Originally from the Baltics, the Jewish woman Feige Kaslowitz lived in Brandenburg an der Havel. She married Robert Papendick there, and her husband converted to Judaism. Their daughter Helga was born in 1918. The couple ran a laundry together. Their daughter married Kurt Riede, who was also Jewish, in 1938. The young couple moved to Berlin-Mitte in 1939. They went underground in 1943 to evade deportation.
When Robert and Feige Papendick were also to be deported in 1944, they turned in desperation to their daughter and son-in-law. The two of them were hiding with Josef Wirkus, an administrative employee in the Army High Command, and his wife Leokadia in Berlin-Wittenau. The couple were prepared to take in Helga Riede’s parents. Josef Wirkus collected them in Brandenburg personally, to accompany them safely to Berlin. Despite very crowded conditions, the two Jewish couples were able to stay with Josef and Leokadia Wirkus. They experienced their liberation there.