Letter from Otto Hermann to Inge Herrmann on 28 December 1938
Object numberM2020/023:067
TitleLetter from Otto Hermann to Inge Herrmann on 28 December 1938
Creator Otto Herrmann
DescriptionLetter from Otto Herrmann to his daughter Inge Herrmann on 28 December 1938. Otto relays his gratitude for his daughter's hard work in nearly achieving permits for her parents to Australia. He does express concern about how they could get over there once they receive the permits as the English ship lines were sold out into May of the next year, with a German steamer being a last resort.
Although the translation is unclear, Otto appears to reference the successful immigration of his sister Betty Caspari to Sweden.
Otto references her mother's letter that speaks of lighting their menorah, with the appropriate blessings being recited every evening.
There is an associated letter from Regina Herrmann on the same date (M2020/023:066).
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.
Although the translation is unclear, Otto appears to reference the successful immigration of his sister Betty Caspari to Sweden.
Otto references her mother's letter that speaks of lighting their menorah, with the appropriate blessings being recited every evening.
There is an associated letter from Regina Herrmann on the same date (M2020/023:066).
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 1938-12-28
Subjectfamilies, loved ones' contact, immigration
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 210.00 mm
height: 290.00 mm
Language
- German Magdeburg, 28/12/1938.
To: Ingelein.
Truthfully, many thanks for your two letters of 14. And 13. December, which arrived in the above order.Indeed the one from 14. arrived here on the first of the Christmas celebrations and you can imagine how delighted we were with your news that you have found somebody who will accept for us the guarantee and hopefully we shall get the Permit quite quickly so that we can claim the Pass. As we heard from the traffic authorities the English shipping lines are sold out now into May. If there is no other way we shall just go with a German steamer. As Erich Herzberg went at the time, you travel a bit longer but it is substantially cheaper. Yesterday we got a long letter from M. and Mrs. Erich Herzberg, which was happily received, it was written on 15. November, stamped on 19/11 and was sent as ordinary letter ie. underway 5 weeks which is not too long. So it was, I did still wanted to write to you following your second letter of 13/12 but skipped over that. After a long time again mother had trouble with her legs, she had an inflammation of her veins and had to lie down for a few days and so I transported her by car to Buckau and now Thank God all is well again. When on Sunday evening I returned from Buckau mum stayed behind for a few days, came back about 9.oçlock in the evening, went up to the post office and left instruction for the air letter from Australia to be delivered express. Because after all on the second holiday there won't be a postal delivery. I had only just got home, it still was not 9.30 and your letter arrived . We were most surprised that you hadn't written for a long time but now I can explain it, you have, as they say , moved Heaven and Earth just to find somebody who will speak up for us and since you could not find anybody, kept postponing things in order not to expect us to stop writing. My dear good child, how much we are delighted that that now you did succeed after all and we can't just tell you that the money for you passage we'll just raise it no matter how and we will get it. Just think again about our Pastor in Sweden is able to let them come to Sweden for good, he has sent them all the documents and arranged accommodation and services in a Stockholm resort. And then he has arranged immigration to Sweden for Werner Lindheim,wife and child and got him employment even though the Lindheims w
will only stay there for limited time because after all they have an Affidavid to the USA so all this deserves a high recognition, also Anneliese Herrmann, who is also going to America , invited to Sweden in the meantime. Earlier we were with Janko but he was not there. He had two letters from Gisela that he was going to show us, they arrived by ordinary mail and underway since mid November so actually overtaken, Mrs.J. is saying it was just underway to us so once again we missed out. Of course we have immediately written to auntie and Oma and are expecting a letter from there early to-morrow morning and didn't want to keep you waiting any longer for our reply, and therefore did not expect the reply. Mother has written to you that every evening we have lit the Chanukah lights and Mr. Z, who recently converted to Judaism again, did recite the appropriate blessings nearly every evening. And now, dear Inge child, I will finish, thanks again for the great effort you made about the Permits, stay around the people with gratitude, who offered the guarantee. As far as I know only 50 Pounds are required for an adult permit and not 200 as you have written or has there be a change. Lots of deepest best wishes and kisses sent by your Father. Do write again soon. I have well recovered again, Vati.
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.