Erik Jan Hanussen

Erik Jan Hanussen, whose real name was Hermann Steinschneider, was born in Vienna on 2 June 1889 and was the most famous „clairvoyant” and varieté artist of his time. Despite his Jewish background he sympathised with National Socialism and had dubious business dealings with leading members of the SA. Among other things, he financed them with large sums of money. Probably to avoid being exposed, the Berlin SA leader Karl Ernst authorised the murder of Hanussen in March 1933. After a brief period of detention in the SA Prison Papestrasse, SA men shot the „clairvoyant” to death. His corpse was found on 7 April 1933 in a wooded area near Baruth, south of Berlin.