Dr. Moses Strauss (1887 to 1981) was a German physician, author and also the last rector of the Orthodox Jewish community in Heilbronn. In December 1937, he fled from the Nazis to Liechtenstein because he was refused entry to Switzerland, even though his wife Elsa was Swiss before the wedding. So he settled in Schaan, where he lived until after the war at Fürst-Johannes-Strasse 52, as can be seen in the short biography of Moses Strauss in the exhibition at Haus Gutenberg.
As Strauss was unable to work as a doctor in Lichtenstein, he began to write popular medical books. Moses and Elsa Strauss always told us how humane and hearty the Royal family, the government and the majority of the population towards all Jewish refugees," granddaughter Anita Winter is quoted as saying in the exhibition text at Haus Gutenberg. They were not only allowed to stay in Liechtenstein, but were also welcomed and respected in a friendly manner.
Especially during the period of the Third Reich victory from 1940 to 1943, when the Liechtenstein Nazi newspaper 'Der Umbruch' repeatedly demanded the expulsion of Jews (to Germany). were rejected." This support from the government and Royal family gave them a strong sense of security.
Nazi sympathizers were known to the family
"Moses Strauss played a key role in Jewish life in Liechtenstein and headed the Jewish religious community in Liechtenstein, which earned him the title of "Chief Rabbi" among Nazi sympathizers," the short biography states.
He was also involved in the "Aid Association of Jews in Liechtenstein", which was founded in 1940 and provided financial support to Jewish families in need.
The Strauss family may have been aware of the Nazi sympathizers in Liechtenstein, granddaughter Anita Winter is quoted as saying in the exhibition text, "but the conviction that the government and the royal family would not be drawn into it was so strong that they did not perceive the Nazi supporters as a threat." The constant threat of a German invasion was far more stressful.
Not deported thanks to tolerance permit
In 1939, Moses Strauss and his family were threatened with deportation from Liechtenstein, as his passport was revoked in Germany. This would have meant the revocation of his residence permit.
On August 24, 1939, the government informed him that it could extend his residence permit if he presented his new papers or paid 55,000 francs, according to the short biography of Moses Strauss. Since he did not have this money, he was only granted a tolerance permit for three months at a time. As a letter to the princely government dated November 25, 1941 regarding his daughter's absence from school showed, Moses Strauss had already planned to leave the country. "In the end, however, like the
other Jewish families with a tolerance permit, he was not deported and was allowed to remain in the Principality until the end of the war," the exhibition text continues.
Via visa in Liechtenstein to Switzerland
Moses' eldest son Walter did not stay in Liechtenstein, but went back to Germany for an apprenticeship after finishing boarding school in Switzerland. As a 16-year-old, he experienced Kristallnacht - hidden in a cupboard - in Berlin, as Anita Winter recounts. He then tried to enter Switzerland, where his uncle ran a factory, with the help of the Swiss embassy.The story of Dr. Moses Strauss and his family is featured in "The Last Swiss Holocaust Survivors" exhibition at Haus Gutenberg in Balzers until March's end. It highlights survivors' resilience and vitality, aiming to preserve and share their stories to foster remembrance and understanding of the Holocaust.
However, this was rejected by the Swiss embassy in Berlin on the grounds that "one did not want any Jews in Switzerland." Moses Strauss managed to get him a visa in Liechtenstein, whereupon his son traveled to Liechtenstein. From there, he managed to escape to Switzerland, where he began working in his uncle's factory. The Strauss family followed him from Schaan to Switzerland after the war.
Part of a virtual worldwide exhibition
This story is one of over 30 portraits in the exhibition "The Last Swiss Holocaust Survivors," which can also be experienced as a virtual exhibition and has already been shown worldwide.
As the story of Moses Strauss cannot be experienced virtually, it was highlighted for the exhibition in Balzers because of its connection to Liechtenstein. At Haus Gutenberg in Balzers, where the exhibition will be on display until the end of March, there are six further photographic portraits as well as video interviews which were created as part of the documentation project "The Last Swiss Holocaust Survivors."
The photo portraits show these Holocaust survivors all cheerful. "To show the vitality they retained into old age," says Haus Gutenberg director Bruno Fluder. The photos are supplemented with quotes about what happened to them during the Holocaust, as well as video interviews in which the protagonists talk about their experiences.
One of them is Egon Holländer, who was sent to a concentration camp as a 6-year-old and only just survived. At the exhibition opening, he told his story for 45 minutes, which fascinated the guests. "It was very impressive that people who had experienced some of the worst were still able to lead a good life," says Fluder. He wouldn't have been able to talk about his experiences for 30 years, but in old age it became like a mission for him to talk about his terrible experiences. The exhibition and videos are available online at www.last-swiss-holocaust-survivors.ch. On March 21 at 7 pm, Peter Geiger will give a lecture on the topic of "Liechtenstein and the Holocaust".
The above was published in the Liechtenstein - Fatherland on 5 March 2024.
