As a result of a visit to the home of a Christian girl friend, Max Steinshagen and the girl, Gertrude Haase, were dragged out of her home in Schoenlike, East Prussia, and paraded through the streets of the town, which were crowded with spectators.
The girl bore a sign, “I prostituted myself with a Jew.” Steinshagen carried a sign which read, “I misled a Christian girl.” The Nazi guards marched them through the streets, cafes and restaurants and exhibited them in the local movie theater.
Both were beaten and before allowing them to go home, the man was made to sign a declaration that he would leave the town immediately. The girl, an employee in the local postoffice, was dismissed from her post.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.