Certificate of Identity in Lieu of Passport

A certificate of identity in lieu of a passport for Max and Marie (Maria) Loewenstein, issued by the United States Consulate General in Berlin. One box is filled out for Max Loewenstein with the visa number 6114, dated June 27, 1946, and signed by Max and the American consul. One box is filled out for Marie Loewenstein with the visa number 25, dated July 10, 1946.

Under Soviet pressure Grotewohl met secretly in February/March 1946 with Wilhelm Pieck, the leader of the German Communists. Karin was the only other person present and was asked to take notes as the two leaders planned to betray the Western powers. After the meeting she made an extra copy of the notes and passed them to her American contacts. The next day Grotewohl sent his limousine to take her to work. Suddenly the limousine was surrounded by Russian soldiers, intending to deliver her to the Soviet headquarters. The soldiers had never seen such a car and made the chauffer drive them around to show off the limousine to their comrades, enjoying a drink at every stop. Fortunately at one stop the soldier left behind to guard Karin got annoyed when his buddies did not come out and he went looking for them. Karin’s driver seized this opportunity and drove immediately to her American friends.

It turned out that the information Karin had passed on, had been leaked and was the front page story in the morning newspaper. A secretary, who worked with Karin, but had known nothing of Karin’s actions, had already been arrested and executed.

Once again the Loewenstein family was in danger, but this time they had powerful allies. The Americans speeded up the immigration paperwork for Karin, Maria, and Max and protected them until they could depart for safety in the United States.