Gertrud came to Cologne in the 1920s, where she found employment as a maid and nanny for the Jewish doctor Max Schönenberg. At the time he was living with his wife Erna, and their son Leopold (b. 1920) at Venloer Straße 23, where he also ran his clinic as a general practitioner. This very friendly employee-employer relationship ended abruptly in autumn 1935, when the Jewish population was largely excluded from German society as a result of the infamous “Nuremberg Laws”. From now on, Jews were prohibited from employing non-Jewish domestic help under 45 years of age. Gertrud Heuft had to leave the Schönenbergs and return to the Eifel.
After the pogrom of 9 November 1938 at the latest, she made contact once again in Cologne. “Two afternoons this week,” reported Max Schönenberg in mid-January 1939, “our old Gertrud” came to visit Venloer Straße. This became a long-term arrangement. “Our old Gertrud was here,” wrote Erna Schönenberg on 12 November 1939. “It does us good to know how invested she is in our wellbeing.”
Gertrud Heuft showed humanity that was obviously natural to her which increasingly fewer so-called “Aryan” Germans could adopt. She is an impressive example of the actions anyone can take even in times of war and dictatorship – and yet which are largely neglected. Gertrud Heuft did not in any way leave it at friendly visits, her personal commitment increased, the more the situation of the Schönenbergs intensified.
After their home became a ghetto in 1941, in which more and more destitute Jewish people had to live tightly squeezed together with insufficient support, not only did she visit with increasing regularity, but began to carry more and more potatoes, fruits and vegetables from her father’s farm to Venloer Straße 23. “You have brought us a lot of joy with your magnificent parcel, my dear Gertrud”, thanked Erna Schönenberg shortly before the deportations began on 14 October 1941. The Heuft family had long helped the other inhabitants of the house with food with regularity. Gertrud also did not forget to wish her former employer on her birthday with a special delivery. “I am going to put everything to good use! Your lovely gift has helped me a lot! And we always want to think of the dear giver when using it”, a deeply touched Erna Schönenberg thanked her. Since the lack of necessities soon turned into hunger, she – entirely against her nature – ultimately became a supplicant. “One more request, dear Gertrud”, she wrote in November.
“The potato shortages are getting worse. I will gladly accept your offering and request you to send me a hundredweight. If you don’t mind, then please send two hundredweight, of course for payment. We have all ordered potatoes to put in the cellar – but I don’t know anyone who received them.”
– In fact, shortly thereafter, not only did the required basket with potatoes and fruits arrive at the Venloer Straße 23 from Obermendig, but it was followed by two more hundredweight of potatoes days later – all free of charge of course.
Even when the Schönenbergs had to move to the transit camp in Müngersdorf Cologne at the start of March 1942, Gertrud Heuft did not stop her support. On the contrary: As soon as she came to know about it, she announced her visit to the camp where the inmates were housed under completely unconscionable circumstances and of which the majority of the Cologne population steered clear. On the other hand, Gertrud – again packed with ample provisions – set out valiantly for Müngersdorf. Max Schönenberg disclosed that his wife “told him in detail and deeply moved by your lovely visit”. (…)
“You have shown so much loyalty and devotion that we remember you every day.”
And Erna Schönenberg herself imparted to Obermendig in May that she was “living off your lovely visit in every way”.
When the Schönenbergs were then themselves called up for deportation in mid-June of 1942, it was natural for her to personally bid goodbye to her loyal helper and to thank her again:
“Farewell, dear Gertrud. Thank you for your lovely letter and your greetings.”
On 15 June 1942, the deportation train left Cologne for Theresienstadt, where Max Schönenberg died of typhoid fever on 8 January 1944. His wife, Erna, was deported to Auschwitz on 9 October 1944 and was killed there four days later.
Gertrud Heuft naturally could not prevent all that. But she did not let it deter her from helping the oppressed as much she could. For the Schönenbergs and their fellow inhabitants, the additional provisions were exceptionally helpful. But they felt that the humanity that “their” Gertrud showed without fear of any consequences was even more important. The way she did that as an obvious matter of course, was, is, and will remain equally impressive and touching – but at the same time it is also unfortunately one of the rather rare examples of civil courage. Incidentally, there were no negative consequences for her.
It is no wonder that the Schönenbergs entrusted their very last belongings to Gertrud Heuft at the end. When Schönenberg’s son, Leopold – who now called himself Reuven and who had escaped the deportation – visited Cologne for the first time at the end of the 1950s, Gertrud could hand over to him a painting, crystal vases and, as a special legacy, his father Max’s golden pocket watch.