Family Card - Person Sheet
Family Card - Person Sheet
NameHans Claus SCHIFFER 
262
262Birth6 Aug 1903261
Death22 Apr 1976261
FatherDr Fritz SCHIFFER (1871-1921)
MotherElse KNOPF (1882-1942)
Notes for Hans Claus SCHIFFER
Hans Claus Schiffer was born on 6th August, 1903 in Berlin, the eldest of two sons of Fritz & Else (nee Knopf) Schiffer.
In his youth he worked in an administrative capacity for the family concern of the Cassirers, Dr. Cassirer & Co AG, who manufactured wire cables. Hans’s grandfather’s sister was married to Louis Cassirer and the whole family were quite close.
Later, he had agencies for cosmetics.
In 1938 he was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to Sachsenhausen. His uncle, Dr. Harry Knopf was at that time employed as an Attaché at the Greek Embassy. Although Jews were forbidden to work at this time, those who fought in the 1st World War as Harry had, were given a license for a short while yet to be able to continue to work. Through his influence at the Embassy, he was able to get Hans released after 4 weeks. Shaven-headed and very thin, he left straight away, leaving his mother behind, intending to go to America but because there was such a long waiting list, he was accepted in the Kitchener Camp (England) to await his visa there. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Elli née Weinstock.
Owing to the war, and being an enemy alien, he was ‘shipped’ to Canada, which was a Prisoner of War Camp where he spent two years behind barbed wire.
After being released he returned to London where he found a war-essential job (cutting goggles for air force pilots) and married.
When goggles were no longer needed, he tried unsuccessfully to be a mirror silverer at the same firm as he was not free to choose another job.
After the war, he was a representative for a handbag company.
Eventually, he came into the continental hand-made chocolate manufacturing business where Elli was already employed and in due course, together they bought out the partners who were co-owners and continued the business until their retirement.
Together, they had one daughter, Susan Elsie and they lived in Hampstead, London.
Hans died on 22nd April 1976 at the age of 73261
In his youth he worked in an administrative capacity for the family concern of the Cassirers, Dr. Cassirer & Co AG, who manufactured wire cables. Hans’s grandfather’s sister was married to Louis Cassirer and the whole family were quite close.
Later, he had agencies for cosmetics.
In 1938 he was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to Sachsenhausen. His uncle, Dr. Harry Knopf was at that time employed as an Attaché at the Greek Embassy. Although Jews were forbidden to work at this time, those who fought in the 1st World War as Harry had, were given a license for a short while yet to be able to continue to work. Through his influence at the Embassy, he was able to get Hans released after 4 weeks. Shaven-headed and very thin, he left straight away, leaving his mother behind, intending to go to America but because there was such a long waiting list, he was accepted in the Kitchener Camp (England) to await his visa there. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Elli née Weinstock.
Owing to the war, and being an enemy alien, he was ‘shipped’ to Canada, which was a Prisoner of War Camp where he spent two years behind barbed wire.
After being released he returned to London where he found a war-essential job (cutting goggles for air force pilots) and married.
When goggles were no longer needed, he tried unsuccessfully to be a mirror silverer at the same firm as he was not free to choose another job.
After the war, he was a representative for a handbag company.
Eventually, he came into the continental hand-made chocolate manufacturing business where Elli was already employed and in due course, together they bought out the partners who were co-owners and continued the business until their retirement.
Together, they had one daughter, Susan Elsie and they lived in Hampstead, London.
Hans died on 22nd April 1976 at the age of 73261