While in 1935 there were still about 330 Jewish people living in Cottbus, after the pogrom night in November 1938 there were only about 180. By mid-1936, 68 Cottbus Jews had emigrated, for example to Palestine, Brazil, Denmark or to Switzerland. It became increasingly difficult for Jews to leave Germany. Those who wanted to enter England or the USA, for example, needed a guarantee - a so-called "Affidavit". Without sufficient money and good relations abroad, many Jews were trapped in Germany.
For those Jews who couldn’t leave Germany living conditions became harder and harder. Many Jewish families had to leave their homes and move to so-called "Houses for Jews", where they had to live together in cramped and miserable conditions. In Cottbus there were several "Houses for Jews". In 1932, eight families lived in the house at Roßstraße 27, and in 1940 there were 18. Number 37 on Mühlenstraße was another "House for Jews". On August 24, 1942, the inhabitants of this house were deported to Theresienstadt Ghetto.
Living conditions were also getting tougher for the families of Steffi Pinkus (Lewin) and Max Schindler. Both families tried to leave Germany. Only the Lewins succeeded.