Deutsches Reich Reisepass – German passport no. 194723 issued to a Jew named Sigmund Israel Gottlieb (The name “Israel” was added, by Nazi order under the Nuremberg Laws, in all passports of Jewish men) – 28 September 1939.
Sigmund was born on 19 April 1882 in Vienna, Austria. At the time of issuance, his occupation was listed as a worker/office clerk in a factory. The passport was valid for one year, until 28 September 1940. Inside the passport is a single-use transit visa valid until 10 January 1940, signed by the Vienna police. Subsequently, it contains a visa from the Bolivian consulate in Berlin (December 15, 1939), issued by the consul for travel to Bolivia; a Slovak single-use travel visa; a visa from the Slovak consular office in Vienna – valid until 29 January 1940; and a visa from the Paraguayan consulate in Vienna, dated 16 July 1940, for travel to Asunción. Next to this visa appears a border stamp from Bratislava (28 August 1940).
The passport was issued after the Anschluss, at a time when Austrian Jews were already experiencing severe denial of rights. The appearance of the “J” and the middle name “Israel” were part of the measures imposed on Jews in 1938–1939. Similar to his wife (see next item), Sigmund sought multiple routes of emigration: Bolivia, Paraguay, Slovakia. South American countries were a central destination for Jewish refugees fleeing Europe. The dates indicate that attempts at emigration continued into 1940, at the height of worsening conditions in Europe (World War II had already broken out in September 1939). The presence of multiple visas (Bolivia and Paraguay) and border stamps suggests a possible rescue network or an effort to plan alternative escape routes. The combination of South America, Slovakia, and Central Europe in his migration path points to the complexity of the escape journey. There are no stamps in the passport indicating he reached Palestine, unlike in his wife’s passport (see next item) – it is possible he never completed the journey.
The passports of Sigmund and his wife were issued consecutively and bear sequential numbers: 194723 and 194724 (see next item).
In March 1938, Austria was annexed to Germany (the “Anschluss”). Following the annexation, approximately 200,000 Jews were added to the Reich’s population and were likewise subjected to the Nuremberg Laws. The German Office for Jewish Affairs, headed by Adolf Eichmann, was responsible for enforcing anti-Jewish legislation and organizing the expulsion of Jews from Austria. Jews were stripped of their property and forced to emigrate beyond the borders of Germany, or even beyond the territories under German control according to Nazi policy. The confiscated funds were used to finance the deportation itself, while the remainder was transferred to the German treasury. In March 1938, the Germans ordered all holders of Austrian passports to have them stamped with the letter J, and it was decreed that the name “Sara” would be added to the first name of every Jewish woman, and “Israel” to that of every Jewish man. The passport before us was stamped about six months after this regulation was enacted.
32 pages. Very good condition.
