Letter from Regina Herrmann to Inge Herrmann on 16 September 1938
Object numberM2020/023:053
TitleLetter from Regina Herrmann to Inge Herrmann on 16 September 1938
Creator Regina Herrmann
DescriptionLetter from Regina Herrmann to her daughter Inge on 16 September 1938 while Inge was traveling from Germany to Australia via England on the SS Oronsay. Regina wishes Inge a happy New Year for Rosh Hashanah, which Inge would have celebrated on board the ship. Regina comments that the new year "is presenting your young life with great upheaval" telling Inge to have "courage to be far from your parents and spend the high holidays on the ship." She states that she is sure Inge had a rather nice service as there were so many Jews aboard.
The Herrmann's had been experiencing some difficulties with their clothing businesses for years as a result of numerous anti-semitic laws. Regina comments that their shop was "slowly starting to go a bit better", stating that she hoped to buy herself a pair of shoes if things continued well.
There is an associated letter from Otto Herrmann on the same date (M2020/023:054).
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.
The Herrmann's had been experiencing some difficulties with their clothing businesses for years as a result of numerous anti-semitic laws. Regina comments that their shop was "slowly starting to go a bit better", stating that she hoped to buy herself a pair of shoes if things continued well.
There is an associated letter from Otto Herrmann on the same date (M2020/023:054).
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 1938-09-16
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 295.00 mm
height: 200.00 mm
Language
- German Magdeburg, 16.9.1938
My dearly beloved sweet child! We hope with all our heart that you are quite well and that we will receive a letter from you soon. When you receive this letter you are on Australian soil and in your new homeland, God willing, and we wish you with all our heart and hope, if at all possible, that the new country and homeland will assure your happiness and prosperity.
On this occasion, my beloved little Inge, I wish you all the best for the "New Year". The new year is presenting your young life with great upheaval
, courage to be far from your parents and spend the high holidays on the ship, I take it that you had surely a rather beautiful service on the ship, because there are so many Jews on board. May the dear God hear our prayers and keep us all in good health and guide us towards a better and happier future. Of course we will always be with you in our thoughts, my beloved child. I have no news about me. The business/shop is slowly starting to go a bit better, about time, too. There is always work
, about which I am glad,
earns 3.30 Mark, hopefully it will continue. One of these days I am going to buy myself a pair of shoes.
? Mimi Kohl ? doesn't write anymore, I don't even know whether she is still here, I will try and find out. Every Friday evening I go to synagogue, your girl-friend
and
wish me "Good Shabbes" everytime, but not once have they asked how you are or what you write
[4 lines illegible]
I often get together with Mrs. J, she often comes to the shop. We also had a letter from Aunt Betty the other day, I feel very sorry for her, because of
[2 lines illegible]. Do you have such a dreadful heat, we could
use. -When you write to us, dear child, do use ink and write very clearly, it is so difficult to decipher the words on the thin paper. Mister L
[5 lines illegible].
I am going to write to Mrs.
for the high holidays, because otherwise she
, she often comes to see us to hear what you have written
and everybody sends their regards. What are the names of your good friends, perhaps they know the Casparis? Are you not spending a lot of time with Gisela? Now I want to finish, when Daddy has finished his meal he will write. Now, my beloved, sweet child, spend the holidays in a pleasant fashion, I embrace you and kiss you, a thousand times, your loving Mother.
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.