The chemical factory in Güstrow was founded in 1894 by the chemists Dr. Ernst Heilmann and Dr. Albrecht Hillringhaus [3][4]. After Hillringhaus had left in 1900, Heilmann continued it until he died in 1923 [4]. The Wikipedia account of the town lists the factory as a victim of "Aryanization" in 1936 [2], and according to the Wikipedia account of Kali-Chemie, which refers to the Pharmazeutische Zeitung, the Chemische Fabrik Güstrow was gained in 1935/36 through an "Aryanization" [5]. The Claims Conference lists "Heilmann (Erben) Ernst, Dr." (heirs) in Güstrow as original owners [1].
Foundation and products
The following statements on foundation, products, stock corporation and villa rest on the Güstrow Stadtgeschichte, Güstrow History and the contribution by Kmk Büchold [3][4][7].
Dr. Ernst Heilmann (1866-1923) founded a chemical factory in Güstrow in 1894 together with his partner Dr. Hillringhaus, at Ulrichplatz 14, behind the former dairy on the Heideweg [3][4][6]. At first milk sugar was produced there, and from 1898 also borax and boric acid [3][4]. Pharmaceutical preparations were added, among them, according to the Güstrow town history, yohimbine, strophanthin and an invert-sugar solution for artificial feeding, later also casein-based cold glue and a paint binder [3]. In the First World War the firm produced artificial honey, baking and marzipan pastes and a straw-based fodder for the army and navy [4]. In 1900 Hillringhaus left the firm [3].
Stock corporation and villa
In spring 1922 Heilmann converted the open trading partnership into a stock corporation, which for a short time traded at first under the name "Chemische Fabrik Heilmann AG", the registered seat being moved to Hamburg after his death in 1923, possibly because of a participation of the banking house M. M. Warburg & Co. [7]. The firm's land in Güstrow was given as about 29,000 square metres in 1932 [7]. For his family Heilmann had the villa "Heilmannshöhe" built on the Plauer Chaussee in 1911/12 to plans by the Laage master builder Paul Korff, and the family lived there until 1928. Later the NSV used the estate as a children's home, the main house burned down in 1945, and a school for the deaf stands there today [4][2].
The year 1936
The Wikipedia account of Güstrow's history states (translated from the German): "The chemical factory on the Heideweg, founded in 1894, of Ernst Heilmann († 1923) fell victim to Aryanization in 1936" [2]. The article gives no source of its own for this sentence [2]. According to the Wikipedia account of Kali-Chemie, the Chemische Fabrik Güstrow was gained through "Aryanization" in 1935/36, which is supported there by a journal article on the history of yohimbine [5]. Both statements are close (1936 and 1935/36). Who exactly the owners were, and when and on what terms they sold, is not known, and it remains open in particular whether in 1936 the Heilmann heirs or the stock corporation were the owners and who acquired the factory. Likewise it is not documented whether and when the Güstrow plant was run or leased on by Kali-Chemie.
The sources do not name the owners' Jewish origin explicitly. Persecution is, however, indicated by the fact that the Claims Conference lists, under Güstrow, "Heilmann (Erben) Ernst, Dr.", Feldstraße 17a, as original owners (claim no. 29677) [1] and by the sources speaking of an "Aryanization" [2][5]. Besides this claim the Claims Conference list also contains "Chemische Fabrik Guestrow", Berlin, Reichstagufer 10 (no. 138681) and "Chemische Fabrik Güstow" [sic], Berlin, Reichstagsufer 10 (no. 171709) [1], although it has not yet been established whether this is a further claim on the same firm and who filed it.
Today
The factory on the Heideweg is said to have been used by a bakery-goods combine in GDR times and to have been demolished since [6]. The factory is one of the companies founded by Güstrow Jews that helped shape the town [8].