M. 51 - Documantation of the Reichsvereinigung der Juden in Deutschland (Reich Association of the Jews in Germany) History of the Organization The organization was apparently founded in early 1939 by representatives of the Reichsvertretung der deutschen Juden (Reich's Deputation of the German Jews). In July 1939, an ordinance was published by the authorities concerning the establishment of the Reich Association of the Jews in Germany, which replaced the Reich's Deputation of the German Jews. In the words of its Chairman, "... [it will serve as] a new organizational basis for the dwindling population of German Jews and the important areas of activity of the Association: Emigration, the Educational System and Welfare." There are researchers who are of the opinion that the heads of the SS were seeking to emulate the model of the "Central Authority for Jewish Emigration" that was active in Vienna and transfer it to Berlin, and thus the regime would be able to make use of the National Association as a means of control over the Jews of Germany. According to the ordnance which determined the establishment of the new Association, the Jewish communities became branches of the Association, thus cancelling the regional community organization. For the first time, an all-encompassing national structure was active in Germany. Rabbi Leo Baeck served as the head of the Association; the facilitator was Otto Hirsch, and Artur Lilienthal was the Executive Secretary. With the establishment of the Association, all the Jewish organizations, funds and institutions were revoked. Some of them, such as the Eretz Israel office, the Youth Aliyah branch in Germany, Keren Hayesod (United Jewish Appeal) and the Keren Hakayemet (Jewish National Fund) became departments in the National Association. The Association was liquidated gradually starting with the first transport of its employees to the East on 19 June 1942. Leo Baeck was among those deported on the transport to Theresienstadt on 26 January 1943. On 10 June 1943 the Association offices were transferred to the Jewish Hospital and the remaining Association office workers were liable for deportation. The Records Group is a copy of Bundesarchiv (German Federal Archive) Record Group Bestand 75 C Re 1; it contains files from various Jewish sources which are housed in the Central East German Archive. There are three main sections in the Record Group: I. Organization and Administration In this section there are administrative and financial files of the Reichsvereinigung der Juden in Deutschland, including protocols of administration meetings, Nazi orders and ordnances, contacts with the Gestapo, statistical data regarding the Jews of Germany and files related to the sale of property belonging to the Jewish communities and their evaluation. There are also several Reichsvertretung der deutschen Juden files in this section. II. Emigration and Deportation - administration of the worth of the property belonging to Jewish citizens and its evaluation In this section there are many individual files containing data about the property of specific people. The files also include confirmation of property of deportees along with the number of the transport and the deportation date. Additionally, there are files related to the property in accordance with the regional administration of the Association, deportation lists and wills. III. Welfare In this section there are many individual files containing data regarding support given to specific people and notices concerning death and burial. The Record Group has a detailed Findbuch (guidebook) prepared at the German archive listing the content of each file. The Findbuch is located in the safe, in the main storage area of the Archive. By agreement with the Bundesarchiv, use of the files in this Record Group is limited. A copy of the agreement appears on the Multimedia tab.