Recognition of the "illicit union"

Herr Proskauer applied for war orphans' pensions for the sisters and compensation for wrongful imprisonment for their parents. The belated recognition of the parents' marriage was one of the prerequisites for the children's claim to their parent's compensation. 

• Ref. : Petitions for compensation for wrongful imprisonment on behalf of Reneé and Ingrid Eckler
  Further to the petition of 18th May 51, from
  Herrn Herbert Koch, Guardian, Hamburg, Bornstr. 4
  for compensation for wrongful imprisonment for his wards Reneé and Ingrid Eckler, I should like to put forward the following grounds for an extension of the statutory time limit :
  Herrn Koch's petition states that the orphans have only now received their father's death certificate. In my capacity as Irene Eckler's foster father and guardian, I prepared and collected all the necessary documents as I have had charge of all the child ' s affairs for the past ten years.
  Irene Eckler was born in 1937 and in 1941 the Jewish Gemeinde put her in my charge. I did not know the mother, who was sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp in 1939; I knew the father slightly. 
  The only document I received was the "J" identity card for Irene Eckler. With difficulty, my endless research brought insight into the circumstances and I was able to procure her birth certificate, etc. I received the mother's death certificate from the children's grandmother. I only found the father's death certificate after inquiries into his military connections through various Red Cross Missing Persons Offices (Munich- Hamburg) and the District Courts of Schwerin and Rostock. The death certificate of the father, August Landmesser, only arrived a few weeks ago. At the moment it is required at the Pensions Office, Hamburg, Bundstr., to assess the children's claim to a war-orphans' pension. Similarly, I hope shortly to be able to produce evidence of the two year jail sentence which August Landmesser served for "Rassenschande". 
  In the children's interest, I ask that the default not be judged as negligence.
  I should like to stress that the delayed submission is a1so due to the fact that there was previously doubt concerning the legal right to claim compensation for wrongful imprisonment. The law of recognition of illicit marriages of the racially and politically persecuted did not come into effect until 1950, after the expiration of the time-limit. This, however, was a prerequisite for the children's claim.
  Furthermore, it was not quite clear if the children had a right to a claim through the deceased father as they were receiving a pension for surviving dependants from their mother, who had died in concentration camp. In this respect, I had been given the information that it would be useless to make such a claim.
  With the documents complete and the lega1 prerequisites for the claim, I have submitted the claim without delay, and beg that as the default was not intentiona1, forebearance be shown according to § 8 of the 1st DVO (implementing ordinance ).
  Yours faithfully, Erwin Proskauer Guardian [to the original document]

• Ref. : Recognition of illicit union Landmesser/Eckler.
  In accordance with § 1 paragraph 1 of the law of recognition of illicit union of the racially and politically persecuted of 23rd June 1950, the union between the lorry driver August Landmesser, Godfearing, born on 24th May 1910 in Heidrege, last known place of abode: Rostock, declared dead on 1st August 1949, and Irma Eckler, Mosaic, born on 12th June 1913 in Hamburg, last known place of abode: Hamburg-Stellingen, declared dead on 28th April 1942, is recognized as a lawful marriage. 
  The marriage is to be seen as valid as of 1st March 1935. Dr. Blome [to the original document]

• 22nd September 51 
  There have now been extensive discussions with the Eckler children, the grandmother, Frau Graumann and Irene's foster father, Herrn Proskauer. The children realize that they are now called Landmesser. Irene is rather indifferent about it but Ingrid was thrilled at the novelty. 
  With regard to the guardianship, I have been able to speak to Herrn Theodor S. He was born on 19th January 1890 in Berlin; lives in Hamburg 4, Rendsburgerstr. 1, II, tel. no.: 428289 ; is employed as liaison officer at the Housing Office, Stadthausbrücke, tel. no.: 341002, ext. 824. He was suggested to me for the Eckler-Landmesser children by Pastor Weber from the Jerusalem Hospital where Herr S. is also on the Board of Directors. Ingrid belongs to the parish of the Jerusalem Hospital Church and is therefore known to Herr S. As he too belongs to those who have been racially persecuted, he is certain to be in a position to represent the interests of the two girls. Ingrid would like to have him as guardian, and the Proskauer foster parents have no objection to his appointment. Herr S. is willing, and gives me the impression of being suitable for the guardianship. He will do his utmost, particularly for Ingrid, and try and organise a job for her. [to the original document]

Irene was not in favour of the change of name. What good was it to anybody? The mother had never been a "Landmesser". (Even on the memorial Yad Vashem in Israel she can only be found under her maiden name.) As an unmarried mother of two children, she certainly had suffered most from the situation. 

Irene would have preferred to keep her mother's name which also seemed more authentic to her. Now she had the name of a convict, she thought, full of bitterness, although she knew that this was not really true. She loved her father in spite of everything.