Stumbling block for Valentin Unkelbach

Valentin Unkelbach was born on September 1, 1904 in Bad Kreuznach. The family moved to Offenbach in 1914. Unkelbach learned the trade of a dyer and at the age of 20 became a member of the SPD and sub-cashier of the trade union. In May 1931, he married Marie Drescher.

He became involved in the Young Social Democrats' Working Group. After the transfer of power to the Nazis, all demonstrations in Offenbach were banned by the police on February 3, 1933. Unkelbach had to report to the police twice a day, but he continued to take part in secret meetings.

On May 7, 1936, he was arrested together with Friedrich Wagner. In the indictment of September 1936, he was accused of trying to re-establish the organizational cohesion of the banned SPD and of preparing a highly treasonous enterprise. On 20/21 November, the court sentenced him to four years in prison for "preparation for high treason" and deprived him of his civil rights. The judges rejected his wife's application at the beginning of 1940 to have the remainder of his sentence remitted. He was released on June 21, 1940.

In February 1943, Unkelbach was drafted into the 999 penal battalion and deployed in Greece. At the end of January, he was reported missing in Yugoslavia.

It was only after 30 years of uncertainty that his wife received information from the GRC Tracing Service that her husband had probably died on April 12, 1945 near Lovas, 100 km from Belgrade.

The sponsor of the Stumbling Stones for Valentin Unkelbach is the historical commission of the SPD. Laid on October 21, 2006.