in ADEFA Dress

Tax Notice

Cologne, Germany, December 12, 1938

Image Slideshow

A yellowing page with two holes punched in the left side. The title reads “Befcheid über die Judenvermögensabgabe” – a Jewish property tax notice issued to M. Meyer & Company. At the bottom of the page is stamped a round seal with a black eagle carrying a circle containing a swastika, with the word “Finanzamt.”
Jewish Property Tax Notice issued to M. Meyer & Company.
A yellowing page with two holes punched on the top, the back of a Jewish property tax notice issued to M. Meyer & Company. There is a signature in the middle of the page and “Köln, Lindenstr. 20” in the middle of the page. On the left of the page is stamped a round seal with a black eagle carrying a circle containing a swastika, with the word “Finanzamt.” Another stamp reads “Frei durch Ublöfung Reich” and the page is labeled “Finanzamt Köln-Weidenbach.”
Reverse side of Jewish Property Tax Notice with official seal.

During the Kristallnacht pogrom on November 9–10, 1938, Jewish businesses, home and properties were destroyed. The Nazis charged German Jews an "atonement tax" to pay for the damage caused by the attack on their own communities. Max Meyer received this notice to pay a tax of 42,800 Reichmarks.  The sum was equivalent to 20 percent of the value of his reported assets.

Donated to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre by Paul Meyer. 96.015.005 

Transcript

[A partial translation from the original German.]

[Front of page]

Assessment on the Jewish property tax

By virtue of the implementing order on the atonement tax on Jews from November 21 1938 (Reichsgesetzblatt.I page 1638), the tax you have to pay has been fixed at 42 800 RM. The tax is 20 per cent of the property you registered (in consideration of appropriate modifications) by virtue of the order on the registration of property of Jews from April 26 1938 (Reichsgesetzblatt I page 414).

The tax is to be paid in 4 installments of each 10 700 RM. The first installment is to be paid before December 15 1938, the following installments are to be paid before February 15, May 15 and August 15 1939 with the indication Jewish property tax and with the St. Nr. written above. 

© Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre 2026. All rights reserved.