On October 16, 1906, Ewald Steffen sat down at his desk in Magdeburg and dedicated this photo to his dear friend Richard Nauendorff.
Ewald and Richard were both insurance officers in Magdeburg. I could kind of guess from the way he looked that he was in that line of business, don’t you agree? Ewald and Richard were about the same age, perhaps they met at school or in job training.
Friedrich Ewald Richard Paul Steffen was born on April 19, 1878 in Buckau to Maria Fähse and Otto Steffen.
When this photo was taken, Ewald was still single. He married Frieda Laura Margarethe Hildegard Becker on October 9, 1909 in Magdeburg. She was 9 years younger and a daughter of a postal manager Karl August Becker from Magdeburg.
There’s Ewald’s signature in the book of marriage records, he was definitely our man! The way he signed his name on the document and on the photo are identical!
I find Ewald in the city directories of Magdeburg between 1910 and 1930, always in his steady job as an insurance officer. I don’t know if he and Frieda had any children.
His friend Richard was taken from him in September 1913. Ewald himself died of stomach cancer in March 1939. He was only 60 years old. If you are related to Ewald Steffen, please reach out to me!
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