10. Expulsion – Escape – Murder. The persecution of members of the mdw* during National Socialism.

[Detailed catalog text in german]

The first measure to expel unwanted individuals had already been taken at the mdw* on 15 March 1938 with the removal of the then head, Karl Kobald (1876 - 1957) and the suspension of nine teaching staff members who were considered to be Jewish. This was followed by a review of the teaching staff, and at the end of May, terminations were announced for the end of the academic year, and retirements were initiated: 30 members of the teaching staff had to leave the institution for racial or political reasons. The 132 students considered Jewish were only allowed to study until the end of the summer semester.

Twelve teachers and at least 114 students fled abroad as a result of the 'Anschluss', although not all of them found a lasting safe haven.

It is known of two teachers and twelve students of the mdw* that they did not survive National Socialist persecution. The students Isydor Bernklau (1909–1942) and Wilhelm Leiter (1907–?), who had returned to their Galician homeland, were murdered there. Otto Pollak (1916–?) and Alfred Stein were deported from exile in France. Yugoslavia offered neither Klara Birn (1915–?) nor Gerold Weisz (1915–1941), who was passing through on his way to Palestine, necessary protection. Lecturer in cultural history Erwin Weill (1885–1945) and student Ida Friedmann (1923–?) were unsuccessful in seeking refuge in Czechoslovakia. The fate of Raissa Hesselson (1912–?) is uncertain: According to an “unconfirmed report” (mdw-Archive, 899/1948 Sch Div), she is said to have been shot in Denmark.

Edith Blau (1922–1945), Abraham Ehrlich (1922–1941), Renée Hait (1922–1942), Felicitas Ichheiser (nee Winter, 1915–?), piano teacher Erna Kremer (1896–1942), and student Karl Porges (1924–1942) were deported from Vienna and murdered.