The “Aryanization Office” was the central authority for the pursuit of Jews in Munich. It was established in November 1938 as the “Vermögensverwertung München G.m.b.H.“ by the regional leadership Munich/Upper Bavaria of the Nazi Party for the purpose of ‘Aryanizing’ Jewish real estate. In January 1939, it was made a state institution under the name “Trustee according to resolution of those presiding over the government”. At the same time, Regional Leader (Gauleiter) Adolf Wagner created a second organization with the “Agent of the Regional Leadership for Aryanization”in order to secure significant influence over the persecution of Jews for the Nazi Party. De facto, both institutions were authorities that had a single leader, SA Main Storm Leader Hans Wegner.
The ‘Aryanization Office’ had approximately 20 employees. These included the department directors Franz Mugler, Ludwig Schrott, and Richard Westermayr. Thanks to its double legitimation, the ‘Aryanization Office’ became a “motor of persecution” (Gerd Modert). It functioned as a central exchange between the various authorities and was, together with the city housing office, largely responsible for the ‘Aryanization’ of housing. On their order, Jews were forced to live in “Jew houses” and Jewish social institutions (for example, in Jewish old-age homes and children's homes) and thus isolated from the rest of the population. In 1941, the ‘Aryanization Office’ established a camp system for Jews in the Munich districts of Milbertshofen, Berg am Laim, and Lohhof and organized forced labor with the support of the Munich employment office. Their employees were equipped with police powers. They conducted checks, for example of compliance with identification regulations and the ban on using public transportation. In case of violations, they arbitrarily imposed draconian punishments. They repeatedly mistreated Jews physically as well. Hans Wegner, for example, lashed Jews with a riding crop.
The “Aryanization Office” also participated in realizing deportations. After the majority of Munich Jews had been deported, the authority's work was halted in summer 1943. In a final report dated June 30, 1943, the leader Hans Wegner drew the following conclusion: The Aryanization Office “performed its tasks to de-Jewify all areas and signs of life without compromise in the traditional region,” thus making “a further contribution to the final victory”.
