Object numberM2007/007:018
Creator Mr. Joseph Hersch Wiesner
DescriptionPostcard to Gisela Wiesner in Ljubljana, from her father in Brussels, dated 10 February 1942. With great concern he informs his daughter Gisela that a letter he had sent to her mother in Leipzig has been sent back. He fears that she had been moved from Leipzig, but adds that there is nothing he can do.
Gisela Wiesner was born on 19 April 1924, in Kiel, Germany to Josef Hersch Wiesner and Zirel nee Heller. At the beginning of 1939, the large family all lived in a ‘Judenhaus’ in Kiel, including Gisela’s elder sisters Charlotte and Regina (Ruth), younger twins Frieda and Leopold, and toddler Selma. Within months the family was separated. Leopold and Frieda escaped on a Kindertransport to England. In July, Charlotte escaped to eastern Europe and later attempted to immigrate to Palestine, while Josef fled to Belgium to attain US visas for his family. In September, the rest of the family remaining in Kiel were deported to Leipzig. Zirel, Gisela and Selma were confined to a collection camp there, while Ruth was hospitalised for mental illness.
In September 1940, Ruth was deported to Brandenburg Euthanasia Centre and murdered on arrival. Shortly after in November, Charlotte was killed on board the SS Patria, which suffered an explosion and sank while trying to divert Jewish immigrants from Palestine. Gisela did not learn of their fates until after the war. In 1941, she managed to escape the Leipzig collection camp and, with the help of a Zionist organisation, fled via Zagreb to Italy and later Switzerland.
This card is part of a collection of postcards which were sent regularly to Gisela from Joseph and Zirel during 1941 and 1942. They are filled with news of family, messages of love and advice, and document the last contact between a father, mother and their daughter. By the end of 1942, Gisela had no further signs of life from her parents. In January 1942, Zirel and Selma were deported to Riga where they were murdered. Joseph was deported from Belgium to Auschwitz. He survived Auschwitz and a death march to Neuengamme concentration camp in Germany, but died there of hunger and exhaustion on 11 May 1945, three days after the war had ended.
Gisela Wiesner was born on 19 April 1924, in Kiel, Germany to Josef Hersch Wiesner and Zirel nee Heller. At the beginning of 1939, the large family all lived in a ‘Judenhaus’ in Kiel, including Gisela’s elder sisters Charlotte and Regina (Ruth), younger twins Frieda and Leopold, and toddler Selma. Within months the family was separated. Leopold and Frieda escaped on a Kindertransport to England. In July, Charlotte escaped to eastern Europe and later attempted to immigrate to Palestine, while Josef fled to Belgium to attain US visas for his family. In September, the rest of the family remaining in Kiel were deported to Leipzig. Zirel, Gisela and Selma were confined to a collection camp there, while Ruth was hospitalised for mental illness.
In September 1940, Ruth was deported to Brandenburg Euthanasia Centre and murdered on arrival. Shortly after in November, Charlotte was killed on board the SS Patria, which suffered an explosion and sank while trying to divert Jewish immigrants from Palestine. Gisela did not learn of their fates until after the war. In 1941, she managed to escape the Leipzig collection camp and, with the help of a Zionist organisation, fled via Zagreb to Italy and later Switzerland.
This card is part of a collection of postcards which were sent regularly to Gisela from Joseph and Zirel during 1941 and 1942. They are filled with news of family, messages of love and advice, and document the last contact between a father, mother and their daughter. By the end of 1942, Gisela had no further signs of life from her parents. In January 1942, Zirel and Selma were deported to Riga where they were murdered. Joseph was deported from Belgium to Auschwitz. He survived Auschwitz and a death march to Neuengamme concentration camp in Germany, but died there of hunger and exhaustion on 11 May 1945, three days after the war had ended.
Production placeBelgium
Production date 1942-02-10
Subjecthuman communication, signs of life, genealogy
Object namepostcards
Materialpaper
Dimensions
Language
- German Brussels, 10 February 1942
My dear! Child Gisela!
Received with thanks your letter from 26th and read with joy that you are, thank God, in good health and that you have received my parcel. Dear Gisela a card from mother has been sent back, one that I wrote, I have the feeling that she is no longer in Leipzig, I am very concerned but unfortunately there is nothing I can do from here. These are blows from fate, me and Mendel are thank god in good health, hoping to receive best news of you. You cannot imagine my (??) now where I have from Mutti but the mankind is stronger than steel and harder than iron. Otherwise nothing important except for sending my regards to you my dear child and kisses. Wish you all the best and Mendel sends his regards. From me your father, Hermann.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mr Fritz Adler