Bloch's health began to deteriorate during this period. Family letters note his blindness, along with struggles with anxiety, depression, and circulation problems. The family was forced to share their apartment with others, a common experience for Jewish families under Nazi restrictions.
The situation grew more dire. In 1940, Bloch's publishing house, which had been in the family since 1845, was sold due to his Jewish origins. His son Egon was arrested and sent to Auschwitz in 1943, while Ludwig himself passed away in 1939.
As a publisher and author, Bloch was known for his own creative works. He wrote titles such as "Am Stammtisch" and "Am Wickeltisch" and composed poetry, including several poems written for his son Herbert. The family publishing house specialized in dramatic and musical cabaret, choreographies, and stage literature.
Bloch was also involved in the artistic community. He was featured in exhibitions by the Bavarian Kulturbund, with his work displayed in Berlin and various Bavarian locations between 1936 and 1937. These exhibitions were part of the Jewish cultural resistance during the Nazi era.
The Bloch family's publishing collection, containing approximately 20,000 plays and 300 scores, was purchased by the Prussian State Library in 1940. This extensive collection primarily focused on vaudeville pieces, operettas, and stage works from German-speaking countries and international sources.
Ludwig Bloch died in 1939, leaving behind a significant cultural and publishing legacy that would be largely disrupted by the Nazi regime's systematic persecution of Jewish artists and intellectuals.
Sources
Fetthauer S. Ludwig Bloch, Lexicon of Persecuted Musicians of the Nazi, 2004 (accessed Dec 2024)
Egon and Ludwig Bloch – Sending of Package and Funds (File P), 1939 November 16-1941 February 8, Box: 1, Folder: 24. Herbert Bloch Collection, AR 25628. Leo Baeck Institute