Hedwig Hesse

Since 2013, 42 books and three loose ex-libris of Hedwig Hesse's library were returned.

Hedwig Hesse was born on May 8, 1880 in Berlin as Hedwig Bachur. She married Max Hesse, born July 30, 1880 in Leipzig. The couple had three children, Peter, Susi and Walter.

The Hesses were persecuted as Jewish in Germany. Peter, Susi and Walter Hesse were able to emigrate to South Africa and the United States. Hedwig and Max Hesse were deported to Riga on January 19, 1942 and murdered there.

The restituted books were identified through the preserved ex-libris of Hedwig Hesse as well as through outlines and adhesive marks. They were processed in the Berlin City Library at various times and several different suppliers are listed in the acquisition journals. Among the books are those that clearly originate from the purchase of ~40,000 books looted from the Jews of Berlin in 1943, as well as books that were recorded as "gifts" after the end of World War II. Some books were never added to the active library stock and were stored in a depot of the Berlin City Library until they were returned; others were purchased in the 1950s from the Berlin Magistrate's "Verwertungsstelle".