Transport from Hamburg, Hansestadt Hamburg (Hamburg), Hansa City of Hamburg, Germany to Riga, Rigas, Vidzeme, Latvia on 06/12/1941

Around mid-September, the Gestapo sent orders to its regional headquarters (Gestapo-Leitstellen), requesting them to make the necessary preparations for further deportations. The letter also defined groups that were to be excluded: Jews married to a non-Jewish spouse as well as their half-Jewish children, Jews with foreign citizenship, those working for the war industry and all Jews over the age of 65. Three transports had already left Hamburg, one to Lodz and two to Minsk. This 4th deportation was originally scheduled for December 4 and bound for Minsk as well, but due to technical problems with the railways, its departure was postponed until December 6, and its destination was changed to Riga. As in previous cases, the building of the former Masonic Lodge at Moorweidenstrasse 36 served as assembly site. The guidelines allowed the deportees to bring 50 kg of luggage and 50 Reichsmarks. They had to fill out a detailed inventory of their property and deliver their apartment keys to the nearest police station before reporting to the assembly site the day before the transport. Upon arrival at the Lodge, the Jews had to hand over the declaration of assets and all of their remaining money (including the before-mentioned 50 Reichsmarks). Their luggage was searched for valuables, papers were invalidated and they were interned overnight in the basement of the building under poor sanitary conditions. Throughout their stay in the site, Jews were abused by the guards....