Siegbert Rotholz

Siegbert Rotholz (probably also Sigi or Siegi; * September 14, 1919 in Berlin ; † executed March 4, 1943 in Berlin-Plötzensee ) was a German civil rights activist during the Nazi era.

He was active in Jewish youth organizations. Because of his origins, he was unable to obtain a higher school qualification and hired himself out as a laborer in an upholstery shop and in 1938 as a demolition and coal worker.

In October 1940, Siegbert met Lotte Jastrow . The two married on December 10, 1941. Both were probably part of the discussion and training group around Heinz and Marianne Joachim , who belonged to the wider environment of the Herbert Baum resistance group, since the spring of 1941 .

arrest

Members of the resistance group carried out an arson attack on the National Socialist propaganda exhibition " The Soviet Paradise " in Berlin on May 17, 1942 . After the attack, the group was discovered by the Gestapo ; Siegbert and his wife Lotte were arrested.

judgment

“On December 10, 1942, the trial of 12 more members of the Baum group took place before the Second Senate of the People's Court (Heinz Rotholz, Werner Birnbaum, Hella Hirsch, Alice Hirsch, Edith Fraenkel, Hanni Meyer, Marianne Joachim, Lothar Salinger, Helmuth Neumann, Hildegard Loewy, Siegbert Rotholz, Sara Rotholz). Prosecutor Wittmann demanded the death penalty for these members of the Baum group, who were not involved in the attack themselves , because they were guilty of “preparing for high treason and favoring the enemy”. The court under the chairman and vice-president of the People's Court Dr. Crohne and the assessor, District Judge Preussner, agreed with the prosecutor's request. 9 members were sentenced to death. In the grounds of the judgment it was pointed out that the defendants were Jews and as such had every reason to keep quiet and not, as in 1914/18, to stab the dagger in Germany's back. "

execution

“The conviction and execution of these young people, they were between 20 and 23 years old, were communicated to the population on a bright red poster. Their names were provided with the legally required additional first names Sara and Israel. "

" Notice

sentenced to death by the People's Court on December 10, 1942 for preparation for high treason and treasonous favoring the enemy

Heinz Israel Rotholz , 21 years old,

Heinz Israel Birnbaum, 22 years old,

Lothar Israel Salinger , 23 years old,

Helmuth Israel Neumann , 21 years old,

Siegbert Israel Rotholz 23 years old,

Hella Sara Hirsch , 21 years old,

Hanni Sara Mayer , 23 years old,

Marianna Sara Joachim , 21 years old and

Hildegard Sara Loewy , 20 years old,

all from Berlin were executed today.

Berlin, March 4, 1943

The senior Reich attorney at the People's Court "

with the subtext

"Announcement of the execution of the death sentences on Heinz Rotholz and his companions"

Memorial stones

The Berlin memorial stone in the Lustgarten

Today two memorial stones in Berlin dedicated to the Baum group also remember Siegbert Rotholz by name.

1. Memorial plaque in Berlin at the Weißensee Jewish Cemetery (entrance: Markus-Reich-Platz).
2. "This memorial stone designed by the sculptor Jürgen Raue was erected in 1981 on behalf of the magistrate of Berlin (East) without any further information about the resistance action in the Lustgarten."

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Page 148 at Margot Pikarski: Youth in Berlin's resistance. Herbert Baum and comrade in arms. Military publishing house of the German Democratic Republic, Berlin 1978.
2. ↑ They were young, Jewish and left TAZ March 3, 2010
3. ^ Siegbert and Lotte Rotholz - members of the resistance group Baum Bildungsserver Berlin Brandenburg
4. ↑ The Berlin group Baum and the Jewish Resistance ( Memento of the original from March 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Page 9 Alice Hirsch, Edith Fraenkel and Lotte Rotholz received prison sentences 
5. ↑ The Berlin group Baum and the Jewish Resistance ( Memento of the original from March 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Page 9 
6. ↑ Photo at Margot Pikarski: Youth in Berlin's resistance. Herbert Baum and comrade in arms. Military publishing house of the German Democratic Republic, Berlin 1978.
7. ↑ Memorial plaque at Weißensee cemetery (entrance: Markus-Reich-Platz)
8. ↑ Memorial plaque in the pleasure garden