Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Max Raphael Hahn" in English language version.
The brothers made the company one of the largest and most respected companies in Göttingen, the reputation of its skins and intestines was known internationally, and it also produced shoes
In Göttingen, wie fast überall, leistete die nichtjüdische, christliche Bevölkerung keinen wirksamen Widerstand. Als am 28. März 1933, nur wenige Wochen nach dem Machtantritt Hitlers, der braune Mob in den Göttinger Straßen die Scheiben der "jüdischen" Geschäfte zertrümmerte und ihre Waren plünderte, die Eigentümer misshandelte und öffentlich demütigte, blieb das andere Göttingen stumm. So ermutigt verschärften die Nazis die Unterdrückung der jüdischen Bürger Schritt für Schritt und schränkten ihre Rechte immer mehr ein. Am 9. November 1938 brannte auch die Göttinger Synagoge. Triebkraft aller dieser Verbrechen waren nicht nur dumpfer Antisemitismus, sondern oft weit handfestere, nicht zuletzt wirtschaftliche Gründe: Indem man jüdische Menschen aus dem Geschäftsleben verdrängte oder aus dem Land vertrieb raubte man ihnen zugleich gewaltige Vermögenswerte
Als Juden wurden die Hahns ausgegrenzt, enteignet, verfolgt. Die Eltern Max Raphael und Gertrud Hahn wurden 1941 in Riga ermordet. Ihren Kindern Rudolf und Hanni war 1939 die Flucht nach England gelungen. Eines der Instrumente der NS-Judenverfolgung war die sogenannte Arisierung, sprich legitimierte Erpressung, Übervorteilung und Enteignung durch „Arier". So wurde auch die Familie Hahn finanziell ruiniert.
Hayden's grandfather, Max Hahn, was born into a large Orthodox Jewish family in 1880. He was a successful, wealthy businessman and a respected member of the German aristocracy, who served for more than 20 years as the president of his synagogue in Göttingen, Germany. In 1935, Max's collection was deemed one of the greatest collections of Judaica in the world, ranked with those of the Rothschilds and Sassoons. Some of the pieces had come from the collection of his father, Raphael Hahn.
Treasured Belongings: The Hahn Family and the Search for a Stolen Legacy is at the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre until Nov 27, 2020.
In Oct. 1938, about 220 of the former 500 Jews from Göttingen were still living in the city. They had no idea what would happen in the night of 9 Nov. to 10 Nov. 1938. Almost without exception, they became victims of the brutal attacks of "people's wrath", in addition to the destruction of synagogues, buildings, and stores. The devastation continued over the next two days. The Hahn families were in the special focus of the Nazis. SS men stormed their home at night and devastated it. The brothers and their wives were arrested. Gertrud and Betty were released the next day, Nathan a few days later. Max Hahn remained imprisoned for the longest time, only in July 1939 did he return.
In the summer of 1940, the couple fled to Hamburg, where their brother and sister-in-law had already been living for a year. Initially, they hoped to experience less harassment in the big city, and so close to the port, escaping abroad might be successful after all, provided that all formalities were available stamped and approved. However, with the beginning of the war in Sept. 1939, it had become almost impossible to find a host country. Around 1940/1941, the couple succeeded in shipping extensive documents in several containers to Sweden and Switzerland. However, they themselves were unable to follow. With the transport on 6 Dec. 1941 from the Hannoversche Bahnhof train station, the Nazis deported Gertrud and Max Hahn to Riga. It is not possible to reconstruct exactly when the couple died there.
Max ran a successful business that included a leather factory and a real estate empire; the Hahns owned about 40 per cent of the buildings in the town. They were prominent members of the Jewish community – Max was president of the synagogue – and deeply patriotic Germans: Max had been a senior procurement official for the German army during the First World War. And they were great collectors – of art, fine furniture, antiques – and a collection of Judaica that is said to have rivalled those of the Rothschilds and Sassoons. At about 2 a.m. on Nov. 10, 1938, Nazis armed with axes broke into the Hahn home, smashing doors and windows, destroying their belongings and forcing Max and Gertrud half-naked into the street, while bystanders hissed and yelled, calling them "filthy Jews" and "pig Jews". Their home was ransacked and many of their possessions were stolen.
Max and Gertrud joined Göttingen's growing Reform Judaism community as members of the city's synagogue. Max became prominent as chairman of the congregation, a position he held for more than 20 years. He also served as president of the local Moritz Lazarus Lodge, which focused on Jewish welfare assistance in Germany. Gertrud too held leadership positions in the lodge's affiliated women's association.
Als Juden wurden die Hahns ausgegrenzt, enteignet, verfolgt. Die Eltern Max Raphael und Gertrud Hahn wurden 1941 in Riga ermordet. Ihren Kindern Rudolf und Hanni war 1939 die Flucht nach England gelungen. Eines der Instrumente der NS-Judenverfolgung war die sogenannte Arisierung, sprich legitimierte Erpressung, Übervorteilung und Enteignung durch „Arier". So wurde auch die Familie Hahn finanziell ruiniert.
Max ran a successful business that included a leather factory and a real estate empire; the Hahns owned about 40 per cent of the buildings in the town. They were prominent members of the Jewish community – Max was president of the synagogue – and deeply patriotic Germans: Max had been a senior procurement official for the German army during the First World War. And they were great collectors – of art, fine furniture, antiques – and a collection of Judaica that is said to have rivalled those of the Rothschilds and Sassoons. At about 2 a.m. on Nov. 10, 1938, Nazis armed with axes broke into the Hahn home, smashing doors and windows, destroying their belongings and forcing Max and Gertrud half-naked into the street, while bystanders hissed and yelled, calling them "filthy Jews" and "pig Jews". Their home was ransacked and many of their possessions were stolen.
Treasured Belongings: The Hahn Family and the Search for a Stolen Legacy is at the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre until Nov 27, 2020.
