Martha Viere and her husband Alfred ran a pet store in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg in the 1930s. Their apartment was in the same building. In January 1934, Alfred Viere was arrested for his political activities for the KPD and imprisoned in Lichtenburg concentration camp near Torgau. After his release in 1935, the couple were under even more intense Gestapo observation. They had to close their store in 1943.
The Jewish woman Alice Löwenthal evaded deportation with her two small daughters at the last minute on February 27, 1943, after “Operation Factory,” and went underground. Since she also lived in Prenzlauer Berg and knew Martha Viere was opposed to the Nazis, she turned to her for help. Despite the dangerous situation in the building, where several Nazi Party supporters lived, the Vieres took the three of them in. They stayed for eight weeks, during which conflicts arose because the children were often noisy. After finding refuge for her daughters in Weimar, Alice Löwenthal returned to the Vieres, who hid her for around another six months.
At Löwenthal’s request, the Vieres also took in the Jewish Themal family for a time.