Anne Löb Marx papers

The Anne Löb Marx papers contains a blank color postcard of the MS St. Louis and a black and white photograph of passengers boarding the MS St. Louis in Hamburg, Germany, May 1939. Pictured in the photograph are Anne Löb Marx’s grandfathers, Solomon Lehmann and Isidor Löb. Both men disembarked the MS St. Louis in Belgium and perished at Auschwitz concentration camp. Anne Marx (born Anneliese Löb) was born on October 20, 1930 to Arthur and Marie Löb (née Lehmann) in Rastatt, Germany. Anne and her brother Friedrich Löb (Fred, b. March 7, 1925) grew up in Malsch, Germany. Arthur Löb was the founder and owner of a cigar factory. In November 1938 during Kristallnacht Arthur Löb was deported to the Dachau concentration camp but was released under the condition that he left Germany. In January 1939, Arthur Löb along with his brothers Friedrich and Leopold Löb immigrated to Cuba. In February or March 1939, Anne’s brother Friedrich Löb left for Cuba with their Aunt Erna Forsch. On May 13, 1939, ten members of the extended Löb family sailed on the MS St. Louis for Cuba. The passengers included Isidor and Karolina Löb (paternal grandparents), Salomon and Mina Lehmann (maternal grandparents), Marie Löb (mother), Anneliese Löb, Mahle Lehmann (aunt), Bella Löb (aunt), and Armin Löb (cousin) and Ruth Löb Forest (cousin). After the MS St. Louis was denied entry to Cuba and forced to return to Europe, most of the family disembarked in Belgium and lived in Brussels. In April 1940, Anne Marx along with her mother Marie Löb, Aunt Bella Löb, and cousins Armin and Ruth Löb sailed from Antwerp, Belgium to New York on the ship Penland. Her grandparents and Aunt Mahle Lehmann, who were still waiting for their visas, were scheduled to leave in a few weeks. In May 1940, the Nazis invaded Belgium and the rest of the family was unable to escape Belgium. Her grandmother Mina Lehmann and Aunt Mahle Lehmann died of natural causes in Brussels, possibly in 1941. The rest of her grandparents, Solomon Lehmann, Isidor Löb, and Karolina Löb were deported to Auschwitz concentration camp where they perished, likely in 1942.