Letter from Joan Harris to Inge Herrmann
Object numberM2020/023:023
TitleLetter from Joan Harris to Inge Herrmann
Creator Joan Harris
DescriptionLetter to Inge Herrmann from her maternal cousin Joan 'Hanni' Harris on 10 October 1945. Hanni enquires about any information Inge may have on their family. She says that she has not been successful in gaining any information on the Mannebergs and Harrises (shared family relations for both of them) through the Red Cross.
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.
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 placeUnited States
Production date 1945-10-10
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 215.00 mm
height: 280.00 mm
Language
- German This letter was written on October 10. 1945 from Hanni to her cousin Inge. She writes that is has been a while since they've written each other. 'I have for a while not been feeling very well and worry greatly about my brother, who is seriously ill'.
Hanni writes that she is no longer living with Joe and Mia May since the living conditions were not sufficient for the three of them. 'I am however there every weekend, we don't work every Saturday anymore, only have 40 hours per week, and always go out with them on Friday nights'.
Hanni writes 'The main reason for this letter is to enquire whether you have heard anything from your family. As I have written to you earlier, we could not find an information through the Red Cross about the Mannebergs and Harrises.' There is further information about relatives such as Max Rosenberg who migrated to Palestine, his mother and Inge's grandmother were siblings, however he passed away from Leucomia* in April. Lastly Hanni writes whether Inge has heard from Guenther Manneberg. At the bottom is the address of the Mays residence, how Hanni is residing with part time.
*translators note could be leukaemia. However unsure as I was not able to translate this. The letter mentions Leukomia.
Translated summary by Yasmin Tegen Anderson, April 2019
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.