Номер объектаM2019/055:002
ОписаниеDiary written by Susi Cohen (nee Katz) in a notebook, June-July 1938. Susi Katz was born in November 1920, to Ephraim and Esther Katz. Her father was a well-to-do wood carver, and had lived in Lodz, Poland, until he was transported to Essen, Germany to work in the coalmines during WWI.
The diary is a description of Susi’s life in the 1920s and early 1930s, before Hitler came to power. She highlighted her time in kindergarten and her happy, popular life in primary school, as she was a good student with excellent language skills. She had lots of friends and made trips to visit her sister in Pomerania.
The life of her family changed suddenly in 1933. She wrote, “Hitler came to power and for us a totally different life began.” She explained, “I didn’t know anything about Jews and Christians, because I was educated freely.” At one point she went to her mother and asked “Am I a protestant or a catholic Jew?”
In January 1938, after a visit from the Gestapo, Susi and her parents escaped from Essen to Amsterdam. In November 1938, the family received a visa to go to Australia as refugees. Susi remembered that it was very hard to say goodbye to the dear friends she’d made in Amsterdam, friends she would never see again. She documented the sad farewell in her diary.
The family arrived in Sydney on board the Ormonde in January 1939. Susi worked as a maid and later as a nurse. On 6 April 1940, Susi married Jules Cohen, a trained actor. She became a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She passed away peacefully in July 2013.
The diary is a description of Susi’s life in the 1920s and early 1930s, before Hitler came to power. She highlighted her time in kindergarten and her happy, popular life in primary school, as she was a good student with excellent language skills. She had lots of friends and made trips to visit her sister in Pomerania.
The life of her family changed suddenly in 1933. She wrote, “Hitler came to power and for us a totally different life began.” She explained, “I didn’t know anything about Jews and Christians, because I was educated freely.” At one point she went to her mother and asked “Am I a protestant or a catholic Jew?”
In January 1938, after a visit from the Gestapo, Susi and her parents escaped from Essen to Amsterdam. In November 1938, the family received a visa to go to Australia as refugees. Susi remembered that it was very hard to say goodbye to the dear friends she’d made in Amsterdam, friends she would never see again. She documented the sad farewell in her diary.
The family arrived in Sydney on board the Ormonde in January 1939. Susi worked as a maid and later as a nurse. On 6 April 1940, Susi married Jules Cohen, a trained actor. She became a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She passed away peacefully in July 2013.
Место изготовленияEssen, Germany
Дата 1938 - 1938
ТемаAustralian Jewish history, immigration, antisemitism
Наименованиеjournals
Материалpaper
Размерность
- width: 166.00 mm
height: 209.00 mm
depth: 4.00 mm
Кредитная линияSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Peter Keeda