Walter Scheuer

Walter Scheuer was born in Klosterneuburg into a Jewish family, the legitimate son of the merchant Jakob Scheuer and Irma, née Toluai. Nothing has been preserved about his childhood and youth. However, Walter Scheuer trained as a tailor and opened a store at Heumühlgasse 5 in Vienna's 4th district, specializing in swimwear. Walter Scheuer is not politically active.

In 1928, he marries Elsa Engel and becomes the father of a son. His business did extremely well, which earned him the envy of the illegal National Socialists Robert Hentsch and Hans Wannemacher. Robert Hentsch runs an upholstery store at Heumühlgasse 2A, opposite Walter Scheuer's store, and Hans Wannemacher runs a grocery store in Wiedner Hauptstraße.

On March 12, 1938, Walter Scheuer witnesses the demise of free and independent Austria with the invasion of the German Wehrmacht. With the occupation of Austria, German legislation is adopted and with it the 'Nuremberg Race Laws', according to which Walter Scheuer and his family are considered 'full Jews'.

On March 16, 1938, Walter Scheuer is arrested in his store by a group of SA men. Hans Wannemacher is immediately appointed receiver and tasked with liquidating the business. Within four weeks, the store and the stock of goods worth 20,000 schillings are sold at knockdown prices, the proceeds are paid into a blocked account and awarded to Hans Wannemacher and Robert Hensch. Elsa Scheuer and her son received nothing from the proceeds.

On April 2, 1938, Walter Scheuer was deported to the Dachau concentration camp on the so-called 'Prominent Transport'. On September 23, 1938, he was transferred to the Buchenwald concentration camp and released from there on April 28, 1939, on the condition that he leave occupied Austria as soon as possible.

On July 22, 1939, Walter Scheuer, his wife and son emigrated to New York in the United States of America via England. Walter Scheuer reopened a swimwear store there.

In the United States of America, Walter Scheuer and his family experienced the liberation of Austria and the re-establishment of the Republic in April and May 1945. They decided to stay in New York and became US citizens in August 1945.