Dr. med.
Richard Mühlstein
1888 - 1936

Richard Mühlstein was born on June 16, 1888, in Karlsbad, which is now Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. His parents are Moses (Moritz) Mühlstein and Emma, née Abeles. His sister Vilma was born in 1891. The family belonged to the Jewish community. He attended school in Karlsbad and Krummau, now Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

Education and place of work

On July 24, 1919, he completed his medical studies at the German Karl-Ferdinand University in Prague. As a student, he participated in the academic sports committee (soccer, hockey, and track and field), which was founded in 1912.

Little information regarding his further education and activities does not exist. From 1921 onwards, Richard Mühlstein is listed in the Karlovy Vary spa directory as one of the practicing physicians. The newspaper “Curliste Karlsbad” (Spa List) included short biographies of the physicians and their corresponding educations and was published by city of Karlovy Vary until 1919. Richard Mühlstein`s name is not listed in the “Curliste Karlsbad” (Spa List).

After 1933

Richard Mühlstein died in Berlin on February 11, 1936. According to the death certificate issued by the Karlsbad registry office, the cause of death was blood poisoning and heart failure. He was buried in Karlsbad on February 16, 1936.

In the German Reichsanzeiger (Reich Gazette) of November 20, 1943, Richard Mühlstein was listed among Jews who had fled to unknown destinations and whose corresponding assets were confiscated.

Apparently, the Nazi authorities of the German Reich were not aware that Richard Mühlstein had already died in 1936. Richard Mühlstein’s sister Vilma Sommer was deported from Prague to Theresienstadt on February 8, 1942.

On March 17, 1942, Vilma Sommer was transferred to and murdered at the Izbica ghetto (Gmina Izbica, Poland). Her husband, Richard Sommer, was deported from Saaska (Hungary) on March 15, 1945; no further traces of him have been documented to date. Their nephew Hanus Bedrich was also deported and murdered in Auschwitz on May 15, 1944. Their second nephew, Franz, managed to flee to the United States.