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Numero oggettoM2007/025:001
DescrizioneLetter to Gisela Wiesner in Ljubljana, from her father in Brussels, dated 3 July 1942. He tells her that he hasn't received mail from her mother for a while. "Today I received with thanks your detailed letter and I read it with great joy, that you are well has given me great joy and from Mum I have till today not had a single sign of life." After discussing news of family he lets her know that he is glad she found a boyfriend and that he only hopes that he comes from a "decent" family and treats her well. He is looking forward to an engagement picture. He writes, "I am now all alone", that his brother Mendel has been sent to France to work. He encourages her by saying, "Child, let's hope for the best and not lose hope. Hopefully everything will turn out well..."
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 letter is part of a large collection of correspondence which was 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 letter is part of a large collection of correspondence which was 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 1942-07-03
Soggettosigns of life
Nome oggettoletters
Materialepaper
Dimensioni
- length: 271.00 mm
width: 210.00 mm
Lingua
- German Bruxelles 3 July 1942
My dear and precious child Gisela!
Today I received with thanks your detailed letter and I read it with great joy, that you are well has given me great joy and from Mum I have till today not had a single sign of life. Only 8 days ago I received a letter from Leo and Fridel via the Red Cross, and it only took 2 months from April and they wrote to me, ‘Mum healthy’ and they ask about you as well as about Ruth. Dear Gisela, as far as you should have a boyfriend: now, my dear child, I have nothing against it, only that he is suitable for you, only that he is nice and good to you, that you understand one another, that you get on well and that he is from a decent family; that he is serious about the relationship. Now, my dear child, I would enjoy it very much if I were to receive from you and him an engagement photo. And now I unfortunately have to tell you that I am unable to send anything from here as you wished. The only possibility is by freight, but that involves a lot of money and effort, the shirts, I don’t have them anymore. I exchanged them for I already wrote to you about that, I had lost all my things and did not have a shirt to wear.
Page 2
I am now all alone here for how long I do not know either. Mendel has been sent to work in France. I went for a medical examination today and how that will turn out, I don’t know, because I am unable to work. I am on sick leave till the 22nd of this month for sciatica but I am already feeling better than I was. I now take 3 tablets a day, prescribed by a professor. Dear child, I shall see whether I will be able to send you something you should buy yourself a blouse there because I cannot unpack the boxes every day. Till now I have not received any mail from Mendel. I had mail from Grandma every week but she also had no news from Mum, and child, let’s hope for the best and not lose hope. Hopefully everything will turn out well. I will be well and I thank you very much for the detailed letter. Be greeted and kissed a thousand times and wish you all the best. We should be worth to see one another in joy and peace. Your father
A special regard for your dear boyfriend, although I do not know him.
Linea di creditoSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mr Fritz Adler