Family Schmulewitz - English

Philipp Schmulewitz, the only son oft he Schönebecker family Schmulewitz-Salomon, was born in Schönebeck on July 26, 1879. His father, the Jew merchant Heinrich (Hirsch) Schmulewitz took over the Schönebecker banking house „Moritz Salomon Nachf.“ and became the successor of his father-in-law. Philipp became a merchant and mainly worked in Magdeburg. After his marriage with Selma Dalberg they lived in Magdeburg, Richard-Wagner-Straße 2 and later on Otto-von-Guericke-Straße 79.  

Philipp Schmulewitz was a capable banker and successfully expanded his father-in-law’s banking business. He established a branch in Magdeburg, which became the main operation. The family grew with three daughters, Minni, Ursula Beatrix and Hanna and a son named Herbert.  

However, the family Schmulewitz became victims of the persecution measures by the Nazis. In November 1935, Philipp Schmulewitz foreign exchange transactions served as a pretext for his arrest. A show trial before the Magdeburg Regional Court ended in several convictions. Philipp was sentenced on August 4, 1936, to one year in prison and a fine of 2,000 Reichsmark. On September 21, 1937 another verdict followed, sentencing him to seven years in prison and a substantial fin of 315,000 Reichsmark. His wife Selma’s attempt to secure financial support for herself and her children in England failed.  

In November 1936 Selma fled to England, while Philipp stayed in prison. The family split and their son Herbert tragically took his own life in June 1937. Philipp Schmulewitz was deported by the Gestapo ‘‘for the purpose of evacuation“, presumably to Auschwitz or to the Litzmannstadt Ghetto on July 11, 1942. His further fate remains unknown.  

Selma Schmulewitz died in London on September 12, 1941. The daughters Minni and Hanna survived the persecution but Minni was deported to Auschwitz in March 1944 and was liberated from concentration camp Bergen-Belsen in April 1945. Hanna died in 1968 and the family received partial compensation for the injustices suffered only in 1972, with the Nazi punishment deemed unacceptable and the subsequent deportation and murder recognized as part of the persecution of Jews.