Letter from Otto Herrman to Inge Herrmann on 2 September 1938
Object numberM2020/023:050
TitleLetter from Otto Herrman to Inge Herrmann on 2 September 1938
Creator Otto Herrmann
DescriptionLetter from Otto Herrmann to his daughter Inge on 2 September 1938 while she was on board the SS Oronsay to Australia. Otto asks why Inge hasn't sent him nor her mother Regina any letters, and wonders if she has received any letters from the two of them since he had already sent three. He scolds her for seeming to only write a letter to two of her friends, but not her parents.
There is an associated letter from Regina Herrmann on the same date. (M2020/023:049)
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.
There is an associated letter from Regina Herrmann on the same date. (M2020/023:049)
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 1938-09-02
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 209.00 mm
height: 295.00 mm
Language
- German Magdeburg, 2 September 1938
My beloved Ingelein
We hope the course of your journey was good, and that you recieve our letters properly . We have actually been waiting for news from you, why do you not try air-mail, that is, as long as you find yourself in Europe, it is only 15 Pfennig more expensive than a more common letter, make sure, when you take an airmail envelope, that you also stamp appropriately. As we heard from Berlin they have news from you in London and they were very glad. It is ridiculous that we do not have any news from you, this is already the third letter that we have addressed on the ship and we still do not know if you have obtained any of them. The address, how we have it, must however be right. We have read in the newspaper that at the moment in Naples, where you shall receive our letter, Mt. Vesuvius erupted, there you will see a nearby rare natural spectacle. Here nothing new is happening, the only one of your friends, who we have spoken to is Sigrid Schätzer and Mimmi Kohl, who you sent a letter, are you not bothered to hold us worthy to speak to us? We have also not spoken to the Jankolowitzs, so we do not know if or what news they have gotten. Well anyway I will not allow that mummy goes there again and shows them your letter, or reads it out, when she does not stay necessary the same. I have great pain again from tears, that and the troubles are not something that leaves someone. I do not know what more I should write to you, since I have requested, in my earlier letter, which I have not received an answer. From the parish newsletter I have cut out a notice for you, which would definitely interest you. So my beloved child, now live right well, continue to stay healthy and pleasant journey.
Intimate regards and kisses,
Your dad.
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.