Letter from Regina Herrmann to Inge Herrmann on 30 November 1938
Object numberM2020/023:062
TitleLetter from Regina Herrmann to Inge Herrmann on 30 November 1938
Creator Regina Herrmann
DescriptionLetter from Regina Herrmann in Magdeburg on 30 November 1938 to her daughter Inge Herrmann, who had emigrated to Australia months prior. Regina begins the letter by saying that she could have replied earlier but had hoped that her husband Otto would have returned in time to also write. Otto and his brother-in-law Heinrich Manneberg were interred in Buchenwald concentration camp following the events of Kristallnacht. Regina informs her that she had at least heard from those returned that Heinrich and Otto were doing well and that "calmed me a lot." Regina speaks of making Inge a jumper, and that she will be able to "think about the fact that this was the worst ......time in your mum's life when she made it."
Regina also speaks of their relatives in Berlin, which included her sister Kaethe and mother Jenny. She relays how Inge's aunt Kaethe was lamenting having to send her nephew Gunther away to England. Regina also states that she has been getting mail from them every second day and "they are also greatly worried."
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 speaks of their relatives in Berlin, which included her sister Kaethe and mother Jenny. She relays how Inge's aunt Kaethe was lamenting having to send her nephew Gunther away to England. Regina also states that she has been getting mail from them every second day and "they are also greatly worried."
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 1938-11-30
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 291.00 mm
height: 206.00 mm
Language
- German Magdeburg, 30.11.1938
My greatly beloved, golden child!
I received your dear letter, I could have written a day earlier, but I had still hoped that Daddy would return and also write. I expect him to return any day now as a number of acquaintances are already back. As soon as Daddy gets back we will immediately tell you. You cannot imagine, my dear, how great my joy is when I hear, that you are well, G-d be praised, and that you are healthy. My dear sweet child make an effort that people are pleased/content with you, you don't know how lucky you are to be in Australia, I wished that we would be there as well - your dear pictures are truly delightful, they are a good likeness of you, who are the two young people? Guenther has to
.. on 1.1.39, aunt
. hates that he will be sent to England or Holland. Grandpa is in hospital, he is, G-d be praised, already better, he wanted to go on his own account, which is good. Now the house will also be sold. Mrs. Jakob
. -
have gone a few days ago, I don't know when they will arrive nor which ship they took, I am not interested and nor should you be. They didn't even make an effort to say goodbye, that is really the height of rudeness. Once I had been there and had asked,
. to speak, Mrs. W said to me, we are not over there yet, isn't that just such rudeness. -
.. says Gisela's grandpa has died, I will go to Mrs. J in the morning and find out whether that is true. I get mail from Berlin every second day, they are also greatly worried. Have you again spoken with people from Magdeburg
? F
. F
has come back already, I am going over there tomorrow early, write to them, that you are unable to do anything
Every evening we meet at H, at least the time passes and one is a little distracted. For you, my beloved child I am working on a jumper, one like T's, nice and light for Australian conditions. When you are going to wear it, if G-d permits, then you can think about the fact that this was the most
.. time in your Mum's life when she made it. Yesterday the L
. were visiting me and they passed on regards from Daddy, he and uncle are well, that calmed me a lot. I take it that Sydney is more beautiful than Adelaide or do you feel in general more at home there. I have also been talking with Mimi lately, always the same pain, she comes over to get your address
.
My dear, sweet child, write to me please whether you (pl.) are assigned guardians or whether the committee looks after you (pl.), do not forget, I am interested to know about that, as is Mrs
, H, Ruth, and ? Frank?
everybody sends you cordial greetings, also grandma, and they all wish you all the best. I am curious (to find out) whether Mrs. Adelson will reply and my dear, sweet child have you been able to achieve anything at all? Aunt Kaethe has wired to America for us and uncle, hopefully it will be successful.
I greet and kiss you, my beloved child, innumerable times, and embrace you,
Your loving Mum
Also from me many, many greetings from Seppel*
*Seppel - often short for Josef
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.