Shevel Shakhmaster was born in Kiev on August 15, 1874, into a Jewish-Romanian family. He became an engraver and married Anna Reichmann, born on January 20, 1875. Their children were Efim, Leo, Maria and Augustine. In 1910 the family moved to Berlin, where they lived at Hauptstraße 5.

Max Schächter was born on June 22, 1880 in Suczawa/Romania to a Jewish family. He was a merchant and lived with his wife Gertrud née Lewinsohn in Berlin, from 1930 to 1932 in Lankwitz at Scharzhofberger Platz, from 1933 in Tempelhof at Bacharacher Strasse 26. In 1938/1939 the couple moved to Wielandstrasse 5 on the first floor into a 5½-room apartment with hot water and central heating, bathroom, use of garden, balcony, cellar and floor as main tenants. The monthly rent was RM 147.00. From May 1939 they had to take in several Jewish subtenants.