Posie album belonging to Gerda Pus
Object numberM2021/027:004
TitlePosie album belonging to Gerda Pus
Description"Posie" album that belonged to Gerda Pus containing entries from Vienna, Austria and Sydney, Australia between 1934 and 1947.
Posie albums were popular with young people in 20th century Germany and were used to record quotes, verses, drawings and photos of friends, classmates and other acquaintances. Such albums were a reminder of the people who shared in one's life stages, particularly school and further study.
Page 1 contains a poem by Gerda's teacher in Vienna on 20 February 1934 which states, "Always stand upright, without being held up by others. Marcus Aurelius, Selbstbetrachtungen. With honest good wishes for your further journey through life, my dear little Gerda. Yours Mariaoon [?]".
Notably, this album contains poems, sayings and well wishes from Gerda's relatives, friends and teachers in Vienna prior to her family's escape from Austria in 1939 and includes the names of individuals who were murdered during the Holocaust.
This is part of a collection of passports, documents, booklets, prayer books and autograph books donated by Peter Haining pertaining to the life of his mother, Gerda Haining (nee Pus), and his grandmother, Nelly Pus (nee Kormas).
Nelly was born in Vienna, Austria on 8 May 1896 to Adolf and Charlotte Kormos (nee Steinmann). Nelly had five siblings; Olga, Irene, Camilla, Friedrich and Melanie. Although Nelly was Jewish, she married Friedrich Ludwig Pus (formerly Pusch) who was Catholic. Friedrich was the manager of a car dealership in Vienna. Their daughter Gerda, was born in Vienna on 8 March 1923. According to Peter, his mother, Gerda, witnessed German troops march into Vienna after annexing Austria on 12 March 1938. He recalled that from this moment, 'things became difficult, my Mother had a Star of David on her clothes and had to stand in the back of her classroom at school".
Nelly's father, Adolf, passed away prior to Kristallnacht on 3 November 1938. Peter recalled that his grandfather, Friedrich, had a childhood friend in the Gestapo who gave him a badge which he wore under his lapel, and enabled him to avoid deportation. This same friend aided the Pus family in their escape from Austria in 1939.
According to Peter, Nelly had to leave her mother, Charlotte, by the side of the road with her furniture. Charlotte remained in Vienna until 1942. She was deported via transport IV/1, no. 771 from Vienna to Theresienstadt on 20 June 1942. She was murdered 8 days later on 28 June 1942.
Nelly's brother, Friedrich Kormos, survived the Holocaust, leaving Austria on 3 September 1938 and arriving in Bolivia in March 1939. Nelly's sister, Olga Beckova (nee. Kormos), was deported from Prague on transport X, no. 219 to Theresienstadt on 12 February 1942. She was then deported on transport AAk, no. 214 to Sobibor Death Camp in Poland on 12 June 1942 where she was subsequently murdered. The fate of Nelly's other siblings is not known.
The family arrived to Sydney, Australia on the RMS Strathnaver on 21 March 1939. Following their arrival, Friedrich began work as a door to door salesman selling underwear, whilst Nelly worked in a glove factory. Nelly passed away on 26 August 1940, just over one year after she had arrived to Australia.
Gerda married an Australian Agnostic, William Franklyn Haining, in Sydney on 27 August 1942. Her marriage to an Australian citizen meant that she was no longer regarded as an enemy 'Alien" having to report to the Police every week. Their son, Peter, was born on 21 February 1945.
According to Peter, Gerda continued to fear the rise of antisemitism in Australia and had him christened to avoid possible persecution. Her experiences leading up to World War II also meant that she continued to have an aversion to black or brown uniforms for the rest of her life. Despite the persecution she had faced, Gerda continued to identify as Jewish, particularly in the later stages of her life.
William passed away on 23 November 1966. Gerda passed away on 19 September 2015, aged 92.
Posie albums were popular with young people in 20th century Germany and were used to record quotes, verses, drawings and photos of friends, classmates and other acquaintances. Such albums were a reminder of the people who shared in one's life stages, particularly school and further study.
Page 1 contains a poem by Gerda's teacher in Vienna on 20 February 1934 which states, "Always stand upright, without being held up by others. Marcus Aurelius, Selbstbetrachtungen. With honest good wishes for your further journey through life, my dear little Gerda. Yours Mariaoon [?]".
Notably, this album contains poems, sayings and well wishes from Gerda's relatives, friends and teachers in Vienna prior to her family's escape from Austria in 1939 and includes the names of individuals who were murdered during the Holocaust.
This is part of a collection of passports, documents, booklets, prayer books and autograph books donated by Peter Haining pertaining to the life of his mother, Gerda Haining (nee Pus), and his grandmother, Nelly Pus (nee Kormas).
Nelly was born in Vienna, Austria on 8 May 1896 to Adolf and Charlotte Kormos (nee Steinmann). Nelly had five siblings; Olga, Irene, Camilla, Friedrich and Melanie. Although Nelly was Jewish, she married Friedrich Ludwig Pus (formerly Pusch) who was Catholic. Friedrich was the manager of a car dealership in Vienna. Their daughter Gerda, was born in Vienna on 8 March 1923. According to Peter, his mother, Gerda, witnessed German troops march into Vienna after annexing Austria on 12 March 1938. He recalled that from this moment, 'things became difficult, my Mother had a Star of David on her clothes and had to stand in the back of her classroom at school".
Nelly's father, Adolf, passed away prior to Kristallnacht on 3 November 1938. Peter recalled that his grandfather, Friedrich, had a childhood friend in the Gestapo who gave him a badge which he wore under his lapel, and enabled him to avoid deportation. This same friend aided the Pus family in their escape from Austria in 1939.
According to Peter, Nelly had to leave her mother, Charlotte, by the side of the road with her furniture. Charlotte remained in Vienna until 1942. She was deported via transport IV/1, no. 771 from Vienna to Theresienstadt on 20 June 1942. She was murdered 8 days later on 28 June 1942.
Nelly's brother, Friedrich Kormos, survived the Holocaust, leaving Austria on 3 September 1938 and arriving in Bolivia in March 1939. Nelly's sister, Olga Beckova (nee. Kormos), was deported from Prague on transport X, no. 219 to Theresienstadt on 12 February 1942. She was then deported on transport AAk, no. 214 to Sobibor Death Camp in Poland on 12 June 1942 where she was subsequently murdered. The fate of Nelly's other siblings is not known.
The family arrived to Sydney, Australia on the RMS Strathnaver on 21 March 1939. Following their arrival, Friedrich began work as a door to door salesman selling underwear, whilst Nelly worked in a glove factory. Nelly passed away on 26 August 1940, just over one year after she had arrived to Australia.
Gerda married an Australian Agnostic, William Franklyn Haining, in Sydney on 27 August 1942. Her marriage to an Australian citizen meant that she was no longer regarded as an enemy 'Alien" having to report to the Police every week. Their son, Peter, was born on 21 February 1945.
According to Peter, Gerda continued to fear the rise of antisemitism in Australia and had him christened to avoid possible persecution. Her experiences leading up to World War II also meant that she continued to have an aversion to black or brown uniforms for the rest of her life. Despite the persecution she had faced, Gerda continued to identify as Jewish, particularly in the later stages of her life.
William passed away on 23 November 1966. Gerda passed away on 19 September 2015, aged 92.
Production placeVienna, Austria
Production date 1934-02-20 - 1947-04-08
Object nameautograph books
Techniquehandwritten
Dimensions
- b width: 129.00 mm
b width: 256.00 mm
b height: 197.00 mm
Language
- German Page 1 written by Gerda's teacher in Vienna on 20 February 1934 and states: “Always stand upright, without being hold up by others. Marcus Aurelius, Selbstbetrachtungen. With honest good wishes for your further journey through life, my dear little Gerda. Yours Mariaoon [?]”.
p. 16 states under a painting of an Alpine scenery: “The quieter the flight, the more dangerous the bird of prey. In memory of your friend Adele Schuetters” undated.
English
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Peter Haining
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.