Letter from Regina Herrmann to Inge Herrmann on 26 September 1938
Object numberM2020/023:055
TitleLetter from Regina Herrmann to Inge Herrmann on 26 September 1938
Creator Regina Herrmann
DescriptionLetter from Regina Herrmann in Germany to her daughter Inge on 26 September 1938. Inge would have arrived in Fremantle, Australia around the time she received this letter. Regina bids Inge "welcome to your new homeland. May the dear God grant you protection." Regina comments that "perhaps the sun will shine once again for us all and hopefully the time is not too far away when we will be reunited." Regina relays her and Otto's celebration of Rosh Hashanah, stating how she could hardly find any joy in the festival due to Inge's absence. However, Otto gifted her Inge's enlarged passport picture for the holiday, which brought her some happiness.
Regina also comments on a marriage proposal Inge must have talked about in a previous letter, stating she "had a good laugh" and that would be starting rather early. Regina ends the letter with a postscript instructing Inge to "Dress simply and nicely when you arrive in Sydney, also straighten your hair, the first impression is decisive."
There is an associated letter from Otto Herrmann on the same date (M2020/023:056).
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.
Regina also comments on a marriage proposal Inge must have talked about in a previous letter, stating she "had a good laugh" and that would be starting rather early. Regina ends the letter with a postscript instructing Inge to "Dress simply and nicely when you arrive in Sydney, also straighten your hair, the first impression is decisive."
There is an associated letter from Otto Herrmann on the same date (M2020/023:056).
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 1938-09-26
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 295.00 mm
height: 207.00 mm
Language
- German Magdeburg, 26.9.38
My most beloved sweet little Inge!
How overjoyed we were yesterday morning when we received 2 such lovely letters from you, I am unable to describe, I had already been so unhappy and sad and said to daddy, not even for the festival is there any joy. The little pictures are delightful, many, many thanks, do send very soon more. Our dear daddy has given me great joy for Rosh Hashana, he has had the passport pictures enlarged and would you be able to imagine my delight. Do not worry about us, we are well healthwise, the weather is wonderful, but not so good for the business/shop, but there is nothing we can do about it. Mrs. ? Jank ? is very unhappy that Gisela has not received any mail, they write as we do, what can the reason be?
Above all, my beloved child, please write in detail how the high holidays were celebrated on the ship, I think you must have had a beautiful service and had food in abundance. Hopefully the great heat has eased a little and you are again healthy and cheerful. I had a good laugh about the marriage proposal, that is starting rather early, but for that, my beloved child, there is still a bit of time, don't you think? The world has become so small for us Jews, you having met an acquaintance of Max Rosenberg in Aden, what a coincidence.
So, now news from Magdeburg. Mrs. P
had a little daughter yesterday as we walked in
Minni (or Mimi) congratulated us and asked after you in detail, also Cilly and some others, whose names I don't know
., what some people have to suffer. Mrs. ? Asher ? has 2 sons, in Erez, and on Thursday she got the news that her youngest was shot by Arabs, is that just dreadful,
I was devastated. [5 lines illegible]
Now my beloved child, I bid you welcome to your new homeland. May the dear God grant you protection
Perhaps the sun will shine once again for us all and hopefully the time is not too far away when we will be reunited, may God grant us that. As soon as you have arrived and are settled write at once via air-mail. Tonight we are visiting
tomorrow evening the
are coming to us. You can see, my lovely child, that your parents are still careless, but to sit at home all the time doesn't serve anything either, one needs the company of other people.
On Thursday ? Günter ? W. has his birthday, of course I have to go and see him. Hertha had been here again, she sends her regards again, also
Farewell my sweet, beloved little Inge, let me embrace you and 10000 times of greetings and kisses from your loving Mum
Dress simply and nicely when you arrive in Sydney, also straighten your hair, the first impression is decisive.
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.