Martha Spier, née Löwenthal was born in Bad Kissingen on March 4, 1891 as the daughter of the banker Abraham Simon Löwenthal and his wife Gitta, née Haas. The origins of this respected family can be traced back to the middle of the 18^thcentury in Bad Kissingen. Martha lived with her family in Ludwigstrasse 4 (now 11) above her father’s bank that was on the ground floor. Her father was a reputable citizen who had been given citizen’s rights by Bad Kissingen Magistrate on November 18, 1893. He was decisively involved in the building of the New Synagogue in Maxstrasse and became committed to the Israelite Children’s Sanatorium in Salinenstrasse as the deputy cashier. He died on February 16, 1920. Ruth’s mother outlived him by seven years (Binder, Cornelia; Mence, Michael, Last Traces/ Letzte Spuren von Deutschen jüdischen Glaubens im Landkreis Bad Kissingen, Binder/ Mence 1992, p. 90).

Martha Löwenthal married Dagobert Spier, who had been born in Bad Godesberg in 1876, and lived with him in Lövenich and Cologne. Their two sons Kurt and Rolf were born in Cologne in 1914 and 1920 respectively. On June 15, 1942, the Spier couple was deported from Cologne to Theresienstadt. There they were to meet some members of the family, among them also Martha’s sister Selma. From Theresienstadt Martha and Dagobert Spier were deported to Auschwitz/ Oświęcim Extermination Camp where they died. Their date of death is not known.

The Spiers wrote a letter from Theresienstadt (Terezin) Ghetto to their acquaintance Malchen Schwartz in Cologne on September 2, 1943: “Dear Malchen, you have certainly got our address in the meantime and, therefore, know that we are well. We hope the same for you. Parcels and mail arrive here well, though we haven’t received news by anybody. Please greet Fr. Strauß, Birnbaum über Neustadt a. Aisch from us. Give her our address and write that Selma is well. Also greet Hugo Meyer, Junkersdorf from us. We don’t know the whereabouts of our sons. Affectionately/ Your Marta (address: Marta Spier, Berggasse 13, Theresienstadt)” (Binder, Cornelia; Mence, Michael, p. 95).

Their two sons were deported from Cologne to Minsk Ghetto one month after their parents on July 20, 1942, where both of them were murdered.

From the photo album: