Memoir written by Selma Kahane
Object numberM2021/032:004
TitleMemoir written by Selma Kahane
DescriptionThis memoir entitled "Selma's Saga" was written by Holocaust survivor Selma Kahane (nee Oppenheim) and was self-published in Sydney, 1982.
This book is a recollection of Selma's experiences in Vienna (1916-1938), her escape from Germany, her stopover in England (1938-1940) and her life in Sydney (1940-1948).
The book encloses letters from her friends and relatives in Vienna, Prague, London and Sydney. It also includes copies of official documents and correspondence with Jewish community organisations, including the United Jewish overseas relief fund, several departments of Immigration from Australia, America and UK as well as the Red Cross.
Selma passed away on 22 July 2016, aged 100.
This is part of a collection of photo albums, poems and documents donated by Thomas Arnott pertaining to the life of his mother, Martha Julianna Donath (nee Oppenheim), his mother’s first husband, Dr. Paul Krausz, and his aunt, Selma Berta Rosa Kahane (nee Oppenheim).
Martha Julianna was born in Vienna on 17 February 1911 to Benjamin and Anna Oppenheim (nee Koniger). Her sister, Selma Berta Rosa was born on 7 January 1916. Anna passed away on 6 November 1917 and Benjamin married Ida Plohn in 1920. They had a daughter named Trude (Trudie) Katharina Annie on 19 July 1922.
Paul Krausz was born on 26 January 1907 in Vienna to Eduard and Bertha Krausz (nee Grossman). He married Martha on 24 December 1936 in Vienna.
Martha described Anschluss in March 1938 as “the end of our settled life”. She recalled that both Paul and herself lost their jobs and had to sell their belongings in order to survive. Martha later recollected that she had survived on the meals that were provided to her as a volunteer worker at an orphanage.
Martha’s sister Selma escaped to England in 1938. Her other sister Trude also fled to England the following year in 1939. Martha and Paul decided to stay in Vienna to accompany Paul’s mother who was recently widowed.
Martha’s parents, Benjamin and Ida, were deported via Transport 40 from Vienna to Theresienstadt on 10 September 1942. Martha and Paul were deported via Transport 43 to Theresienstadt on 1 October 1942. Martha recalled the moment she arrived, “As we marched from the railway station into the camp I saw my mother, who soon found me, camped under a roof in a small house”.
In Theresienstadt, Martha recalled, “Mother worked as dressmaker for children's clothes which gave her great pleasure, father worked voluntarily as joiner and Paul as labourer and I again as children’s nurse. Everything went quite well until the end of October 1944 when we all were put into a transport to Poland.”
Martha, Paul, Benjamin and Ida were deported via Transport EV to Auschwitz on 28 October 1944. Martha described travelling in cattle trains to Auschwitz, “No one was crying…we just took it… Everything was taken away from us in Auschwitz, all clothing including (my) watch and wedding ring and our hair was shaved off”.
Benjamin, Ida and Paul were murdered shortly after arrival. Martha recalled, “After two days of standing around in Auschwitz… I was sent to Bergen-Belsen in Germany, 1000s of km to the west.”
Martha was incarcerated in Bergen-Belsen between 2 November 1944 and 10 April 1945, and then deported to Raguhn where she was forced to work at an aircraft factory.
In a letter to Trude on 5 August 1945, Martha wrote, “We were liberated by the Americans and on April 20 I arrived back in Theresienstadt, more dead than alive. I weighed only 20 kilos and suffered from typhus. I recovered fairly quickly in the hospital there and on May 7 the war was over. You can imagine that my joy was fairly mixed”.
In July or August 1945, Martha returned to Vienna, hoping that her husband would be waiting for her - to no avail.
She left for Australia on the ‘Al Sudan’, arriving on 26 February 1948 and reunited with her sister Selma. Their youngest sister, Trude also found refuge in Australia.
Martha married Tom Arnott and had a son, Thomas Benjamin Paul c. 1952. Following her divorce from Tom, she married Egon Donath.
Martha passed away on 20 January 2013, aged 101. Her sister Selma passed away on 22 July 2016, aged 100. Trude passed away on 2 January 2010, aged 87.
This book is a recollection of Selma's experiences in Vienna (1916-1938), her escape from Germany, her stopover in England (1938-1940) and her life in Sydney (1940-1948).
The book encloses letters from her friends and relatives in Vienna, Prague, London and Sydney. It also includes copies of official documents and correspondence with Jewish community organisations, including the United Jewish overseas relief fund, several departments of Immigration from Australia, America and UK as well as the Red Cross.
Selma passed away on 22 July 2016, aged 100.
This is part of a collection of photo albums, poems and documents donated by Thomas Arnott pertaining to the life of his mother, Martha Julianna Donath (nee Oppenheim), his mother’s first husband, Dr. Paul Krausz, and his aunt, Selma Berta Rosa Kahane (nee Oppenheim).
Martha Julianna was born in Vienna on 17 February 1911 to Benjamin and Anna Oppenheim (nee Koniger). Her sister, Selma Berta Rosa was born on 7 January 1916. Anna passed away on 6 November 1917 and Benjamin married Ida Plohn in 1920. They had a daughter named Trude (Trudie) Katharina Annie on 19 July 1922.
Paul Krausz was born on 26 January 1907 in Vienna to Eduard and Bertha Krausz (nee Grossman). He married Martha on 24 December 1936 in Vienna.
Martha described Anschluss in March 1938 as “the end of our settled life”. She recalled that both Paul and herself lost their jobs and had to sell their belongings in order to survive. Martha later recollected that she had survived on the meals that were provided to her as a volunteer worker at an orphanage.
Martha’s sister Selma escaped to England in 1938. Her other sister Trude also fled to England the following year in 1939. Martha and Paul decided to stay in Vienna to accompany Paul’s mother who was recently widowed.
Martha’s parents, Benjamin and Ida, were deported via Transport 40 from Vienna to Theresienstadt on 10 September 1942. Martha and Paul were deported via Transport 43 to Theresienstadt on 1 October 1942. Martha recalled the moment she arrived, “As we marched from the railway station into the camp I saw my mother, who soon found me, camped under a roof in a small house”.
In Theresienstadt, Martha recalled, “Mother worked as dressmaker for children's clothes which gave her great pleasure, father worked voluntarily as joiner and Paul as labourer and I again as children’s nurse. Everything went quite well until the end of October 1944 when we all were put into a transport to Poland.”
Martha, Paul, Benjamin and Ida were deported via Transport EV to Auschwitz on 28 October 1944. Martha described travelling in cattle trains to Auschwitz, “No one was crying…we just took it… Everything was taken away from us in Auschwitz, all clothing including (my) watch and wedding ring and our hair was shaved off”.
Benjamin, Ida and Paul were murdered shortly after arrival. Martha recalled, “After two days of standing around in Auschwitz… I was sent to Bergen-Belsen in Germany, 1000s of km to the west.”
Martha was incarcerated in Bergen-Belsen between 2 November 1944 and 10 April 1945, and then deported to Raguhn where she was forced to work at an aircraft factory.
In a letter to Trude on 5 August 1945, Martha wrote, “We were liberated by the Americans and on April 20 I arrived back in Theresienstadt, more dead than alive. I weighed only 20 kilos and suffered from typhus. I recovered fairly quickly in the hospital there and on May 7 the war was over. You can imagine that my joy was fairly mixed”.
In July or August 1945, Martha returned to Vienna, hoping that her husband would be waiting for her - to no avail.
She left for Australia on the ‘Al Sudan’, arriving on 26 February 1948 and reunited with her sister Selma. Their youngest sister, Trude also found refuge in Australia.
Martha married Tom Arnott and had a son, Thomas Benjamin Paul c. 1952. Following her divorce from Tom, she married Egon Donath.
Martha passed away on 20 January 2013, aged 101. Her sister Selma passed away on 22 July 2016, aged 100. Trude passed away on 2 January 2010, aged 87.
Production placeSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Production date 1982
Subjectpost World War II, biography, survivors, memory, families
Object namememoirs
Materialpaper
Techniquehandwritten, typewritten
Dimensions
- width: 211.00
width: 356.00
height: 262.00 mm
Language
- English
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Thomas Benjamin Paul Arnott
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.