Sydney Jewish Museum Collection | Details | Wartime Letters of Richard and Hilda Löbl 1939

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Actions Displays	Wartime Letters of Richard and Hilda Löbl 1939 Remove from selection Add to selection Object numberM2021/036:002 TitleWartime Letters of Richard and Hilda Löbl 1939 DescriptionLetters from Hilda and Richard Löbl (nee Gerstl), Berlin, to George and Dora Fekete (nee Löbl), Sunday, 29th January and Monday 30th January 1939, Sydney. Part of a collection of letters written by Richard and Hilda Löbl (nee Gerstl) from Berlin and Shanghai to their daughter, Dora, their son-in-law, George Fekete, and their granddaughter, Susie, who were in Sydney, between 1939 and 1941. George Fekete was born in Hungary in 1901. Anti-Semitism at Budapest University forced him to study civil engineering in Berlin. There he met Dora Löbl, born in 1902. They married in 1927 and in 1932 their daughter Susie was born. According to the donor, "George did not want Susie to go to a Jewish ghetto school, nor did he want her to go to a school where they espoused Nazi principles, so they decided to emigrate". The Feketes fled to Budapest and later to Australia, arriving in Sydney on 10 February 1938. Although Dora's parents, Richard and Hilda Löbl, were booked to travel to Australia on the RMS Strathmore on 6 November 1939, their landing permits were cancelled with the outbreak of World War II. The 38 Berlin letters, written during 1939, are a record of correspondence between Richard and Hilda who were stranded in Nazi Germany, and the Fekete family who were newly settled in Sydney. Richard and Hilda managed to escape to Shanghai in April 1940. They were on the final voyage made by the SS Conte Rosso, one of four Italian ships which carried Jewish refugees from Trieste to Shanghai - prior to Italy joining the Axis alliance. The 53 Shanghai letters follow the narrative of the Löbl's lives in Hongkew between 11 July 1940 and 15 November 1941. They provide political commentary of the German-Jewish experience in the Shanghai ghetto during World War II. The letters also provide first-hand social commentary on the intersection between Eastern and Western cultures. Following the attack on Pearl Harbour, it became impossible for Richard and Hilda to send letters to Australia. Dora and George had no further correspondence until May 1945, when a note arrived from Richard via the Red Cross; "Since July 21 1942 am alone. Mama died of typhus without suffering. Her thoughts were always with you. Your good news is my only comfort." Richard arrived in Australia in 1946 and lived with the Feketes. He passed away on 2 August 1964. Dora and her parents were prolific correspondents, writing almost weekly. Dora wrote long letters, sometimes nine pages in length, detailing the lives of her family in Sydney. The letters that Dora wrote to her parents have not survived, however, the letters which they wrote to her mostly did. Richard and Hilda's letters were much shorter due to the 5-gram weight restriction, having to pay more if the letter exceeded that weight. As far as is possible, the English translations of these letters are an accurate record of the experiences shared between family members separated by long distances. Production placeBerlin, Germany Production date 1939-01-29 - 1939-01-30 Subjectpre-World War II, signs of life, escape attempts, survivors, families Object nameletters Materialpaper Techniquehandwritten Language German Sunday, 29th January 1939 My dearest beloved children, We are already counting the days when we will get mail from you again. With your last, or first latter from Malta, we experienced the same thing as with you, dear Anya, when you first read them. [Not exactly correct, but the best I can do.] And I noticed that you had written to them. I have had to read your letter at least half a dozen times. Yesterday alone, in the morning, I read it twice. Paul came with his wife to hear it. In the afternoon, Frau Lichtenstein came; she just arrived from Vienna with Frau Katz, and should be going to Niki’s. [Don’t know who that is, maybe I have it wrong.] Everyone is extremely interested to hear about your new life and your reports from Australia. On Friday I read it to Krenitze, and on Saturday Wedeles, I read it once for the Brasches, and of course Paul and the Fräulein Doktor. Hopefully our sweet Susie has settled in amongst the many children speaking different languages. I have to say I felt sorry for her. From the first day, I wished I could be with her to keep her company. I have thought very often of your dinners, when at half past five, she would come in and say she couldn’t go to sleep that early. How is her appetite now? I hear that the sea air can do a lot of good. Since Friday morning we are packing and today, Monday, the container should be packed. With the unpacking, one has to be very careful. Everything is packed i.e. the commode with the china and the glass display cabinet must be opened very carefully, because the big doll was only laid on the top, and the boards are also laid against it in front, to be filled with lots of things, and everything else on top, the doll included. The buffet and cupboard were completely dismantled. Unfortunately, one painting had to be left behind, because only two were on the list of things, instead of three. Because Papa would feel disadvantaged if I took up more than half the space, I will say “Goodbye” for today. Lots of love and kisses to you, my beloved, Mama. Monday 30th January 1939 Dearest children, It is Monday 1/29 in the morning and we are still waiting for the packers and the customs official, the latter in a uniform. It is good to take a break and to take some refreshment as well, and to check the list with the packed things. We hold ourselves back completely and most of the time are in the front rooms. Since Sunday, your two rooms are locked and sealed. Today the people with the container arrived, and we hope that the whole procedure will be over by evening. Walter wrote to us from Buenos Aires, that conditions have changed for him, and his mother is not allowed to join him anymore, because people over the age of 60 are too old to qualify unless a greater guarantee is given. Now he has worries over his daily existence. He had a Japanese working for him, but there is now a new regulation and products from Japan are forbidden, which is why his work for the last 4 – 5 months is now useless. Now he is planning to go to Chile, with the help of the young man who spoke to George in Brussels. I was asked to tell his sister Alize about the conditions and to tell her to take her mother to London, where she will be in about 4 - 5 weeks, following her husband. I asked her to come to us, and she promised us that she would contact her sister-in-law in London to take care of her mother, and if that is not possible, to send her to Bitt [that’s what it looks like] or to Chile so that her mother would not be a burden to Walter. In any case, that is how the matter stands now, and Frau Lilienfeld is not allowed to know anything about it. She was counting on it so much, to be able to travel in the next few months, and she was already affected by the disappointment. How the earthquake calamity in Chile will worsen the chance to migrate is not able to be said today. When you receive this letter, the last port of call will already be behind you. Now there are only three days left at sea, and although it was good on the ship, you will be glad to get your feet on firm ground again. I guess you have notified Hecht of your arrival. One son of Hirsch is already in Bolivia and is feeling at home there., having a new existence in photography, after his change of occupation. He second brother is still travelling, and the oldest one will follow soon. Their parents hope to be there later. Paul Stein’s passport will expire on the 6th of the month. The consul has refused an extension. The solicitor from Prague, Dr Kratsch, is not telling us anything. From the head of the main office in Luditz, I have now received the birth certificate. May Australia, the country far away, receive you with open arms. Thousand kisses and greetings Papa Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Hazel Hillier In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.

Object numberM2021/036:002

TitleWartime Letters of Richard and Hilda Löbl 1939

DescriptionLetters from Hilda and Richard Löbl (nee Gerstl), Berlin, to George and Dora Fekete (nee Löbl), Sunday, 29th January and Monday 30th January 1939, Sydney.

Part of a collection of letters written by Richard and Hilda Löbl (nee Gerstl) from Berlin and Shanghai to their daughter, Dora, their son-in-law, George Fekete, and their granddaughter, Susie, who were in Sydney, between 1939 and 1941.

George Fekete was born in Hungary in 1901. Anti-Semitism at Budapest University forced him to study civil engineering in Berlin. There he met Dora Löbl, born in 1902. They married in 1927 and in 1932 their daughter Susie was born.

According to the donor, "George did not want Susie to go to a Jewish ghetto school, nor did he want her to go to a school where they espoused Nazi principles, so they decided to emigrate". The Feketes fled to Budapest and later to Australia, arriving in Sydney on 10 February 1938.

Although Dora's parents, Richard and Hilda Löbl, were booked to travel to Australia on the RMS Strathmore on 6 November 1939, their landing permits were cancelled with the outbreak of World War II.

The 38 Berlin letters, written during 1939, are a record of correspondence between Richard and Hilda who were stranded in Nazi Germany, and the Fekete family who were newly settled in Sydney.

Richard and Hilda managed to escape to Shanghai in April 1940. They were on the final voyage made by the SS Conte Rosso, one of four Italian ships which carried Jewish refugees from Trieste to Shanghai - prior to Italy joining the Axis alliance.

The 53 Shanghai letters follow the narrative of the Löbl's lives in Hongkew between 11 July 1940 and 15 November 1941. They provide political commentary of the German-Jewish experience in the Shanghai ghetto during World War II. The letters also provide first-hand social commentary on the intersection between Eastern and Western cultures. Following the attack on Pearl Harbour, it became impossible for Richard and Hilda to send letters to Australia.

Dora and George had no further correspondence until May 1945, when a note arrived from Richard via the Red Cross; "Since July 21 1942 am alone. Mama died of typhus without suffering. Her thoughts were always with you. Your good news is my only comfort."

Richard arrived in Australia in 1946 and lived with the Feketes. He passed away on 2 August 1964.

Dora and her parents were prolific correspondents, writing almost weekly. Dora wrote long letters, sometimes nine pages in length, detailing the lives of her family in Sydney. The letters that Dora wrote to her parents have not survived, however, the letters which they wrote to her mostly did. Richard and Hilda's letters were much shorter due to the 5-gram weight restriction, having to pay more if the letter exceeded that weight.

As far as is possible, the English translations of these letters are an accurate record of the experiences shared between family members separated by long distances.

Production placeBerlin, Germany

Production date 1939-01-29 - 1939-01-30

Subjectpre-World War II, signs of life, escape attempts, survivors, families

Object nameletters

Materialpaper

Techniquehandwritten

Language

Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Hazel Hillier In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.

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