03
1939–1940
The Rebirth in the Tropics: From Cuba to Venezuela
Dietrich and Irmgard Gerstel’s temporary refuge in Havana, the birth of their first child, and the establishment of a business to make ends meet. A year marked by a failed attempt to emigrate to the United States and the complex logistical challenges of traveling to their final destination: Venezuela.
Cuban Exile: Traces of the Past and New Beginnings
On February 14, 1939, Dietrich and Irmgard disembarked at the port of Havana. Although they had left Nazi persecution behind, the stigma of the regime remained imprinted on their documents, as their Cuban identification papers listed them under the mandatory names “Israel” and “Sara.” In Dietrich’s case, the authorities explicitly noted his physical disability by writing “missing” in the space for his left fingerprint.
On medical advice, the couple settled in the El Vedado neighborhood, trying to adapt to a tropical climate that was radically different from the one they had known before. Amid that uncertainty and with limited resources, life went on: on March 26, 1939, their firstborn son, Thomas Walter, was born—a “Cuban relative” who symbolized the family’s first great triumph over exile.
Certificate of Registration for Dietrich Gerstel in the Cuban Registry of Foreigners (1939)
The certificate formalizes his immigration status at age 21, recording the name imposed by the German regime.
Affidavit of Income by Dietrich Gerstel in Havana, Cuba (1939)
An administrative record that formalizes your residence in Havana and certifies the maximum annual income allowed for a foreigner registered on the island.
From Havana to La Guaira: The Bridge to a New Home
Shortly after his arrival, Dietrich recognized the urgent need for housing among immigrants in Havana. With foresight and quick action, he founded a real estate agency that, within a few months, became the second-largest on the island—a thriving business that not only kept him busy but also allowed him to master the language. However, his long-term goal was not to settle there, but to make ends meet while arranging his permanent move to a new destination.
During his stay in Cuba, Dietrich underwent an evaluation by Dr. J. A. Rubiera González, who certified his condition as “congenital agenesis of both legs and the left upper limb,” suggesting that he be transferred to the United States to access advanced prosthetics and specialized care. Although this medical report was intended to support his emigration to the United States, the plan became unfeasible. Strict U.S. immigration policies, combined with the barriers posed by her physical disability and the substantial financial resources required to guarantee her support, completely ruled out that route, cementing Venezuela as her final destination.
Medical certificate issued by Dr. J. A. González Rubiera in Havana (1939)
Dietrich Gerstel’s physical condition is described, and his transfer to North America is recommended.
The Leap to the Mainland: The Journey to Venezuela
In June 1939, thanks to financial support from his relatives and the sale of his real estate agency, Dietrich set out on his journey from Cuba to Venezuela. Behind him lay a complex logistical undertaking that had forced him to temporarily part ways with his wife and his son, who was barely three months old. He made the crossing aboard the S.S. Cuba with his brother-in-law, Hellmuth Ostberg, and, as soon as he arrived in La Guaira, he raised the necessary funds for the remaining tickets. Barely a month later, Irmgard disembarked at the port with little Thomas and her brother Richard Ostberg, thus sealing the long-awaited family reunion.
Document issued by the Cuban Shipping Company confirming his status as a passenger in transit prior to his arrival in La Guaira, Venezuela.
Tax Receipts for the Processing of Identity Cards (1939)
Official documents issued in Caracas and La Guaira that record the mandatory tax payments made by Dietrich and Irmgard Gerstel to formalize their legal status in the country.
Historical Documents
The MS St. Louis Crisis (May 1939)
While the Gerstels were in Havana, this vessel, carrying over 900 Jewish refugees, was turned away by both Cuba and the United States, forced to return to Europe. This event intensified the prevailing panic and fueled Dietrich’s urgent need to leave the island for South America.
World War II (1939–1945)
The global conflict erupted mere months after Dietrich’s arrival in the Americas. Venezuela became a strategic oil supplier for the Allies, triggering an incipient economic boom while simultaneously heightening tensions due to the presence of German U-boats in the Caribbean.
The Holocaust
Between 1941 and 1945, the Nazi regime systematized the extermination of European Jewry. It was during this period that Dietrich’s parents-in-law were deported to Theresienstadt and Auschwitz—tragedies he would only be able to confirm once the war had ended.
The October Revolution in Venezuela (1945)
A coup d’état that overthrew Isaías Medina Angarita, ushering in the “Trienio Adeco.” In his letters, Dietrich makes mention of “days of bombings,” reflecting the local political instability he had to navigate while establishing his business.
Refugees aboard the MS St. Louis
937 passengers. Tragically, 254 of them would later perish in the Holocaust after being forced back to Europe
The Population of Venezuela (1941)
Approximately 3.8 million inhabitants. At the time, it was a predominantly rural nation in the midst of a transformative transition toward urbanization.
Immigration in Venezuela
Between 1939 and 1941, the government of Eleazar López Contreras drastically curtailed Jewish immigration, implementing highly restrictive and selective criteria (favoring agricultural laborers). This context makes Dietrich’s successful entry into the country all the more remarkable.
The Venezuelan Bolívar (1940s)
The exchange rate stabilized near 3.35 Bolívares to the U.S. Dollar. It was an exceptionally strong currency at the time, which provided the purchasing power necessary to import goods and rebuild a life.
Theresienstadt (Terezín)
The ghetto and concentration camp where Ernst Ostberg perished. Approximately 33,000 people died there due to starvation and rampant
Contexto Histórico
Primera Guerra Mundial (1914-1918)
Dietrich nació durante el último año de la guerra, en una Alemania devastada por el conflicto y marcada por la escasez alimentaria.
República de Weimar (1919-1933)
Período democrático en Alemania caracterizado por efervescencia cultural, inestabilidad política y avances médicos significativos, como los del Oskar-Helene-Heim.
Crisis de 1923
Hiperinflación catastrófica en Alemania. Un pan llegó a costar 200 mil millones de marcos. La clase media perdió sus ahorros.
30 de enero de 1933
Adolf Hitler asume como Canciller de Alemania, marcando el fin de la democracia. En marzo se aprueban las primeras leyes antisemitas.
Ley de Restauración del Funcionariado (abril 1933)
Primera ley que expulsó a judíos de cargos públicos y profesiones liberales. Afectó directamente a Walter Gerstel en sus posiciones directivas.
1934: Año de consolidación nazi
Hitler elimina oposición interna y se proclama Führer. Miles de judíos alemanes comienzan a emigrar, aunque muchos aún confían en que “pasará”.
Datos Clave
Población judía en Alemania (1933)
~500,000 personas (0.75% del total)
Judíos en Berlín
~160,000, la comunidad judía más grande de Alemania
Tasa de suicidios judíos (1933-1945)
Aumentó más del 500%
Focomelia
Ocurre en 1 de cada 100,000 nacimientos
Oskar-Helene-Heim
Fundado en 1905, pionero en ortopedia pediátrica
