Letter from Heinz Caspari to Inge Herrmann
Object numberM2020/023:007
TitleLetter from Heinz Caspari to Inge Herrmann
Creator Heinz Caspari
DescriptionLetter sent from Henrik (Heinz) Caspari (Inge's cousin) in Sweden in October 1944, inquiring after the lack of correspondence from Inge for over a year after her parents approved her marriage, despite requests for updates that could be relayed to her parents in Theresienstadt. He relays how her parents inquire after her married status and general life, with hopes of receiving photos.
Heinz speaks of his family's correspondence with Inge's parents. Heinz asks Inge to send some money via telegram so that the Caspari's can send care parcels to her family in the camp, giving examples of some food products they can send. Heinz also says he has included one of the postcards received from her father with the letter.
In the postscript Heinz remarks that Inge's handwriting is 'abominable' and to please send type written letters.
Part of a collection of over 60 letters to Inge-Ruth Poppert (nee Herrmann) from 1937 to 1957, as well as memorabilia and personal documents that detail the Holocaust experiences of the Herrmann family, and the establishment Inge's life in Sydney, Australia.
Inge was born on 12 October 1922 in Wolmirstedt, near Magdeburg, Germany to Otto and Kate-Regina Herrmann (nee Manneberg). Inge lived in Wolmirstedt, but attended school in Madgeburg from 1933. The family relocated to the city of Magdeburg in 1935 where Otto owned two shops. Due to anti-Semitism and anti-Jewish legislation, Otto had lost his clothing business in Wolmirstedt. However, from 1937 with the increasing Aryanisation of Jewish assets and property, the Herrmann family again forcibly lost their remaining businesses and way of life.
Despite the worsening risk to all Jews in Germany, Inge's parents initially resisted emigration, though in 1937 they decided that their daughter should leave. Inge was approved to go to Australia after being assessed in Berlin. She arrived in Sydney via London in September 1938.
Otto and Regina lived in increasing poverty and anxiety. Otto was arrested in 1938 and sent to Buchenwald for a brief period before being released. In October 1942 they were deported to Theresienstadt. Inge received no sign of life from her parents from 1944 and only learned years after the war that they were deported to Auschwitz in October 1944 where they were murdered.
Heinz speaks of his family's correspondence with Inge's parents. Heinz asks Inge to send some money via telegram so that the Caspari's can send care parcels to her family in the camp, giving examples of some food products they can send. Heinz also says he has included one of the postcards received from her father with the letter.
In the postscript Heinz remarks that Inge's handwriting is 'abominable' and to please send type written letters.
Part of a collection of over 60 letters to Inge-Ruth Poppert (nee Herrmann) from 1937 to 1957, as well as memorabilia and personal documents that detail the Holocaust experiences of the Herrmann family, and the establishment Inge's life in Sydney, Australia.
Inge was born on 12 October 1922 in Wolmirstedt, near Magdeburg, Germany to Otto and Kate-Regina Herrmann (nee Manneberg). Inge lived in Wolmirstedt, but attended school in Madgeburg from 1933. The family relocated to the city of Magdeburg in 1935 where Otto owned two shops. Due to anti-Semitism and anti-Jewish legislation, Otto had lost his clothing business in Wolmirstedt. However, from 1937 with the increasing Aryanisation of Jewish assets and property, the Herrmann family again forcibly lost their remaining businesses and way of life.
Despite the worsening risk to all Jews in Germany, Inge's parents initially resisted emigration, though in 1937 they decided that their daughter should leave. Inge was approved to go to Australia after being assessed in Berlin. She arrived in Sydney via London in September 1938.
Otto and Regina lived in increasing poverty and anxiety. Otto was arrested in 1938 and sent to Buchenwald for a brief period before being released. In October 1942 they were deported to Theresienstadt. Inge received no sign of life from her parents from 1944 and only learned years after the war that they were deported to Auschwitz in October 1944 where they were murdered.
Production placeSweden
Production date 1944-10-09
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 225.00 mm
height: 285.00 mm
Language
- German From:Henrik Caspari, Sweden 09/10/1944.
To: Miss Inge-Ruth Herrmann, Australia.
Dear Inge, We are very disturbed not having received any reply to my letter of 17/02/1943, to my telegram of the same day,Parents agree marriage and to the several, later sent letters, from my mother. We cant just imagine that everything could be lost. In my letter I also attached an original card of your father. Further I wrote that you should send money so that we could send more provisions to your parents as this is now possible. The parcels are ordered in Sweden but sent from Lisbon. I also quoted an address to where you can send the money in case you dont want to settle this through us.
Heros Handels A.B. ,Vartawagen 27,Stockholm. Although it would be better to arrange this through us. In any case we order it through Heros, but we then receive every time the postal receipt from Lisbon. At a time it could take months or years for such an invoice to arrive with you. The money that you could send would of course transmitted by telegram, as otherwise it would take too much time. For example, prices are ( I repeat my advice of 17/02/1943)
.see table Quality sardines in oil,Tuna in oil, figs, ,peeled almonds all in Crowns. Larger amounds
.as shown. All expenses, licences, transport and delivery are included. We have already sent a number of parcels all of which arrived in good order. The latest sign of life from Otto was on 07/08/1944 in which he confirmed the last parcel and a card on 17/08/1944 from your grandmother who is writing that at the age of 85 years she is very mobile. Living in a nursing home and meeting up with her daughters, who are working there, on a daily basis. However the most imported for your parents is: News from you. They ask every time whether you are married now, the name of the son-in-law, how you are set up, whether they can get any photos of the young couple ( maybe some little ones are already there ). We cant understand there is now news from you.. We cant imagine that in almost two years you have indeed not written any lines.. Do immediately send a telegram on receipt of these lines so that we may know that you are alive and in good health. This is a duty towards your parents. There is not much to report from us.. Birger has now started at school, Harriet is busy in singing and apart from that looking after a larger household with 4 gentlemen in furnished accommodation and as for myself I have recently completed the State exam in theology, in order to secure a place as Pastor by Christmas time.
But, as said before: get in touch immediately! Best wishes from all of us, Henrik.
Anneliese sends regards.
P.S please send type written, Your scrawling is abominable.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Kim Poppert
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.