Martin Hans Munzer

Martin Hans Munzer

Born: September 25, 1893

Seesen, Germany

Hans was born to Jewish parents in a town in northwestern Germany. The family moved to Berlin when Hans' father obtained a post there as a history teacher in a secondary school. After graduating from university, Hans married and settled with his wife Margaret in an apartment in Berlin. In 1920 their child Wolfgang was born. Hans worked as foreign representative for a sewing notions company.

1933-39: When the Nazis won the election a few weeks ago, Hans was afraid for people like himself who are active members of the socialist party. He was right. Someone has just slipped a note under his family's door with a warning: The Nazis are rounding up socialists, and, as the local district supervisor for the Social Democratic Party, Hans is on their list. They're going to leave in a hurry and try to sublet a room under an assumed name in another neighborhood.

1940-44: It's been almost 10 years since Hans fled Germany. Hans and his second wife, Lucie, used to live in Paris but when he had a falling out with his business partner, they decided to move here to Nice. The city is a kind of haven for Jews in France because the Italians, who have occupied this area, leave them alone. Hans and Lucie run a lending library. Sometimes they think about going to Spain and from there to the United States, but they still feel safe here in France.

In September 1943 German troops occupied Nice. Six months later, Hans and Lucie were deported via Drancy, outside Paris, to Auschwitz where they were gassed on arrival.

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