Born on January 27, 1866 in Binswangen/Bavaria
Murdered in the Theresienstadt ghetto concentration camp on August 31, 1942
Interned in Weißenstein in November 1941
Rosa Kahn came from a family of doctors in Augsburg on her father’s side; her grandfather practised as a Dr. med. Her mother came from a family of merchants in Laupheim. Rosa had three younger siblings; she remained close to her next younger sister Sabine throughout her life. In 1887, at the age of 22, Rosa married Sigmund Lindauer, who was born in Jebenhausen/Göppingen, but whose family had already moved to Cannstatt in 1865, where Sigmund’s father was a successful entrepreneur (corset manufacturer). Sigmund Lindauer was also able to build on this and so Rosa and he were able to live in prosperity.
Their happiness was complete when their daughter Marie was born in 1889. Having grown up, Marie married the non-Jewish Wilhelm Meyer-Ilschen, who became known as the founder of the ‘Schwäbischer Heimatbund’ (Swabian Heritage Society). The Lindauer family supported the Heimatbund with generous donations.
Rosa became a widow in 1935 and was subsequently plundered without restraint by the Nazi state. She was also forced to leave her home and, living in cramped conditions, was taken to the Schloss Weißenstein forced residence at the beginning of November 1941. She lived here as an internee until August 1942, when the last residents had to vacate the castle and were deported to Theresienstadt concentration camp. Rosa Lindauer died there after just a few days due to the murderous living conditions on August 31, 1942.
Shortly before the deportation, on August 19, 1942, Rosa Lindauer wrote to her sister Sabine in Switzerland: “Today I am as sad as I can tell you, if you have received this letter, I am on my way with my friends after a trip to Bohemia, don’t get upset, God will help us one day so that we can go back. You can imagine how my heart feels.”
(19.07.2023 kmr/ww)
