Object numberM2021/008:001
DescriptionLetter from Fritz Borchardt to his daughter Alice in Antwerp, Belgium, 10 October 1937. Twenty-four year old Alice escaped Berlin for Johannesburg via boat from Antwerp. She was accompanied to the port by her father, who then wrote his final words of farewell: "God bless you and protect you, he should shine his countenance over you and he give you peace, peace in the country, peace in your home and peace in your soul."
Part of a collection of 11 documents related to Alice Philipps (nee Borchardt) and her escape from Berlin, Germany, to Johannesburg, South Africa in October 1937. The collection includes documents Alice needed in order to emigrate from Germany, including police registration forms and clearance certificates.
Alice Philipps (nee Borchardt) was born in Charlottenburg, Berlin on 15 March 1913 to Fritz Emil Borchardt and Irma (Erna) nee Sommerfeld. Her younger sister Inge was born six years later on 11 October 1919. Fritz was a businessman and had a paint factory in Berlin. Alice was living with her parents in Berlin when they decided they had to leave Germany.
In May 1937, Alice’s parents prepared everything for her emigration to South Africa and collected all necessary documents she needed. According to the farewell letter from her father, dated 10 October 1937, he organised her escape and escorted her to the harbour in Antwerp, Belgium. Alice took a boat from Antwerp to Johannesburg in the first weeks of October 1937.
Due to emigration constraints, the Borchardt family was forced to separate across the globe. Fritz immigrated to London via Shanghai, were he remarried. Inge made it to Melbourne, Australia, while Irma escaped to New York via Spain. Inge and Irma were reunited in Australia in 1947, and Alice joined them with the Philipps family in 1988.
Alice died in 2010 in Sydney.
Part of a collection of 11 documents related to Alice Philipps (nee Borchardt) and her escape from Berlin, Germany, to Johannesburg, South Africa in October 1937. The collection includes documents Alice needed in order to emigrate from Germany, including police registration forms and clearance certificates.
Alice Philipps (nee Borchardt) was born in Charlottenburg, Berlin on 15 March 1913 to Fritz Emil Borchardt and Irma (Erna) nee Sommerfeld. Her younger sister Inge was born six years later on 11 October 1919. Fritz was a businessman and had a paint factory in Berlin. Alice was living with her parents in Berlin when they decided they had to leave Germany.
In May 1937, Alice’s parents prepared everything for her emigration to South Africa and collected all necessary documents she needed. According to the farewell letter from her father, dated 10 October 1937, he organised her escape and escorted her to the harbour in Antwerp, Belgium. Alice took a boat from Antwerp to Johannesburg in the first weeks of October 1937.
Due to emigration constraints, the Borchardt family was forced to separate across the globe. Fritz immigrated to London via Shanghai, were he remarried. Inge made it to Melbourne, Australia, while Irma escaped to New York via Spain. Inge and Irma were reunited in Australia in 1947, and Alice joined them with the Philipps family in 1988.
Alice died in 2010 in Sydney.
Production placeBelgium
Production date 1937-10-10
Production periodpre-World War II
Subjectescape pre-war, immigration, separation, farewells
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Techniquehandwritten
Dimensions
- a width: 166.00 mm
a height: 212.00 mm
b width: 170.00 mm
b height: 114.00 mm
Language
- German 10 October 1937
Alice!
I finished my correspondence in Antwerp [Belgium]. I escorted you so far. I provided, on the boat, which should lead you in your new home, the position for you, which I had wished for my daughter. During the time of my company, I had the opportunity to chat intensively about some things, which might will stay in your memory for a long time and what will make you think about it and I ensured that you will laugh with nice company and you will pass dancing the equator to your new home. Before I will return back home, before I will shout a last farewell to you, before you leave definitively your parental home, before you will establish a home and start a family in a foreign country, I shout to you in our old fathers manner:
"God bless you and protect you, he should shine his countenance over you and he give you peace, peace in the country, peace in your home and peace in your soul. Amen."
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Ralph Philipps
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.