The Innkeepers – Part 2
In the previous chapter, we explored the story of Leopold and Mina Marx, who ran the historic Pfälzer Hof inn in Sinsheim for 27 years. This week, we continue with their daughter Lina and her husband, Max Adler, who received the inn as a wedding gift, exploring their life together and what became of the inn.
Lina Marx was born on February 16, 1852, and Max (Moses) Adler, who was two years younger than her, was born on May 10, 1854.
On July 31, 1877, the day of their wedding, Lina and Max received a very special gift from Lina’s parents, Leopold and Mina Marx: the historic Pfälzer Hof inn, which had been in the family since 1850. The gift was described as “irrevocable,” meaning it could not be taken back, and the inn passed on to the next generation.
With a new business to run and a life to build together, the young couple hoped to start a family of their own. Lina became pregnant twice, in 1878 and again in 1881, but sadly, neither baby survived childbirth.
In 1900, after running the inn for 23 years, Max and Lina decided to sell it and begin a new chapter in their lives. This marked the end of 50 years of family ownership.
Over the next three years, they carefully planned their new home at Muthstraße 13, Sinsheim, together with architect Ludwig Jahn from Heidelberg.
The impressive house included wine cellars, a laundry room, an office, servants’ rooms in the attic, five guest rooms, and a large living room- a home perfectly suited for a couple who loved welcoming guests.
Max and Lina on the right side of the photo
However, life in their new home also brought challenges. In her later years, Lina suffered from heart problems that left her very weak.
A letter she wrote to her sister in 1909 gives us a personal glimpse into her health and life during that time.
Hamburg, February 10, 1909
My dear sister,
Thank you very much for your lovely letter. I am always happy to receive good news from you.
I am very sorry that I cannot receive a visit from dear Joseph, as my health does not allow me any excitement. As you know, I suffer from a heart condition and must be as careful as possible.
That is why I am staying here in Hamburg for several months of treatment, and I am not feeling well at all. The doctor does not allow me any physical effort or distractions because of my heart.
I hope dear Joseph will be able to visit me next summer, and I pray to God that I will have fully recovered by then.
Please do not be upset with me, but I feel very weak and must follow the doctor's instructions.
Send my love to everyone, and I hope to hear from you soon.
With much love,
Your loving sister,
Lina
A year later, in 1910, Lina passed away at the age of 58.
According to Lina’s wishes, she wanted someone to take care of her husband after her death. And that woman was not a stranger to the family. In fact, she had been part of their lives for many years.
In 1911, a year after losing his wife, Max remarried.
His new wife was Bianca (Bertha) Reuß, a 37 year old single woman who had worked in their household for many years.
Bertha had arrived in Sinsheim in February 1894 and first worked at the inn where Max and Lina lived and ran the family business. Later, she moved with them to their newly built home and became an important part of their daily lives.
Lina knew that Bianca would take good care of her husband. A year after Max and Bianca married, they had twins, a boy and a girl. Sadly, only the girl survived childbirth. She was named Hildegard Adler.
The years following World War I were financially difficult in Germany. Inflation and the economic crisis wiped out the savings of many families, including the Marx family, who lost almost all their savings.
Max Adler was in an even more difficult situation.
By 1925, at the age of 71, Max had lost most of his fortune. All he had left was the family home in Sinsheim, the furniture inside it, and a small wine business that he ran with very little money. Max lived in the house with his second wife, Bianca, and their 12 year old daughter, Hildegard.
At his age, Max was deeply worried about what would happen to his wife and daughter after his death. The house was still tied to the inheritance rights of Lina's family, his first wife. According to the inheritance arrangements, the house would have to be sold after Max's death, and the money would be divided among Lina's siblings and their children.
However, the legal costs of dividing the inheritance were expected to be so high that, after paying the lawyers and other expenses, each niece or nephew might receive only about 500 marks. In the end, no one would gain much from the sale.
For Bianca and Hildegard, however, losing the house would be devastating. It was almost all the family had left, and selling it could leave them without a home or financial security.
On October 2, 1925, Leopold Marx, the son of Eduard Marx, sent a letter from Germany to his cousin Joseph Marx, who was living in Kansas, United States.
Joseph was the son of Joseph Marx Sr., Lina’s brother, and belonged to the next generation of the Marx family.
The letter began with family news and warm wishes for Joseph’s progress in his new profession. Leopold then described the difficult economic situation in Germany, where many families had lost their savings.
He went on to explain Max Adler’s situation and his deep worries about the future of his wife Bianca and their daughter Hildegard.
Joseph and his brother were asked to give up their shares of Lina’s inheritance and encourage four other relatives in the United States to do the same. This could prevent the family home from being sold and allow Bianca and Hildegard to continue living there.
The request was not only about money, but also about helping one another as a family. The letter mentioned that Joseph and his family had received generous support from previous generations in Germany, and now it was the younger generation’s turn to help their relatives.
At the end of the letter, Joseph was asked to reply as soon as possible so that the inheritance could be settled while Max was still alive.
About a year later, Max suffered his first heart attack. His neighbor and doctor, warned him to slow down and take better care of his health, but Max continued running his business.
On October 10, 1926, while on a business trip to Ludwigshafen, Max suffered another heart attack and passed away at the age of just 72. He was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Sinsheim, next to his beloved first wife, Lina.
In the Next Chapter...
What happened after Max's death? And what became of the family home that had once belonged to the Marx family?
The story now turns to Bianca, who had arrived as a young housekeeper, 19 years younger than Max, and later became his second wife. And to their daughter Hildegard, who lost her father at just 14 years old.
How did the grand family home end up in their hands, and what happened to them in the years that followed?
