Found: Relatives of Paul Alfred Ehlig
In 1936, Paul Alfred Ehlig was belatedly awarded the front-fighters’ cross honoring his merits as a soldier in the First World War. Six years later, he was taken into police custody for the first time, and in 1944, he was finally sent to a concentration camp – probably because he had no permanent job and was therefore considered an “antisocial element” by the Nazis. This is suggested by documents kept in our archives. Aside from the documents, we also hold personal records and photographs which Paul had with him when he was imprisoned and which we would like to return to his relatives.
Paul Alfred Ehlig was born to Karl Reinhardt Ehlig, a factory worker, and his wife Juliana Maria Ehlig in Sebnitz, Saxony, on November 13, 1881. Even back then, the town was already known as the “silk flower town” and Paul became a silk flower maker as well. When the First World War broke out, he was in his early 30s and was sent to the front as a soldier. In February 1936, he was awarded the front-fighters’ cross – an award for soldiers who had seen active service and were considered particularly brave.
Persecuted and deported as an “antisocial element”
Whether Paul was affected by the war-time experiences he had gone through is beyond our knowledge. What we do know, though, is that the Dresden labor office issued a work book in his name in 1935. These work books, which had to be handed in to the employer, were introduced from the mid-1930s onwards. The Nazis used them to control the labor market, thus restricting people’s right to choose their employment freely. The pages of Paul’s book remained blank except for an entry showing that he was unemployed between April and June 1937. In November 1941, he registered as new resident in Dresden. The income tax card which the municipal authorities issued to him does not contain any entries.
The book and the card suggest that Paul had no permanent job at the time. This may have been the reason for his imprisonment in the Waldheim penitentiary in September 1942 and for his transfer to the Dresden police prison in November 1943 after he had served his term. People who were out of work ran the risk of being stigmatized and persecuted as “antisocial elements” during the Nazi era. They could be arrested without trial and be deported to concentration camps.
Paul had to experience exactly that: In January 1944, he was registered in the Dachau concentration camp as prisoner number 60925 and categorized as AZR (= Arbeitszwang Reich / Reich compulsory work). Prisoners in this category were seen as “antisocial elements” and had to wear a black triangle on their prisoner clothing. Paul was already widowed at the time and had four children. After just under eleven months’ imprisonment in Dachau, he was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp.
Personal documents and photographs
Paul Ehlig survived persecution; he died in Dresden in 1962. The Arolsen Archives keep some of his personal documents, including a birth certificate, a work book, a prison release certificate, and a police registration document. His personal effects include private photographs, e.g. a photo of a baby taken at the Arth. Beyer photo studio in Dresden Neustadt, as well as several group photographs which might help identify relatives or acquaintances. Who are these people? Where were the photographs taken?
Link to Paul Alfred Ehlig’s personal effects: https://digitalcollections.its-arolsen.org/01020902/name/view/236612