Letter
Object numberM2020/033:002
TitleLetter
DescriptionHandwritten letter in German dated c. May 1939. This letter was written by Leopold and Cacilie Nachemstein in Gniezno, Poland, to their son Herbert, his wife Ingeborg, and their grandson Peter in Shanghai, China.
This letter is enquiring as to whether the family are "already in Shanghai and found our letters?", Leopold and Cacilie also ask whether their son will work in radio wholesale as he did in Berlin, or look for other work. Herbert's parents also refer to their business being "quiet, because of the trouble," and fear that "one does not not know what will happen tomorrow".
This letter is part of a collection donated by Peter Nash (Nachemstein). The letters document his family's migration to Shanghai, where approximately 18,000 European Jews relocated from 1938 to 1941. Many of these refugees continued on to Australia and the United States at the end of the War.
Peter's maternal grandfather refused to leave Berlin during Hitler's rise to power. As a World War I veteran who had fought for the former Kaiser, he firmly believed that the Nazis would never harm him. Soon after Kristallnacht, in November 1938, Peter's parents, Herbert and Ingeborg, received an eviction notice from the owners of their apartment in Berlin. It stated, "Under the principles of the Nazis it is not acceptable for Aryan tenants to live under the same roof with Jews. We therefore demand that you vacate the premises."
The family chose not to vacate immediately as they were unable to obtain entry visas to another country. On hearing that Shanghai did not require an entry visa, Peter, Herbert, Ingeborg, her parents Isidor and Alice, and her brother decided to leave Berlin. The family travelled by train to Genoa, Italy in April 1939, before boarding the German steamship SS Scharnhorst. Peter recollected that his maternal grandfather was devastated to leave Germany, but that unlike dozens of other family members, their lives were saved by their decision to leave. Sadly, Peter's grandfather died one month after reaching Shanghai, after suffering complications from a heart attack before the journey.
Herbert's parents, Leopold and Cacilie were still living in Poland in 1939 and did not want to emigrate. Soon after Germany occupied Poland, Peter's grandparents were sent to Piotrkow Trybunalski ghetto, along with over 300 other Jews. Herbert and Inge exchanged letters with them throughout 1940 until April 1941, after which they never heard from them again. In late 1942, all the remaining inmates of Piotrkow Trybunalski were transported to Treblinka and murdered.
"My parents rarely spoke about Europe or our lives there. What I know I mostly learned from many artefacts they brought with them to Shanghai, then to Sydney, such as letters, certificates and photos. My father also made carbon copies of his typed letters, from which I learned about myself in Shanghai to the age of six. One of his parents' letters suddenly had a different return address, which meant my grandparents had been sent to a ghetto." - Peter Nash
This letter is enquiring as to whether the family are "already in Shanghai and found our letters?", Leopold and Cacilie also ask whether their son will work in radio wholesale as he did in Berlin, or look for other work. Herbert's parents also refer to their business being "quiet, because of the trouble," and fear that "one does not not know what will happen tomorrow".
This letter is part of a collection donated by Peter Nash (Nachemstein). The letters document his family's migration to Shanghai, where approximately 18,000 European Jews relocated from 1938 to 1941. Many of these refugees continued on to Australia and the United States at the end of the War.
Peter's maternal grandfather refused to leave Berlin during Hitler's rise to power. As a World War I veteran who had fought for the former Kaiser, he firmly believed that the Nazis would never harm him. Soon after Kristallnacht, in November 1938, Peter's parents, Herbert and Ingeborg, received an eviction notice from the owners of their apartment in Berlin. It stated, "Under the principles of the Nazis it is not acceptable for Aryan tenants to live under the same roof with Jews. We therefore demand that you vacate the premises."
The family chose not to vacate immediately as they were unable to obtain entry visas to another country. On hearing that Shanghai did not require an entry visa, Peter, Herbert, Ingeborg, her parents Isidor and Alice, and her brother decided to leave Berlin. The family travelled by train to Genoa, Italy in April 1939, before boarding the German steamship SS Scharnhorst. Peter recollected that his maternal grandfather was devastated to leave Germany, but that unlike dozens of other family members, their lives were saved by their decision to leave. Sadly, Peter's grandfather died one month after reaching Shanghai, after suffering complications from a heart attack before the journey.
Herbert's parents, Leopold and Cacilie were still living in Poland in 1939 and did not want to emigrate. Soon after Germany occupied Poland, Peter's grandparents were sent to Piotrkow Trybunalski ghetto, along with over 300 other Jews. Herbert and Inge exchanged letters with them throughout 1940 until April 1941, after which they never heard from them again. In late 1942, all the remaining inmates of Piotrkow Trybunalski were transported to Treblinka and murdered.
"My parents rarely spoke about Europe or our lives there. What I know I mostly learned from many artefacts they brought with them to Shanghai, then to Sydney, such as letters, certificates and photos. My father also made carbon copies of his typed letters, from which I learned about myself in Shanghai to the age of six. One of his parents' letters suddenly had a different return address, which meant my grandparents had been sent to a ghetto." - Peter Nash
Production placePoland
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 216.00 mm
height: 274.00 mm
Language
- German Gniezno to Shanghai
Letter #3
Undated c. May 1939
My very dear children and Peterchen!
We were very happy to have got your letter and hopefully you are already in Shanghai? and found our letters. We assume that the photo is of your father-in-law and mother-in-law. You did not mention that. What are you going to start doing there? Also radio wholesale"? Or will you move from there to somewhere else? Here business is also quiet, because of the troubles one does not know what will happen tomorrow. Write urgently Answer all that I wrote about in letter No. 2 Also write us what my sisters and brothers-in-law are doing there, if they already have something to bring them parnoze.
Be many times greeted and kissed Your Father
Many greetings for the beloved boy and Family Lewin.
Likewise, for Leo Steinhard and wife and my sisters best wishes Leo
My very dear children and Peterchen!
We were very pleased with your letter no. 2 and trip report, but are very sorry to hear that Peter has a sore foot, in every letter I am telling you to look out for the child. It is very nice that Peter is so independent, you must pay attention as you now have enough time. Not much is currently going on in the business through the uncertainty I am very much for not staying here but Father cannot be moved for that at all, what do we have to lose here. The blessed G'd grant you as soon as possible Parnosse, and when you are doing well then you will arrange for us to come with this hope I always pray since you have gone we wish the best for you I must tell you that the Cohns also will go to Shanghai should we send table linen or pillow cases let us know. We wish you all the best for Peterchen good improvement' many greetings and kisses
Your dearest Mother
(In the left margin)
Many greetings and kisses for Peterchen
Better health for Mr. Lewin and greetings for all
Notes:
Herbert's business in Berlin was wholesaling radio items
The Nachemstein business in Gniezno was dealing in junk (scrap, rags, etc)
Leopold Nachemsteins sister Marta and husband Eugen Mendelsohn and Leo's sister Johanna and husband Sally Posner (all from former Elblag, Poland) had arrived in Shanghai before Herbert on 27 April 1939 (refer Verein Aktives Museum ref R.PR1)
Parnoze/Pernosse/Parnosse is Yiddish for a prosperous life
Leo Steinhard (correctly spelt Steinhardt): believed to be a cousin to Cäcilie
Nachemstein (née Weichmann) and was already in Shanghai with his wife Margarete
Cohns: this could be Cäcilie's sister Nanny and husband Siegfried Cohn
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Peter Nash
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.