The marking of passports with the letter “J” was a critical step in laying the groundwork for the deportation of Jews to extermination camps and the implementation of the “Final Solution.”
See also the following item.
32 pages. Very good condition.
