Numero oggettoM2007/007:025
Creatore Mr. Joseph Hersch Wiesner
DescrizionePostcard to Gisela Wiesner in Ljubljana, from her father in Brussels, dated 7 May 1942. He expresses his concerns about Zirel, Gisela’s mother and Selma, her sister. He hopes to be able to celebrate Gisela's birthday together next year.
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.
Luogo di produzioneBrussels, Belgium
Data 1942-05-07
Soggettohuman communication
Nome oggettopostcards
Materialepaper
Dimensioni
Lingua
- German Brussels, 7 May 1942
My very beloved child Gisela
Received your card with thanks and read with great joy that you spent your birthday well, I am very happy, let's hope that we will be able to celebrate together next year in joy. I am doing well and I am hoping to hear only good news from you. We are very concerned about Mutti and Selmchen, hopefully she is going well, from grandmother I have not yet received an answer, I had mail from Leo and Fridel they are doing well and they are going to (??)
Nothing important except for greeting and kissing you 1000 times, also Mendel sends his deepest regards, he also gets mail from his kids from Leipzig.
Fromme your father, Hermann.
Linea di creditoSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mr Fritz Adler

