German “J” passport issued by the Nazi regime, belonging to Maria Heilbronner née Weil, mother of the Jewish girl Eva Lotte Heilbronner (see previous item), who left Germany together with her daughter shortly after Kristallnacht, on December 6, 1938, and immigrated to Eretz Israel.
Deutsches Reich Reisepass – German passport issued on December 6, 1938, in Erfurt, Germany, for Maria Heilbronner née Weil, born in Heilbronn on December 7, 1892. At the time of issuance, she was residing in Erfurt. The passport was valid until December 6, 1939. On the first page, the name of the child Eva Löbermann is mentioned as traveling with her mother, though she is not listed separately on other pages. The immigration visa to Eretz Israel was issued in Berlin on December 7, 1938, under the category Traveller, as a one-time travel permit not intended for permanent immigration. Stamps related to the visa note that a deposit was made for temporary residence in Eretz Israel, and that the visa was valid for one year. On page 6 appears an entry from Deutsche Bank Erfurt dated January 7, 1939, documenting a transfer of £150 Sterling (apparently part of the immigration requirements), which was converted into ₤19.70 Italian lire in cash. Exit stamps from Trieste dated January 11, 1939, and from Brennero (an Austro-Italian border station). Further on, in pages 8–11, numerous stamps from the Department of Migration of the Government of Palestine indicate annually renewed residence permits: valid until January 15, 1940; until December 15, 1940; and until December 15, 1941, under conditions that included “no work permit.” On page 10, the passport was marked “Cancelled”, after the family had been permanently absorbed 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 for the purpose of humiliation. At the same time, a law was enacted requiring Jews to bear “identifiable” names: Jewish men were required to add the name “Israel” to their passport, and women were required to add the name “Sara.” This marking effectively prevented Jews from leaving Germany, and also closed the gates of countries that collaborated with the Nazis and refused to issue them entry visas. This measure helped Nazi authorities enforce the racial laws and carry out targeted persecution against Jews. The marking of passports with the letter “J” was a critical step in preparing the groundwork for the deportation of Jews to the extermination camps and the implementation of the “Final Solution.”
See also the previous item.
32 pages. Very good condition.
