Letter from Edith Vogelhust to Emil Vogelhut
Object numberM2022/001:006
TitleLetter from Edith Vogelhust to Emil Vogelhut
DescriptionLetters from Edith Vogelhut, sister of Emil Vogelhut. Edith was arrested in Belgium during the war and sent to an unknown concentration cap where she was murdered. This letter is part of the Allan collection, a large collection of correspondence, identification papers, medals, and a Tallit, donated by Percy Allan in memory of his father Emil Allan (Vogelhut).
Emil Allan (formerly Vogelhut) was born on 6 March 1898 in Vienna, Austria. Emil served with the Austrian army during World War I and was an army telegrapher in Italy, Yugoslavia and other parts of the Balkans, including Gallipoli.
After the war he worked in the textile trade in Berlin, securing employment with a German glove manufacturing company. He was married briefly in 1930. Emil relocated to Copenhagen, Denmark, in the late 1930s, where he had previously established business contacts. There he met his future wife, Bodil Bach Hansen at a department store to which he supplied gloves.
After the German occupation of Denmark, the Danish underground resistance instructed him to leave and he escaped from Copenhagen to Sweden in a boat, hidden in a parcel bag. For the remaineder of the war he lived in Stockholm.
Edith, Emil's sister, was arrested in Belgium during the war and was sent to a concentration camp, where she became unwell in 1942 and was murdered some time later. Hans, one of Edith and Emil's brothers, escaped Belgium during World War II and emigrated to Sydney. Emil sent regular food parcels from Denmark to both Hans and Edith. The care packages are mentioned in a number of pieces of correspondence between Salomon and Hedwig Weinstock.
Salomon Weinstock, and his wife Hedwig (Emil's uncle and aunt) lived in Vienna and corresponded with Emil while he was in Copenhagen and Stockholm. Salomon died after an operation in November 1944. A selection of this correspondence has been accessioned as part of the Allan Collection.
Emil also had four other brothers, Fred, who emigrated to Melbourne in 1938, Ernst, who died at 9 years of age in 1901, Heinrich, who died serving with the Austrian army in World War I, and Walter, who emigrated to the United States.
Emil and Bodhil married at the end of the war when Emil returned to Copenhagen. Their son Percy was born in July 1946 in London. His sister Monika was born in January 1948.
Emil established an overseas trading company and became one of the most successful businessmen in Copenhagen with a wide social circle. However, with the onset of the Cold War the family decided they had to leave Europe for a more peaceful continent. In 1953, Bodil, Percy and Monika boarded the Oceania destined for Melbourne. Emil followed a few months later, staying behind initially to wind up his business. They settled in St Kilda for three years before moving to Sydney.
Emil died on 24 November 2016.
Emil Allan (formerly Vogelhut) was born on 6 March 1898 in Vienna, Austria. Emil served with the Austrian army during World War I and was an army telegrapher in Italy, Yugoslavia and other parts of the Balkans, including Gallipoli.
After the war he worked in the textile trade in Berlin, securing employment with a German glove manufacturing company. He was married briefly in 1930. Emil relocated to Copenhagen, Denmark, in the late 1930s, where he had previously established business contacts. There he met his future wife, Bodil Bach Hansen at a department store to which he supplied gloves.
After the German occupation of Denmark, the Danish underground resistance instructed him to leave and he escaped from Copenhagen to Sweden in a boat, hidden in a parcel bag. For the remaineder of the war he lived in Stockholm.
Edith, Emil's sister, was arrested in Belgium during the war and was sent to a concentration camp, where she became unwell in 1942 and was murdered some time later. Hans, one of Edith and Emil's brothers, escaped Belgium during World War II and emigrated to Sydney. Emil sent regular food parcels from Denmark to both Hans and Edith. The care packages are mentioned in a number of pieces of correspondence between Salomon and Hedwig Weinstock.
Salomon Weinstock, and his wife Hedwig (Emil's uncle and aunt) lived in Vienna and corresponded with Emil while he was in Copenhagen and Stockholm. Salomon died after an operation in November 1944. A selection of this correspondence has been accessioned as part of the Allan Collection.
Emil also had four other brothers, Fred, who emigrated to Melbourne in 1938, Ernst, who died at 9 years of age in 1901, Heinrich, who died serving with the Austrian army in World War I, and Walter, who emigrated to the United States.
Emil and Bodhil married at the end of the war when Emil returned to Copenhagen. Their son Percy was born in July 1946 in London. His sister Monika was born in January 1948.
Emil established an overseas trading company and became one of the most successful businessmen in Copenhagen with a wide social circle. However, with the onset of the Cold War the family decided they had to leave Europe for a more peaceful continent. In 1953, Bodil, Percy and Monika boarded the Oceania destined for Melbourne. Emil followed a few months later, staying behind initially to wind up his business. They settled in St Kilda for three years before moving to Sydney.
Emil died on 24 November 2016.
Production date 1940-10-01 - 1941
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 210.00 mm
height: 270.00 mm
Language
- German Brussel, 1 October 1940
“Dear Emil!
I wrote you three times already, without receiving any answer. Please, if you get this letter, write immediately a message to me, because I am in indescribable conditions. I do not even know Hans’ address since the war. […]
Hopefully you are doing better than I do and I wish you all the best for the Holidays.
Warm regards
Edith”
Brussels, 24 July 1941
Edith wrote to Emil on 24 July 1941 from Brussels in order to inform him about her living conditions, for instance problems in affording food and the high and expensive rent she had to pay. Hans, her brother was at hers and gave her a bar of sausage, cheese and a piece of ham, she had food for one week. [Emil send her regular food parcels from Denmark to both Hans and Edith, see biographic details]. She could hardly pay the stamps for sending letters.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Percy Allan