Organizer: Alevi Educational Institute "Șah İbrahim Veli" eV

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900 year celebration Daisendorf   -  Lecture with discussion

Hugo Landauer- Jewish merchant, fruit grower and a valued socially committed citizen in Daisendorf

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... and I would give you all the pineapples and bananas in the world for a handful of ripe grapes from Silberberg.

Source: From Erich Landauer's letter from China to Heinrich Deifel. Author: Christoph Knüppel

Organization: Hasan Gazi Öğütcü, Alevi Educational Institute “şah İbrahim Veli”eV

Hugo Landauer, born in Buttenhausen/Münsingen in 1868, became a successful textile entrepreneur. In 1899, in search of the simplicity of life, the desire to become a farmer matured in him. The vision of collective action apparently played an important role. After a first unsuccessful attempt near Überlingen and the renewed successful establishment of textile shops in Karlsruhe, he wanted to fulfill his heart's desire again: In 1917 he moved into the former Rebstock inn with his wife Charlotte and 7 children (opposite the St. Martin chapel). He had previously acquired it including 40 ha of lands. Many people found work on the farm. The mostly poor small farmers in Daisendorf also valued the family for their social commitment. Hugo Landauer and his wife gave them fabrics and clothes leftovers from their department stores. The Daisendorf children received small presents at Christmas. Hugo brought electricity to Daisendorf early on with a diesel generator2. As a Jewish fellow citizen, he donated a new floor for the chapel and repeatedly flowers3. These are just a few examples, representative of his/her charitable commitment in Daisendorf.

He was elected to the Baden farmers' council in 1919 and was co-editor of the Überlingen "Bauern-Zeitung".

The house of the Landauer family was also an open house for many visitors, including well-known personalities.

In 1933, Hugo Landauer died at his home in Daisendorf after a long illness. His Protestant wife Charlotte stayed here for four years and was forced to sell the property. Then she went back to her native Heidelberg, where she died in 1943. The disabled son Heinrich became a victim of the NS Action T4 (“killing unworthy life”). In 1940 he was murdered in Grafeneck. Daughter Elisabeth died in a tragic accident in 1929. The other children survived the Nazi period in emigration.

Source of the text: Christoph Knüppel, Fates of Jewish Farmers on Lake Constance 1930-1960

Author: Johann Nolle/ Hasan Öğütcü

Statements by Bernhard Löchle2 and Marianne Felsche3

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