Object numberM2005/030
Description35 poems handwritten on scraps of paper by Catherine Marie Ammar in Gartenfeld Concentration Camp (near Berlin) written in French and kept as a collection in a mustard yellow plastic cover secured with a shoe lace-like string. Catherine stole the paper and plastic from the sewing factory of the Gartenfeld camp. She hid them in her shoes. Catherine Marie Ammar was arrested 3 times. The second time, she was arrested in Lyon (France) and escaped. The third time (30th June 1944) she was taken to the Gartenfeld concentration camp and was then sent to Ravensbruck Concentration Camp.
Production placeGermany
Production date 1944 - 1945
Subjectresistance, poems, concentration camps
Object namepoems
Materialpaper
Language
- French 21 September 2006
Object number M2005/030 (Detail)
Catherine Marie Ammar, deported to Gartenfeld camp (30/06/44) has probably collected those papers (few different writings in the same bunch of papers, kept together).
M05/30 a: 5 addresses with different handwritings on torn piece of blue paper, undated
106mm high x 71mm wide
M05/30 b: Written one word: Deloused, written on typewriter, torn piece of paper
145mm high x 103mm wide
Undated. Date from the Liberation, because written in English.
M05/30 c: Blank, torn piece of paper
141mm x 103mm wide
M05/30 d: Blank, torn piece of dark paper
112mm high x 83mm wide
M05/30 e: 1 address, handwriting on torn piece of paper
146mm high x 103mm wide
M05/30 f: 3 addresses handwriting on torn piece of paper
144mm high x 100mm wide
Same handwriting for the 3 addresses. It looks like a paper of order from the factory; with the words Number of material, diameter, grams, weight, kg, date, and name. This person was probably working with CM Ammar at the sewing factory, and she stole this paper from to write those addresses.
M05/30 g: 6 addresses + small poem in Slovenian language206mm high x 145 mm wide
It was determined that the language of the poem is not Polish, not German, and not Czech.
Handwriting on old piece of paper.
M05/30 h: 1 address, handwriting on torn piece of paper
118mm high x 57mm wide
M05/30 i: 1 address, handwriting on torn piece of paper
144mm high x 106mm wide
M05/30 j: Poem in German.
112mm high x 78mm wide
Loose translation by Prof Konrad Kwiet
Written by hand on damaged scrap of paper, with typed text in German on the back. Prof K. Kwiet thinks it’s a part of a song from an opera.
" I’m dancing with you into heaven, the 7th sphere of love"
M05/30 k: Roses, written in Berlin, Dec 1944
105mm high x 149mm wide
Handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, probably from the electricity section of the camp
Poem in French from C M Ammar,
Commentary: with a metaphor of the rose, is talking about how wonderful her life was before her 20th, and how it became later. The roses at the beginning of the poem are beautiful and captivating. At the end of the poem the roses are in paper.
<< All my life was filled of roses
Red roses of spring of capturing perfume
Each age had the colour and the smell of a rose
At twenty years old, my baby was my rose
Birthday roses were also given to me
With the souvenir of young days now gone
And later I discovered
An album where verses were dedicated to me … >>
M05/30 l: Vision, Berlin 24/10/44
150mm high x 105mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp
Commentary: She describes the hard life of the workers at the concentration camp. How exhausted and weak they are. She has a vision of a woman called Jacqueline, she sees her like a kind of angel.
<< We go to work in the night
Our freezing cap wish to run away
Shy flies on our heads stay still
They make white spots in the shade
Some others wings come also to join them
Our pales comrades come back exhausted
From their night at the factory, to their hard labour
Their group disperses; they go and have a rest
Like a nice night light
This morning Jacqueline walks
At small precise steps
Under her white cap
Her face is bleue-tinted
Which emanates from her a strange light
And a soft sweetness
Of a sister … >>
M05/30 m: To Christine, Berlin, Dec 44
106mm high x 150mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp
Commentary: Poem dedicated to Christine, probably one of the women of the camp but she doesn’t say it. Tells her sweetness and her good personality.
M05/30 n: Poem in Hungarian?, undated.
149mm high x 58mm wide
Handwriting on damaged scrap of paper, not from CM Ammar.
M05/30 o: To our lost friend, Berlin Dec 44.
106mm high x 150mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp
Commentary: Poem on Marguerite, to her courage, loyalty and fidelity
M05/30 p: Nostalgia of the colours, Berlin 10/01/45
106mm high x 150mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp. The back of this paper id dated from the 28/8/44.
Commentary: White colour of the snow compared to the death, snow seen pink from her window. Dreams of the beautiful sky of Paris, which takes her to another world
M05/30 q: P L M, Berlin, 22/01/45, 4 pages
106mm high x 150mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp. The back of this paper is dated from the 28/8/44.
Commentary: Nostalgia of her country, and of her life before the war.
<< Paris is absorbed as in a black tunnel
And already in the train coming to Valence
A spring sun seems to announce Marseille
And from the night breaking the long silence
The people speaking seem singing.
And here is the Mediterranean,
M05/30 r: Last day, Berlin 28/2/45.
150mm high x 100mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp. The back of this paper id dated from the 28/8/44.
Commentary: She tells her hate of the sewing machines she used at the camp. Strong and sad poem on her hard labour. She talks to the sewing machines as a person and she promises to them to never see them again.
M05/30 s: Christmas roses, Berlin 2/12/44.
106mm high x 150mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp. The back of this paper id dated from the 28/8/44.
Commentary: Happiness compared to the rose, but joy of which there remain nothing now. She compares her childhood to a bunch of roses. Now, there are only strings left from it.
M05/30 t: Our Shoes, 29/1/45, 2 pages.
106mm high x 150mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp. The back of this paper id dated from the 9/9/44.
Commentary: Metaphor on the prisoner’s shoes, which became distorted, roughly treated, swollen, despaired. Those shoes groan and suffer in the freezing snow. They are mortally ravaged.
M05/30 u: Berlin 18/11/44.
106mm high x 150mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp. The back of this paper is dated from the 17/11/44.
Commentary: There is no sun, there is no light at the camp. It is always the night <<The sun doesn’t shine anymore: it is the night forever >>
M05/30 v: For Cathie, Berlin 25/11/44.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp.
Commentary: Could be in Love and War exhibition (Young girl separated from her mother)
<< Little Cathie who bears my name
With emotion I send you my thoughts
I evoke in the exile your young age
And your large clear eyes like those of your mom.
You are the little girl I didn’t rock
You are without your mummy a little lonely
Thinking of you today
Makes me forget our sadness
Embellish our night with a vengeful morning
Light our sadness with a gold laugh
Quench our thirst with a bath of clearness
Make us in exchange offer you our suffering
So you can change it in multiples joys
Make us all pay our smartness
Young girls like you, Beautiful and apart
Many mummies who cry in silence
Little Cathie, it is the day of your Festival
I wish you with all my heart health and happiness >>
M05/30 w: Moonbeam at the block, Berlin 10/44.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp.
Commentary: Souvenir of Jacqueline lying in bed, description of her position, cold atmosphere in the operating room. Poem dedicated to her.
M05/30 x: Christmas at the Camp, Berlin, Christmas 44.
106mm high x 150mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp.
Commentary: There is no mass for Christmas, no cake, no presents, no smiles, no Christmas tree, no chocolate.
<< There is nothing in this concentration camp but distress
But we stay still and smile,
And all together, because there is still this infinite sky
Which goes I think until France>>
M05/30 y: The spoon, 2 pages, undated.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp.
Commentary: present of a spoon given to C M. She looses it and becomes very sad. A second one is offered to her by Jacqueline and a third spoon by Marie (she precises that it took one day for Marie to make one at the factory).
Caroline will also give a spoon to C M. Very touched by all the risks her friends take for her; she can only thank them with her love for them and those verses.
M05/30 z: Autumn, Berlin 29/9/44.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp.
Commentary: Nostalgic souvenir of the autumn, which remains her sweet feelings and the atmosphere of the season. She describes all the pleasures she gets during this period and the restrictions she endures at the sewing factory of the camp. She remembers a walk she did, and in spite of the cold, she only remembers the autumn.
M05/30 aa: Renee from Marseille, 1944.
106mm high x 150mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp.
Commentary: Dedicated to Renee. They don’t have anything for Christmas, any present but she’s pleased to have Renee with them, Renee she compares to a beautiful nightingale.
M05/30 bb: For Mimi Jonanneau, Berlin, Christmas 1944.
147mm high x 211mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp.
Commentary: Dedicated to Mimi, one of the prisoners.
M05/30 cc: Edmond Rostand style. For Caroline, 29/10/44.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp. On the back of paper, dated on 12/11/44
Commentary: C M is looking forward to receive the present Caroline promised her. She wonders what it is, and imagines.
M05/30 dd: Jean Pierre, Berlin, 11/1/45.
106mm high x 150mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp.
Commentary: (First eight verses: illegible, poem in bad conditions)
Poem written for her child, she’s talking about the time she used to be worried for any wound he could have. Now she has the sad experience of <<a too long and painful absence, which nothing comes to break the silence>>.
Sadness and distress of a mother who lost her child
M05/30 ee: Flower from the camp? Source uncertain
M05/30. ff: undated, unlocated.
109mm high x 102mm wide
Poem in English from CM Ammar, written on a damaged scrap of paper
Commentary: to Andree. Wishes from the author for his birthday
M05/30. gg: Berlin, 19/9/44.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp.
Commentary: Illegible poem, it is impossible to read it.
M05/30 hh: The blue bird, 1944.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, from the electricity section of the camp.
Commentary: Christmas poem. This character of a tale brings a little bit of colour in the prisoner’s life. Speaks about a dream, where she sees Annie’s bird coming from the window and disappears again under a pink sky.
M05/30 ii: For Adele, Berlin, 02/45.
209mm high x 241mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, paper of orders of materials of sewing.
Commentary: Poem dedicated to Adele who left. Poem of thoughts for her, for her birthday, to say that nobody forgot her, they all keep a good souvenir of her.
M05/30 jj: To Monique, Berlin, 12/44.
104mm high x 138mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper.
Commentary: Addresses praises to Monique she calls “ Farfadet”, to her good character and a nice person.
M05/30 kk: Address (of Jacqueline?) in Warsaw
70mm high x 210mm wide
Written on old and damaged scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, paper of orders of materials of sewing.
M05/30 ll: A French woman to a Polish, Berlin, Christmas 1944.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, paper of orders of materials of sewing
Commentary: The author is talking to an imaginary polish person and says how attached she is to this country and its people
M05/30 mm: Fleurs, Berlin, 1944.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, paper of orders of materials of sewing
Commentary: She imagines making a bunch of flowers, some pink, some white. She sees Lucienna holding a bunch of flowers where pink and white are mixed. At the end of the poem, we understand that those flowers are labels she had used at the factory.
M05/30 nn: To Dominique, unlocated, undated.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, paper of orders of materials of sewing
Commentary: She sends her wishes to Dominique for the New Year and hope to the happiness to come back.
M05/30 oo: To Baska, Berlin, 13/11/44.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, paper of orders of materials of sewing. This paper of order is from 9/11/44.
Commentary: Dedicated to a Russian girl called Baska. Nice poem about her, about her sweetness, her sweet face and the atmosphere she creates around her.
M05/30 pp: To Monique, at the camp.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, paper of orders of materials of sewing.
Commentary: Wishes to Monique for the end of the year. She promises to have some good time in Paris with Monique after the war. She hopes the return of a good time; the after-war.
M05/30 qq: Warning, unlocated, undated.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, paper of orders of materials of sewing. Numbers written on the back of the paper.
Commentary: She’s talking about the orders at the camp; <<five by five in the rows, one by one at the toilet and be nice …>>
M05/30 rr: At the infirmary, Berlin, 10/44, 2 pages.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, paper of orders of materials of sewing. The 2 papers of order are from 12/11/44
Commentary: She talking about the rest she gets in the Revier (the sector); <<rest, rest, almost unreal, sleep>>, she’s surrounded with white walls, and it brings some rest to her mind.
M05/30 ss: 16 addresses
112mm high x 61mm wide
Addresses written on both side of an old piece of paper.
M05/30 tt: 1 address
62mm high x 92mm wide
Address written on a torn piece of material
M05/30 uu: 1 address
70mm high x 72mm wide
Address written on a torn piece of material, with same crayon than M05/30 tt, and same writing.
M05/30 vv: Poem in Polish and 1 address
64mm high x 139mm wide
Loose translation by Leon Zettel
<< Dearest
You are very close to me. You know that I love you.
It must be now as it is. There are so many bad people
Who are observing us but it’s nothing. You’ve got my address
And I hope that our personal relationship will regulate by itself. >>
.
M05/30 ww: Start of the school, Berlin 10/44.
150mm high x 106mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, paper of orders of materials of sewing.
<< It’s the start of school! Nostalgia for the past holidays
Beautiful to the great following days!
At the bottom of his heart, the schoolboy was in distress
But at the front too, he raised joy
Of the bay leaf he’ll gather
And of the revival of life he will taste.
I remember the past childhood
Of my father, next to me on this specific day,
And more painful souvenir
My son’s childhood, still present
And Octobers not so long ago with me, next to me!
I have wiped the first tears of the kid
I have taken the small boy
Now my son is a young man
He might prepare his baccalaureate
I don’t know where he is. At school
Or in a farm. Town or Country
Studies or agricultural work
I don’t know anything about him …
In my exile, I have cried >>
M05/30 xx: For Jean-Pierre’s birthday, 12/01/45, 3 pages.
106mm high x 150mm wide
Poem in French from C M Ammar, handwriting on old scrap of paper, with typed text on the back from factory. Written in German, paper of orders of materials of sewing.
Commentary: This poem was first written on 11/1/45 (M05/30 dd) and rewritten the day after. She stocked in this camp and wonders where her son is, if he’s alive and healthy. She won’t see him for 2 years.
<< My son, I counted your first days from yesterday
With the inexperience of new mummies,
My son I counted the days from yesterday
When faith wanted a break;
And the miracle of such long and fast hours
Those years don’t erase.
… Now they don’t appear impudent
Fears of yesterday, the troubles
We, your father and I, worried around your crib,
Anxious for any bruise!
We didn’t have sad experience
Of a long, too long and painful absence
Where nothing comes to break this continued silence.
Not a bird’s cry, which could be a message
Not a cat tenderly mewing your secret,
We shout a name, a wish through the ethers
And we only hear the noise of the air
Where nothing stirs here like it could over there
With a breeze, a shout, the shiver of a rose
A wave, which whispers softly.
And even a paper with two or three words
Would tell me about you if I received it!
If I heard a sail moving into the fresh air
If I heard schoolboys singing all together
If I heard the wind blowing on the heather
I would have known who’s talking to me my little Jean-Pierre.
But your heart is stolen from silence and absence …
… My son, today and during those last years
I’m far from you for your birthday.
Sometimes, if your gaze is absent where you are,
Perhaps it joins the eyes of your poor little mother
Bruised forever to be far from you
Eyes which count days and months.
My tender anxiety through spaces
Might find you at different places,
Where fate decided for you to stay
Are you in Paris with your grand mother
Talking about your father absence?
Are you with a friend who loves you
Admiring your solitary life?
Are you in the country or in a town?
Have you got a girlfriend chosen between many
Whom your heart overturns and your soul is rocked?
My elder son, too far, you are a great concern,
I ignore where I could situate you, I ignore your thoughts.
I stumble into the world and the huge Paris,
I examine your heart in vain and your unknown soul,
I still kiss the fresh cheeks of the little boy,
And tomorrow you are already a man, my big boy.
Wherever you are, whoever you are, my Jean-Pierre
Be happy, very happy, it is the wish of your mother >>.
M05/30 yy: Handwritten letter on torn piece of paper.
60mm high x 205mm wide
Loose translation by Prof Konrad Kwiet:
Dear Girl (Dear maid ‘Liebes Medchen’)
“Please be with me and give me a sweet kiss because I have to leave you.
Don’t cry, stay healthy. Goodbye. Give me a kiss as a farewell”.
Commentary: clearly not Catherine’s handwriting, possibly written by a male. Not written by a German speaker because the German words are wrong, e.g. medchen is spelled phonetically; the German is good, but full of mistakes. The writer is unknown.
M05/30 zz: Damaged scrap of paper with typed text, dated 19/09/1939
125mm high x 150mm wide
Loose translation by Prof Konrad Kwiet
This is an internal communication from the Chemical Technical laboratory of SKG Company (the factory producing huge rolls of cable), referring to one of the deliveries, which has been checked and found to be unsuitable. “Please find attached as we have already told you orally, 8 rolls of Lak wire for the order as mentioned above because the outside parameters are too big. The wire can’t be used for the order received.”
Commentary: this is a piece of paper that Catherine found, and kept to use; she has used the reverse side of Company sheets used for electrical examination of electricity lines documents, indicating the type, roll number, tension, tension under pressure, colour (lack).
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by John Leder