Gustav Pietsch
Encyclopedia
Gustav Pietsch was a German
captain, resistance fighter and Politician of the Free City of Danzig
.
Pietsch was born in Bellin
, Pomerania
and served in the German Navy
in World War I
on a minesweeper and U-boat escort. He received his master’s certificate and served in 1919/20 at the harbour of Danzig (today Gdańsk).
In 1918 he married Gertrude née Behnke from Glettkau
(today Jelitkowo), where they settled. Glettkau lay on the soil of the Free City of Danzig and throughout the 1920s Pietsch worked as a captain on several cargo and fishing boats. He was a member of the German Merchant Navy Officer’s Association and the Association of Combat Veterans, closely affiliated to the German National People’s Party (DNVP). His wife was active in the female section of the Combat Veteran’s Association.
In 1932 the Officer’s Association en bloc joined the Nazi Party, which was opposed by Pietsch, who left the Association. In early 1933 the Nazis joined the government of the Free City and issued several anti-semitic laws. Jews were dismissed from all public offices and the Combat Veterans were urged to do the same. In this situation Pietsch became the Chairman of the Danzig branch of the Association and vehemently opposed any discrimination of Jewish
Veterans, which caused his first arrest. In 1935 he organized 150 non-Jewish Veterans to join a commemoration in the Synagogue of Danzig
to protect the service against Nazi-attacks.
His actions led to a boycott of his business and in 1933 his wife opened a pastry shop in Oliva
to secure the family’s maintenance. The shop was however also boycotted and besmeared with anti-semitic slogans. In 1935 the City’s administration revoked the concession without further reasoning.
Pietsch himself meanwhile worked as an instructor at the nautical and fishery school “Godonia Mapilim” of the zionist association “Zewulon” in Gdynia
. He instructed several hundred Jews from Poland and Danzig and organized the emigration of about 400 Jews to Palestine
. In 1935 he founded a weekly newspaper “Feldgrauer Alarm” (Fieldgrey Alarm) and ran for the Volkstag
elections as an independent candidate (list “Freie Frontkämpfer”), associated to the “Liste Weise” of former DNVP members. Pietsch was attacked several times by the Nazis and severely injured when he was pushed in front of a tramway. On 12 June 1936 the local Nazi-SA
stormed the general meeting of the DNVP while Pietsch held a speech, 60 persons were injured and Pietsch was again arrested. While the SA men were soon released, Pietsch was kept in prison for several weeks.
On 24 December 1938 Pietsch managed to leave Danzig and, supported by the Jewish Agency, emigrated to Palestine. He arrived on 10 January 1939 and founded the village of Neve Yam
, where he continued to work as a nautical and fishery instructor. At the outbreak of World War II
Pietsch was arrested by the British as an “enemy alien” but released again in February 1940.
In 1952 Pietsch became captain of the port of Eilat. In 1958 he returned to Germany and was honoured in 1961 by the Senate of Berlin
as "Unbesungener Held" (unsung hero). Pietsch emigrated to Australia
, where his daughter lived on a farm she had named "Glettkau", and died in 1975.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
captain, resistance fighter and Politician of the Free City of Danzig
Free City of Danzig
The Free City of Danzig was a semi-autonomous city-state that existed between 1920 and 1939, consisting of the Baltic Sea port of Danzig and surrounding areas....
.
Pietsch was born in Bellin
Ueckermünde
Ueckermünde is a seaport town in northeast Germany, located in the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald, Western Pomerania, near Germany's border with Poland . Ueckermünde has a long and varied history, going back to its founding by Slavs, known as the Uchri and mentioned in 934 by Widukind of Corvey...
, Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
and served in the German Navy
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
on a minesweeper and U-boat escort. He received his master’s certificate and served in 1919/20 at the harbour of Danzig (today Gdańsk).
In 1918 he married Gertrude née Behnke from Glettkau
Jelitkowo
Jelitkowo is one of the quarters of the city of Gdańsk in neighbourhood to Sopot, Poland.Located on the sea side, with beautiful sandy beaches, the town became known as an Ostsee-Bad Glettkau, a Baltic Sea Bad . Some important hotels, windsurfing schools and centers of water sports are in today's...
(today Jelitkowo), where they settled. Glettkau lay on the soil of the Free City of Danzig and throughout the 1920s Pietsch worked as a captain on several cargo and fishing boats. He was a member of the German Merchant Navy Officer’s Association and the Association of Combat Veterans, closely affiliated to the German National People’s Party (DNVP). His wife was active in the female section of the Combat Veteran’s Association.
In 1932 the Officer’s Association en bloc joined the Nazi Party, which was opposed by Pietsch, who left the Association. In early 1933 the Nazis joined the government of the Free City and issued several anti-semitic laws. Jews were dismissed from all public offices and the Combat Veterans were urged to do the same. In this situation Pietsch became the Chairman of the Danzig branch of the Association and vehemently opposed any discrimination of Jewish
Veterans, which caused his first arrest. In 1935 he organized 150 non-Jewish Veterans to join a commemoration in the Synagogue of Danzig
Great Synagogue (Danzig)
The Great Synagogue , was a synagogue of the Jewish Community of Danzig in the city of Danzig, Germany . It was built in 1885-1887 on Reitbahnstraße, now Bogusławski Street...
to protect the service against Nazi-attacks.
His actions led to a boycott of his business and in 1933 his wife opened a pastry shop in Oliva
Oliwa
Oliwa, also Oliva is one of the quarters of Gdańsk. From east it borders Przymorze and Żabianka, from the north Sopot and from the south with the districts of Strzyża, VII Dwór and Brętowo, while from the west with Matarnia and Osowa...
to secure the family’s maintenance. The shop was however also boycotted and besmeared with anti-semitic slogans. In 1935 the City’s administration revoked the concession without further reasoning.
Pietsch himself meanwhile worked as an instructor at the nautical and fishery school “Godonia Mapilim” of the zionist association “Zewulon” in Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
. He instructed several hundred Jews from Poland and Danzig and organized the emigration of about 400 Jews to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. In 1935 he founded a weekly newspaper “Feldgrauer Alarm” (Fieldgrey Alarm) and ran for the Volkstag
Volkstag
The Volkstag was the parliament of the Free City of Danzig between 1919 and 1939.-History:After World War I Danzig became a Free City under the protection of the League of Nations....
elections as an independent candidate (list “Freie Frontkämpfer”), associated to the “Liste Weise” of former DNVP members. Pietsch was attacked several times by the Nazis and severely injured when he was pushed in front of a tramway. On 12 June 1936 the local Nazi-SA
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
stormed the general meeting of the DNVP while Pietsch held a speech, 60 persons were injured and Pietsch was again arrested. While the SA men were soon released, Pietsch was kept in prison for several weeks.
On 24 December 1938 Pietsch managed to leave Danzig and, supported by the Jewish Agency, emigrated to Palestine. He arrived on 10 January 1939 and founded the village of Neve Yam
Neve Yam
Neve Yam is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located around twenty kilometres south of Haifa, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof HaCarmel Regional Council. In 2006, it had a population of 206....
, where he continued to work as a nautical and fishery instructor. At the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Pietsch was arrested by the British as an “enemy alien” but released again in February 1940.
In 1952 Pietsch became captain of the port of Eilat. In 1958 he returned to Germany and was honoured in 1961 by the Senate of Berlin
Senate of Berlin
The Senate of Berlin is the executive body governing the city of Berlin, which at the same time is a state of Germany. According to the Constitution of Berlin the Senate consists of the Governing Mayor of Berlin and up to eight Senators appointed by the Governing Mayor, two of whom are appointed ...
as "Unbesungener Held" (unsung hero). Pietsch emigrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where his daughter lived on a farm she had named "Glettkau", and died in 1975.