HANS WOJANOWSKI (1934 – 1941)

Hans Wojanowski came from Estorf (Nienburg district). His parents were Johann, a machinist, and Else Wojanowski (née Winkelmann). Else’s parents Sophie and Friedrich Winkelmann owned a house with a large kitchen garden, which they bequeathed to their daughter in 1952. Hans was the eldest of four children born between 1934 and 1947. A photograph of his brother Erich remains, showing him in the arms of his grandmother Sophie. There are no pictures of Hans.

Hans had a developmental delay. This was no secret within the family and was known throughout the village. At the age of five, he was admitted to the Rotenburg Institutions of the Inner Mission on 28 March 1939. His admission was related to the birth of his brother. As his mother had become bedridden due to thrombosis, she was no longer able to care for Hans. His father stepped in as a substitute and had to shift his work shifts to the night. This did not work well in the long run. Hans was admitted with great urgency and without a medical opinion.

Hans was visited regularly by his father. Since Johann Wojanowski did not own a car, he covered the distance of approximately 70 kilometres by bicycle – a four to five-hour journey. Hans received little support at the Rotenburg institutions. He was considered incurable and severely impaired.

After two and a half years in the Rotenburg institutions, Hans was transferred to the Lüneburg »children’s ward« on 9 October 1941, one of a total of 138 children. The family was not informed until a week later and had no opportunity to object. Two weeks after his transfer, his mother inquired about him in a letter. His father was a soldier at the time and stationed at a barracks in Kiel-Ellerbek. Nevertheless, he made the long journey and visited his son at the Lüneburg sanatorium and nursing home on 29 November 1941.

One month later, on 29 December 1941, Hans Wojanowski died. The official cause of death was given as pulmonary tuberculosis. In fact, he was murdered. He was one of the first victims of the Lüneburg »children‘s euthanasia« programme.

After his death, his family had his body transferred. A few days later, they received the bill for his stay at the institution. Since the incorrect date of death, »28 December«, had initially been used, the Lüneburg sanatorium and nursing home charged his parents an additional 2.64 Reichsmarks for his last day of life. After his death, Hans was hardly ever mentioned in the family, but he was never forgotten.