Due to National Socialist legislation, Werner's sister Helga was no longer allowed to go to school because she was Jewish.

At the beginning of 1933, the grocery store, which was located in the Bloch department store, was abandoned. Elsa Gideon wanted to open a textile store, which was made enormously difficult by restrictions imposed by the National Socialists. The sales in the department store decreased more and more due to the prohibition for customers to use the main entrance.

Werner's grandfather Michael Bloch and father Robert Gideon ran a mail order business, which was made impossible by a travel ban in 1936.

On December 6, 1938, all goods had to be made available to the retail trade. On March 3, 1939, the warehouse of the Bloch/Gideon family was forcibly sold.