This violin belonged to the Katzenstein family of Hamburg, Germany. The violin was played by Daniel Storch’s grandmother Elsa and quite possibly his mother Ruth. His grandfather Paul played the viola and was a prominent physician in the Jewish community. Paul was a member of the Ärztekammer (a Medical Association) and Kassenärztliche (Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians). He was banned from these associations on September 30, 1933, because of the Nuremberg Laws.
Elsa Katzenstein (née Koopmann) was an accomplished violinist. Her talents for playing the violin were recognized when she was 10 years old. Elsa was a member of Gedok, a fine association of female musicians. She studied at the Hochschule für Musik Berlin for one year and was a member of the Reichsmusikkammer, an elite association of musicians. Only members of this association were permitted to give private violin lessons. Elsa was banned from the association in 1935 because of the Nuremberg Laws. Elsa was also a member of the Kammer-Orchester Hamburg and performed on the radio in Hamburg. On April 4, 1939, four days after the Juden boycott, the conductor of the orchestra wrote a letter praising Elsa’s talent as a musician and expressing his sorrow that she was moving to the United States.
Shortly after Kristallnacht, on January 10, 1939, Daniel’s mother Ruth, at age 11, was sent on a Kindertransport to Antwerp. A Christian family cared for her there until the family could send for her and bring her safely to the United States. The family had to sell most of their valuables, mostly gold and silver items, to the Gemeindeverwaltung der Hansestadt Hamburg for 58.50 RM. Dr. Katzenstein sold these items to acquire more money for immigration.
The Katzenstein family owned 2 violins and 1 viola. They took these instruments to a Geigenmacher (a person who makes violins) to get an estimated worth of the instruments. One violin was made in Paris 1873. The other Violin was made in France, butdateof origin is not recorded.
This violin that made the escape with them to America is small, ⅞ violin which used to becalled a women’s violin.Research into the country of origin is ongoing. This violin is on loan to Violins of Hope by The Storch Family.
