Letter sent by Edmund Kohn in Gurs
Object numberM2025/086:018
TitleLetter sent by Edmund Kohn in Gurs
DescriptionLetter sent to Erwin and Johanna Kohn, England from their father, Edmund, whilst detained at Gurs internment camp on 24 March 1941. This is one of several letters Edmund was able to send from Gurs.
Whilst Edmund's first letter in November 1940, informs the children of his conditions and asks for them to writ, the second letter in December is written with more urgency. He is desperate to hear how his children are, it seems like he has not heard from them. But he is able to receive mail from Helene and telegrams from Fritz. He is asking the children not to worry about him. He then receives the first card from Johanna in March 1941 but complains that Erwin did not even add some good wishes. He does not understand why it took so long; other prisoners receive more mail. He felt very bad for the first four months in the camp until he was able to connect with Helene and Fritz.
In a letter from 24 march he confirms the receipt of more postcards from Johanna, and he starting to suspect that Erwin does no longer live in the same place as her, but does not have any information. He is very worried and implores Johanna to tell him where Erwin is. Edmund is healthy and receives money from Fritz every month and regular letters from Helene. He would like to continue to learn English and asks Johanna to enquire whether she could send him books and a dictionary.
These letters are part of a large collection of correspondence collected by Johanna (sometimes called Ursula, Hansi or Hannerle) Kohn. It includes a large collection written by her parents, Edmund and Helene Kohn, during the Second World War. There are also collections relating to correspondence between siblings Fritz, Erwin (George) and Johanna both during the war as well as post-liberation. The collection also highlights attempts particularly by George to trace their parents in post war Europe, before shifting to investigating their fate in later decades.
Edmund and Helene Kohn were Viennese Jews, living with their children; Fritz, Erwin (later George) and Johanna. Due to the increased political tensions throughout Europe during the late 1930s, the family made plans to try and leave from 1938. Johanna was the first to escape, leaving for England on the ‘Kindertransport’ in November 1938. She was 14 years at the time. She stayed at a boarding house in Bournemouth before later finding refuge with a foster family, the Henson’s. Throughout her time in England, Johanna is in constant correspondence with her family and the hope is they will all be reunited soon. She began training as a nurse and moved to Birmingham in 1941.
Erwin received permission to travel to England in 1939, on the pretence that he would train as an apprentice hairdresser and would return to Vienna upon completion. He was briefly imprisoned in England as an ‘enemy alien’ but joined the British army not long after. There he had to change his name to George Kane.
Edmund and Helene Kohn (nee Immergut) first stayed behind in Vienna, but eventually fled to neutral Brussels, Belgium. The couple were able to continue to live in relatively safety until the invasion of Belgium by Germany in May 1940. After this, Edmund was suddenly arrested and imprisoned in Camp Gurs. There are records he tried to escape but was re-captured two days later. Throughout his imprisonment, Edmund sent letters and received help from his family, however this changed on 8 August 1942 when he was deported to Auschwitz. He was then murdered.
The fate of Helene Kohn is still unknown. Erwin received a return to sender postcard from Helene’s last known address in Brussels at the end of 1942. The family were fearful of no news until Fritz received a displaced persons postcard in June 1945 from Helene. This led to renewed hope, however she could not be found after the war. Continued attempts via organisations such as the Red Cross were unsuccessful.
Johanna remained in England for the rest of her life and married Douglas Goldspink.
George remained in England after the war and married Ruth. They migrated to Australia in 1949. The donor, Sandra Bassin, is their only child.
Johanna and Erwin’s older brother, Fritz Kohn, was able to eventually travel to Palestine before settling in England.
Whilst Edmund's first letter in November 1940, informs the children of his conditions and asks for them to writ, the second letter in December is written with more urgency. He is desperate to hear how his children are, it seems like he has not heard from them. But he is able to receive mail from Helene and telegrams from Fritz. He is asking the children not to worry about him. He then receives the first card from Johanna in March 1941 but complains that Erwin did not even add some good wishes. He does not understand why it took so long; other prisoners receive more mail. He felt very bad for the first four months in the camp until he was able to connect with Helene and Fritz.
In a letter from 24 march he confirms the receipt of more postcards from Johanna, and he starting to suspect that Erwin does no longer live in the same place as her, but does not have any information. He is very worried and implores Johanna to tell him where Erwin is. Edmund is healthy and receives money from Fritz every month and regular letters from Helene. He would like to continue to learn English and asks Johanna to enquire whether she could send him books and a dictionary.
These letters are part of a large collection of correspondence collected by Johanna (sometimes called Ursula, Hansi or Hannerle) Kohn. It includes a large collection written by her parents, Edmund and Helene Kohn, during the Second World War. There are also collections relating to correspondence between siblings Fritz, Erwin (George) and Johanna both during the war as well as post-liberation. The collection also highlights attempts particularly by George to trace their parents in post war Europe, before shifting to investigating their fate in later decades.
Edmund and Helene Kohn were Viennese Jews, living with their children; Fritz, Erwin (later George) and Johanna. Due to the increased political tensions throughout Europe during the late 1930s, the family made plans to try and leave from 1938. Johanna was the first to escape, leaving for England on the ‘Kindertransport’ in November 1938. She was 14 years at the time. She stayed at a boarding house in Bournemouth before later finding refuge with a foster family, the Henson’s. Throughout her time in England, Johanna is in constant correspondence with her family and the hope is they will all be reunited soon. She began training as a nurse and moved to Birmingham in 1941.
Erwin received permission to travel to England in 1939, on the pretence that he would train as an apprentice hairdresser and would return to Vienna upon completion. He was briefly imprisoned in England as an ‘enemy alien’ but joined the British army not long after. There he had to change his name to George Kane.
Edmund and Helene Kohn (nee Immergut) first stayed behind in Vienna, but eventually fled to neutral Brussels, Belgium. The couple were able to continue to live in relatively safety until the invasion of Belgium by Germany in May 1940. After this, Edmund was suddenly arrested and imprisoned in Camp Gurs. There are records he tried to escape but was re-captured two days later. Throughout his imprisonment, Edmund sent letters and received help from his family, however this changed on 8 August 1942 when he was deported to Auschwitz. He was then murdered.
The fate of Helene Kohn is still unknown. Erwin received a return to sender postcard from Helene’s last known address in Brussels at the end of 1942. The family were fearful of no news until Fritz received a displaced persons postcard in June 1945 from Helene. This led to renewed hope, however she could not be found after the war. Continued attempts via organisations such as the Red Cross were unsuccessful.
Johanna remained in England for the rest of her life and married Douglas Goldspink.
George remained in England after the war and married Ruth. They migrated to Australia in 1949. The donor, Sandra Bassin, is their only child.
Johanna and Erwin’s older brother, Fritz Kohn, was able to eventually travel to Palestine before settling in England.
Production placeFrance
Production date 1941-03-24 - 1941-03-24
Production periodWorld War II (1939-1945)
SubjectKindertransport, escape, signs of life, transportation, internment camps, establishing new life, loved ones' contact, loved ones' fates, foster families, deportation family interactions
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Techniquehandwritten
Dimensions
- width: 210.00 mm
height: 269.00 mm
Language
- German
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum collection, donated by Sandra Bassin. This collection is donated in memory of George Kane (born Erwin Kohn).
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.