Letter
Object numberM2020/033:009
TitleLetter
DescriptionHandwritten letter in German dated 10 December 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.
In this letter Leopold and Cacilie write that they "are sitting on a powder keg and not knowing what is going on. The business is finished". Cacilie also alludes to "40 men who disappeared from H and the surrounding area". Caclie also writes that she and Leopold "want to and gladly come over there [Shanghai]". But that they "must see first, how we get there and how much that would cost"
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
In this letter Leopold and Cacilie write that they "are sitting on a powder keg and not knowing what is going on. The business is finished". Cacilie also alludes to "40 men who disappeared from H and the surrounding area". Caclie also writes that she and Leopold "want to and gladly come over there [Shanghai]". But that they "must see first, how we get there and how much that would cost"
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
Production date 1939-12-10
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 206.00 mm
height: 329.00 mm
Language
- German Gniezno to Shanghai
Letter #11
10 December 1939
In the top margin Herbert Nachemstein noted: Last letter from Gnesen (Gniezno)
My very dear children and Peterchen!
We received your card and were very happy for it, here at the moment, it's like we are sitting on a powder keg and not knowing what is going on. The business is finished. We also wrote a letter that hopefully you received in the meanwhile, Aunt Rosa and Uncle Heinrich and their daughter arrived here also in the meanwhile, here are also those from the districts Hohensalza, Znin, Mogilno, Wegrowitz, ca 350 persons", its horrible to witness. Till now no news has come in about Uncle N. in H. and also the two sons and likewise for Lisser from Danzig. There is no sign of the son that just stayed with Uncle N in H, so unquestionably the worst is feared, there are in all about 40 men who disappeared from H and the surrounding area. For today nothing else except to congratulate on your wedding anniversary and Inge's birthday' and many greetings and kisses to you and the dear boy and Lewin Family.
Your Father
Reply Paid Coupon does not exist
My very dear children and Peterchen!
We worry a lot that we are not getting any mail from you. For your anniversary I send you my heartiest congratulations, and that the dear G'd grants you the best, and that you again have happiness in your lives, and that you can sustain yourselves decently. At the same time I congratulate dearest Inge for her birthday and wish you many more alongside your Herbert and that you can bring up your well-behaved child and get much pleasure, I can imagine what a boy he has become, so now we would like to see him. We expect to definitely leave on Friday. Dear Herbert I want to and gladly come over there. We must see first, how we get there and how much that would cost and we will make the application. Enjoy the day in health and we wish you a real good Pernosse many greetings and kisses from your dear Mother
Many greetings and kisses to Peter
Notes:
Rosa and Heinrich Weichmann and daughter Traute from Pakosch (now Pakosc, Pol). Heinrich was Cäcilie's brother
10 December 1939 was a Sunday but the deportation to Piotrkow Trybunalski (aka by the German name Petrikau) Ghetto was 13 December 1939, a Wednesday, as shown on Deportation Lists obtained from the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw in 1997
Nathan Nachenstein from Hohensalza (now Inowroclaw, Pol), the youngest brother of Leopold (Nathan was not on the list of Jews rounded up)
Nathan's sons are believed to be Lothar and Hans Nachemstein (also not on the list of Jews rounded up)
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.