In Moabit, there was resistance against deadly anti-Semitism and persecution during the Nazi Reich. For example, many persecuted Jews were hidden in people’s homes. Under the conditions at the time, this was already extremely risky, but some went even further.
Remember Werner Scharff, the electrician who worked the Levetzowstrasse synagogue? He realised the cruel actions of the Nazis and the fate of their victims. Scharff befriended some Gestapo officers, which allowed him to look at the lists of planned deportations. He was able to warn a number of people before they were detained.
In the summer of 1943, the Nazis discovered Werner Scharff’s activities and deported him to the ghetto in Theresienstadt. However, the electrician managed to escape. He returned to Berlin and dedicated himself to helping those in need from the underground, especially Jews. He procured food rations, accommodation, and fake papers, and had soon organised a group of 30 other helpers. Together, they distributed leaflets and even planned rescue operations for people held prisoner by the Gestapo. Sadly, they were betrayed. Werner Scharff was taken to Sachsenhausen concentration camp with two other resistance fighters, and they were shot soon after. The others in Scharff’s group survived in concentration camp or prison, until they were liberated by the Soviet Army.
Foto: Privatbesitz / Reproduktion Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand
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