Letter from Kaethe Manneberg to Inge Herrmann
Object numberM2020/023:032
TitleLetter from Kaethe Manneberg to Inge Herrmann
Creator Kaethe Manneberg
DescriptionLetter from Kaethe Manneberg in Berlin to her niece Inge Herrmann in Sydney on 11 July 1939. The primary goal of Kaethe's letter to her niece is to make clear to Inge the reality that her parents, still in Inge's hometown of Magdeburg, are unlikely to be able to emigrate to either America, Palestine, or Australia. Kaethe notably remarks that if she had known the immigration to Australia for her sister and brother-in-law (Regina and Otto Herrmann) was so hopeless she would have applied for an American permit for them earlier. Kaethe had already applied to America but was informed the wait was likely 3 years for approval, and a new applicaion for Otto and Regina was likely to have an 8 year wait.
Kaethe also inquires after some troubles Inge seems to be having with her employment in Sydney. She also expresses concern about the fact that Inge has said she does not like it in Australia. Kaethe states that this has quite upset her, and encourages Inge to try her best to make the most of the opportunity the young country of Australia presents.
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.
Kaethe also inquires after some troubles Inge seems to be having with her employment in Sydney. She also expresses concern about the fact that Inge has said she does not like it in Australia. Kaethe states that this has quite upset her, and encourages Inge to try her best to make the most of the opportunity the young country of Australia presents.
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 placeGermany
Production date 1939-07-11
Subjectloved ones' contact
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 210.00 mm
height: 297.00 mm
Language
- German Berlin, 11/July/1939.
My dear little Inge,
I was going to reply to your dear letter at once, it was delayed because I was hoping to receive the address from Dr. Levy was working with us in the past and on his departure promised me to look after you. To this day I have not the pleasure to do this. As I have heard he is doing well in Australia. Whether he is in touch with the committee I don't know, perhaps you could inquire about this. He is a very nice person and if he can would be helping you with this. To get your parents across to us, at least, to show you the way. Although, I hear, by the way that only refusals are coming out of Australia. After my information (Mrs. Schoeps, whom you know as well) it is necessary to be earning 5 a week and 150 Pound savings in the bank. The daughter of Mrs. Schoeps is supposedly gone out there with her husband and little Mirjiam and is now trying to get her mother and sister to be allowed to follow. Whether this is so I cannot judge. In any case your dear parents wrote yesterday that you cannot extend any hope.
I am extremely surprised and shaken that you don't like it in Australia. Is it the work, the people or what else that depresses you? I have always assumed that you are going along well as I had rarely heard otherwise, now I hear the opposite. It took many days to overcome my disappointment and sorrow that you don't feel well in a strange country and so I am asking my little Inge, try and settle there. It is extremely difficult all over the world and Australia they say that it is a wonderful developing country, the land of the future. You have to remember that in Palestine there is nothing but disturbances, any existence for non-Zionists there is none and even in America roasted pigeons don't come flying into your mouth [expression for lack of easy life]. For your dear parents it is totally ruled out to ever go to Palestine, there are only parent certificates, that is such as where children are already there and existing with Capital Certificates. The latter are very limited that hardly any came out, at least for non-Zionists. And that it takes years and years to immigrate to America as you would know. Had I known that so little is on offer for your parents to come to you I would have tried immediately to get an Affidavit. According to our number we are likely to reach emigration in 3 years, yes it could take another 4 to 5 years and your parents, for whom we have now requested a registration number they could have now have to wait 8 - 10 years. That is of course meaningless. You can therefore count on either that they emigrate to Palestine nor count on America (?). I really dont know what will be but in the end they will have to stay somewhere and perhaps there will be another possibility. In any case you will have to forget they could get to Palestine. That would have been a possibility if in the past you had decided to go there, in that case a Parent request would now perhaps be possible. And so my dear child that how it is. I had to write this so clearly so that you face up to the facts. On top of this I am hoping that once Guenther will arrive in Australia you will have a connection and feel more at ease. He believes he will be able. But we don't think that far ahead
Has Mr. Gassmann now arrived and did you receive an invitation? Our letter which we wrote all together one day before granny's birthday, has hopefully arrived in good time, we were happy to have all Magdeburgers here together on that day. We talked a lot about you and Guenther and we too remembered how 10 years ago you did well in the kitchen in Dahlmann Street. Oh God, how did we have great times, none of us had a clue what was ahead of us in the near future but we must not abandon our courage, only stay fit and keep on hoping.
Ingelein, are you quite in good health? I was so completely scared when I read that you not on your job (?). Understandably I did not talk about it, neither to your parents nor Oma, I only told Miss Freund who was of course very upset about the news. Have you got it difficult in your position? Are your employers nice. Have you got friends, good friends I mean, do they like you? I would very much like to know everything. Miss Freund is also leaving us soon, she is going to England, she is going to the children in England, making competition with you. As for me I am very sorry about it, but for her I am happy, that she has got that far. Because it is not easy for us here. Aunt Jettchen is not at her post at all and poor aunt Gina is finding it difficult. I am always thanking God that Oma is keeping reasonably in good health but I have got instead other worries on top of that. Uncle Erich is working with your dad but finding it awfully difficult as through the week he is not at home and only returning home on the weekend .
We are so very happy about your picture to come, hopefully it will arrive soon, from Gunther we also got one for Oma's birthday. I am always thinking about you Ingelein, if I only knew how I could help you. These days we are writing to the address of Dr. Levy in London, someone is there who knows about her (?) as soon as find out I pass it on to you or even better I write a letter to him if you pass it on to him eventually. Hopefully there will be no war, it looks so bad in the whole world and perhaps this misfortune against us will pass us. I am still in my position and I have to say work is the only redeeming thing. Are you meeting up with Gisela Jank, has she got a decent position? In general, I hear that a lot is expected from the girls, that is they have to work very hard. Is that the case for you? Am hoping you will write again soon in detail, what is in my limited power to help you from here on I shall be glad to do. Your complaint about the committee I will of course pass on. And now my Ingelein keep well. Be brave and see to it to settle down in your new homeland. It will soon be a year since you left us, with time passing by. From my heart wishing you well and embracing you, sincerely,
Your aunt Kate.
Oma knows nothing about this letter but she will surely send sincere regards, as well as uncle Erich, aunt Jettchen and aunt Gins.
Miss Freund is sending sincere regards
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.