Heimstatt AW photograph

Elly Hirschberg (1886-1933) was born on 8 September 1886 to Emil and Cecilie (Nauenberg) Hirschberg in Lauenburg, Germany. As a young woman Elly worked as an assistant to a photographer. She later opened her own photo studio, first in Berlin and later in Cologne. Elly was renown for her portrait photography and notable figures in German theater circles frequented her studio in Gereonhaus. In 1927 Elly married Matthias Pütz who was non-Jewish. The couple soon welcomed a son and daughter. In May 1933, while taking her children on a trip to the country to avoid Nazi rallies in Cologne, Elly took ill and died. Following her death Elly's son was taken in by his aunt and uncle, Kaethe Freundlich Hirschberg and Erwin Finlay Freundlich. In 1934 the Freundlichs left Germany due to antisemitic persecution that threatened Erwin's academic career. Elly's daughter remained in the care of her father and paternal relatives until increasing antisemitism in Germany prompted the family to send her to join the Freundlichs who were then living in Turkey.