Ignaz (John) Stieber

Ignaz Stieber was born in Vienna as the legitimate son of the ironmonger Joseph Stieber and Gisela, née Hellerd. He had a sister who was three years older and the family belonged to the Jewish religious community. After his father's business went bankrupt, his parents divorced and Ignaz Stieber stayed with his mother, who had to go cleaning to support the family financially.

After finishing school, Ignaz Stieber became a journeyman baker. Like his older sister, he became involved in the Socialist Workers' Youth of the Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP) [today: SPÖ] between 1931 and 1934. He then joins the Austrian Communist Party (KPÖ) and continues to work for it even after it is banned. Between December 14, 1936 and December 31, 1936 and April 1, 1937 and April 20, 1937, he was imprisoned for this.

On March 12, 1938, the day the German Wehrmacht invaded Austria, Ignaz Stieber tried to flee on foot across the border to the Czech Republic. He was arrested by the Czech border authorities for illegally crossing the border and handed over to the German authorities on March 17, 1938. They took him to the Rossauerlände prison, where he was deported to the Dachau concentration camp on April 2, 1938 on the so-called 'Prominent Transport'. From there, he was transferred to Buchenwald concentration camp on September 23, 1938.

In the meantime, Ignaz Stieber's sister had emigrated to Great Britain and obtained a forged visa for Uruguay. On presentation of this visa, Ignaz Stieber is released from the concentration camp on May 24, 1939, on condition that he leaves occupied Austria as soon as possible.