Source: H G Adler, Der Verwaltete Mensch , (Tuebingen 1974), pp. 802-817.
The file of Leo Weiss, born 5 June 1876, a wealthy wine dealer from Kitzingen
1. The first document in the file is a complaint by an SA man:
....on 14 April 1934 at 16:00 in the afternoon I was told by SS officer Christ of Kitzingen, whom I know to be a reliable person, that Leo Weiss and his son, Victor Weiss, used blunt expressions to ridicule the SA and the SS and to slander the National Socialist movement and state. When the Jew Leo Weiss declares that of all people it was to him - the most hated and defamed Jew in the area ΓÇô that an SA man came to rent an apartment ΓÇô it is a provocation of the worst kind... The son, Victor Weiss claimed that he had seen a document that the Jew R. is a senior member of the SA or SS. He spread this rumour, although he admits that he did not verify that the document was authentic... Under these circumstances I see it as my duty to demand their immediate arrest. [Leo Weiss was imprisoned for three weeks and released on 8 May 1934.]
2. Leo Weiss was arrested again following the Crystal Night pogrom. The following is from the police report :
I. ...The 31 year old son has already emigrated to the USA. The 25 year old son is studying in Lausanne, Switzerland. II. …has Owned his own business as a wine dealer since 1895.… One year of military service during the war. III. On 30 June 1938 he submitted a declaration of his assets that totalled 450,000 RM including real estate.… The Ministry of Treasury set the flight tax at 107,000 RM. IV. Is not politically active. V. No previous criminal charges. VI. Poor state of health, suffers from heart and stomach ailments.'
3. Weiss was released on 18 November 1938:
Weiss owns a wine dealership in Kitzingen, in which he employs 5 people. The value of the stock is about 50-60,000 RM. Weiss declares that he has not yet undertaken any steps toward emigration. He was told to liquidate or aryanize his business right away. He was ordered to contact the economic district office of the party. He was further told to furnish the State police within three weeks with proof of imminent emigration.'
4. Weiss asked for an extension of the time limit given to him, probably because he could not arrange for emigration. Meanwhile, he fled illegally to Belgium with his wife. On 13 July 1939 the mayor of Kitzingen wrote to the Stapo, and enclosed a hastily written letter by Meta Weiss to her mother and brother.
Dear mother, dear brother. ...Dear Leo is not feeling well. I accompanied him. If I can only manage, I will return soon. We have received help from the aid organisation and have meals in the public kitchen. It is not pleasant, but one has to learn to overcome.... I have to know everything about the business so that I can give instructions and wind up everything. We have only acquired a few small things. We crossed the border with only 10 RM. Dear father, need certificate of good conduct right away. Write to me in detail. Have M. arrange everything. As soon as dear Leo is better, I will return... The mayor wrote to the police: The Jew Moses Heller requested a police certificate of good conduct for his brother in law on 13 July 1939. This is when it was discovered that the Jew Weiss had illegally crossed the border to Belgium without a passport, and that he is presently in Brussels with his wife.... Weiss' wife's letter shows that Meta Sara Weiss wishes to return to Germany.... Leo Israel Weiss left Germany...in March 1933, stayed for a long time in Switzerland and France and then returned to Germany. The reasons for his recent clandestine crossing of the border are not known here. But considering Weiss' personality, there is no doubt in our mind that the reason for his disappearance must be that he was afraid something shady would be uncovered. I request that the necessary measures be taken. Photos of Weiss and his wife are available in the files of their applications for identity cards. I am forwarding a copy of this letter to the head of the District Office of the Ministry of Finance, Foreign Currency Division. The Foreign Currency Division has all the information about Weiss....'
5. In response to the mayor's letter, on 21 July 1939, the Gestapo sent a questionnaire to the Kitzingen police with the purpose of revoking Weiss' citizenship. 6. On 2 August 1939, the mayor again informs the police
that there is a lot of mail that must be of interest to the police' in the Weisses' mailbox. The police applied to the Post Office for a permit to open the mail.
7. In summer 1939 a Jewish lawyer in Brussels on behalf of Meta Weiss applied to the mayor of Kitzingen
to enable her to return legally to Germany in order to wrap up their affairs and prepare for emigration. The mayor forwarded the appeal to the Gestapo with a recommendation that the request not be granted. I am of the opinion that we should be relieved to be rid of this family of parasites. The liquidation of their assets can be accomplished by power of attorney to the brother in law, the Jew Moses Israel Heller.'
8. In September 1939 the Ministry of Finance issued an arrest order against the Weiss couple on grounds that they had not paid their flight tax. Their debts were:
flight tax: 114,500 tax on Jewish assets 24,550 taxes 1,643 fine 10,000 interest 2,290, total 152,983 The Weiss family's property was assessed at 460,000 RM. It was seized by the authorities to ensure payment of the debts.
9. There are no documents in the Weiss file for the next 15 months .
During this time the war broke out and Belgium was occupied by Germany. The Weiss couple applied to the German occupation authorities and requested a permit to travel. This request was forwarded to the Kitzingen Gestapo. The Gestapo's answer was issued on 4 January 1941: The Ministry of Finance has no more interest in the Weiss couple, as their debts were covered by their property here. The security police has no objection to the Weiss couple's emigration. However, we would be grateful if you would notify us where they have emigrated to.'
10. The Weiss couple were returned to Kitzingen .
The next document in the file is a report about the interrogation of Meta Weiss at Gestapo headquarters in Wuerzburg on 2 February 1942. In her interrogation, Mrs. Weiss told about their flight, the crossing of the border without papers. Once in Brussels, the couple tried to emigrate to the US, but they could not get the necessary paperwork. Their identity papers were no longer valid and the German occupation authorities would not issue them new ones. In April 1941 they tried to escape to France, but were arrested at the border. They were held in France for six months and then returned to Kitzingen on 25 September 1941. In Kitzingen, they were sentenced to prison terms for tax evasion. During the interrogation, Leo Weiss was still in prison. Mrs. Weiss said: I want to wait here until my husband is released from prison. I don't know if I am permitted to stay here. I request this permission. After my husband's release we intend to emigrate to the US as soon as possible to join our sons. I have nothing more to add.'
11. On 7 April 1942 the Wuerzburg District Attorney asked the Gestapo to repeal Leo Weiss's prison term
because he will probably be evacuated with other Jews to Lublin.'. He also requested that Meta Weiss be summoned to appear at the trial of Karl Paul who was accused of assisting them in their escape to Belgium. If Leo Weiss is to be released from prison in the next few days to facilitate his evacuation, I would like to hear his testimony too...'. The couple's testimonies were taken on 9 April 1942.
12. According to regulations, Leo Weiss, who was 66 years old, could have been discharged from the deportation to the east due to his bad health .
A certificate of the Wuerzburg health authorities, with a stamp that a 5 RM payment for a medical examination was paid: LeWeiss, born 5 June 1876...was examined ...to verify his ability to be included in a transport.... With the exception of general arteriosclerosis, a hernia... he has no medical problems. Weiss shows damage to the heart muscle, which is probably due to the state of his arteriosclerosis. According to these findings, Weiss is capable of being transported, and can be used for light physical labour.'
13. The Weisses were deported to Lublin .
The identity cards of deportees were taken from them before they boarded the train. The Weisses' cards are in the file, stamped with evacuated to Lublin on 25 April 1942'
14. The file also includes the form transferring his property to the state .
According to the 11th Regulation to the Nuremberg Laws, a Jew who left the Reich lost his citizenship, and his property was confiscated by the Reich. This was not necessary in the Weiss case, because their citizenship had already been revoked, and their property confiscated by the tax authorities.
15. The last correspondence in the file is from the Munich Municipality, dated 9 June 1942 :
The Jew Leo Israel Weiss is registered here as the owner of a plot.... He was sent to prison and deported. His citizenship was revoked in 1940. We wish to know what we should do regarding a debt of 18.70 RM for April 1942 and 18.55 for May and the following months. Should we act on the 11th Regulation? I therefore request to know whether Weiss left Germany and if his property was transferred to the state...' The Gestapo's answer states that Weiss was sent with other Jews to the east on 25 April 1942. He is presently abroad.'
