United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Gustav Weinmann was born in Vienna, Austria in 1889. He served in the Austrian Army for the entirety of World War I, serving as a Captain. Aside from his military service, Gustav was employed as an inspector for the Osterreichische Bundesbahnen (Austrian Federal Railroads) from 1909 to 1921. From there, Gustav moved on to the firm of H. Schwitzer and Söhne in Vienna, where he served as the head of the tariffs department until 1929. In the meantime, Gustav married Grete Platzek (1892-1990) in 1922. The couple had two children; Ernst in 1923 and Hans in 1926. Gustav also managed a tobacco shop, awarded to him due to a disability obtained from his service in World War I. In 1929, Gustav would move on to International Gertreide Handels AG, where he continued to serve as the head of the Tariffs department. During the Kristallnacht in November 1938, he was arrested and sent to Dachau until December 22, 1938. After his arrest, Gustav was fired from his job at International Gertreide Handels AG. Knowing he needed to leave the country, he began preparations for immigration, and sold his tobacco shop to help pay for the trip. The Weinmann family left Vienna in November, 1939, and traveled aboard the Holland-American ship the “Veendam.” Gustav died in Detroit, Michigan in 1946.
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The Weinmann family papers are arranged as two series: •Series 1: Finances, 1920-1965 •Series 2: Immigration and correspondence, 1938-1939
The Weinmann family papers contains primarily financial and immigration papers for Gustav Weinmann, and documents relating to his efforts to escape Vienna, Austria. The financial documents cover primarily restitution and transfers of money. This includes attempts to transfer funds, collect pensions, and other efforts to receive money owed. Also included are tax documents concerning the Jewish “Atonement Fee,” levied after Kristallnacht, documents concerning the sale of Gustav’s tobacco shop, and a lawsuit filed after Gustav’s dismissal from his job following his incarceration at Dachau. The immigration series documents the efforts made by Gustav and his family as they attempted to flee Vienna. This includes passports and affidavits, and correspondence concerning immigration to Cuba. Also included are preparation documents for immigration, such as police clearance certificates, medical certificates, and applications for visas. The correspondence series contains a letter and postcard written by Gustav while he was imprisoned in Dachau.
Weinmann family papers