Arfeld family

Adolf and Mathilde Arfeld moved to Koblenzer Straße 5 shortly after their marriage in 1903 and started a family there. Son Herbert was born here in 1904, daughter Erika in 1906 and daughter Herta in 1915. Herbert and Erika left the family voluntarily just before 1933 and went their own ways. Adolf Arfeld was born on 6/16/1876 in Aull. He earned a considerable wealth in Diez and the surrounding area as an efficient cattle trader with a lot of land. He served as a front-line soldier in World War I and was head of the Jewish community in Diez for 18 years until moving to Frankfurt in 1935. He was probably the first Jewish victim of the National Socialists in Diez: Some sources report a so-called "blood night" in Freiendiez in 1933, in which he is said to have been severely maltreated by young Nazis. He is then said to have been in "protective custody" for one night in the town hall there. His wife Mathilde later reports about last very difficult years in Diez with severe hostilities and high loss of income for her husband.  Mathilde Arfeld née Speier was born on 12.1.1879 in Angenrod (district Vogelsberg), where she also married Adolf. In Diez she had a large household to run. A maid assisted her. In the applications for compensation after the war she describes that her household included hired servants, several vehicles, stables and a great deal of livestock. Herta Adler née Arfeld was born on 27.9.1915 in Diez. She attended the Reform Realgymnasium in Oranienstein Castle. There she was already taught by teachers in brown uniforms.1935 was the year in which life became increasingly unbearable for the three Arfelds in Diez. In 1938, they decided to flee to Herbert in Lisbon, who lived there as a well-traveled businessman. Here too, by 1941 the decision was then made to move on to New York in succession.