Object numberM1992/031:013
DescriptionLetter to Greta Albera (née Pollak) from her Father Isidor. He passes on news from friends who have emigrated and of how they obtained visas to countries including China and Australia. He also tells Greta about their new accommodation and touches upon some of the difficulties of life under Nazi rule in Austria.
Greta Mirjam Albera (née Pollak), was born in Linz, Austria on 9 September 1920. She was the only child of Erna Pollak, born on 15 March 1895, and Isidor Pollak, born on 18 December 1879. Greta successfully emigrated to the United Kingdom in January 1939 where she worked as a governess, a home helper, and later as a nurse until the war ended. During her time in England, she was able to communicate with her parents who remained in Vienna. This contact was made possible through family friends living in Switzerland, who would pass on the messages and later through the Red Cross letter system. Gretas parents Isidor and Erna were transported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia on 9 October 1942. Both were murdered there, Erna on 9 May 1944 and Isidor on 16 May 1944. While living in England, Greta married Bedrich Albera, before emigrating to Israel, and later settling in Australian in 1954. She was the only member of her family to survive.
This letter is part of a collection of personal correspondence donated by Greta Mirjam Albera (née Pollak). The correspondence was sent during 1939 - 1942, between Greta and various members of her family.
Greta Mirjam Albera (née Pollak), was born in Linz, Austria on 9 September 1920. She was the only child of Erna Pollak, born on 15 March 1895, and Isidor Pollak, born on 18 December 1879. Greta successfully emigrated to the United Kingdom in January 1939 where she worked as a governess, a home helper, and later as a nurse until the war ended. During her time in England, she was able to communicate with her parents who remained in Vienna. This contact was made possible through family friends living in Switzerland, who would pass on the messages and later through the Red Cross letter system. Gretas parents Isidor and Erna were transported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia on 9 October 1942. Both were murdered there, Erna on 9 May 1944 and Isidor on 16 May 1944. While living in England, Greta married Bedrich Albera, before emigrating to Israel, and later settling in Australian in 1954. She was the only member of her family to survive.
This letter is part of a collection of personal correspondence donated by Greta Mirjam Albera (née Pollak). The correspondence was sent during 1939 - 1942, between Greta and various members of her family.
Production placeVienna, Austria
Subjectsigns of life, keeping in touch, Jew houses
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 214.00 mm
height: 271.00
Language
- German My much loved Greta!
We read your letter to Thery today and enjoyed the content very much. I can well understand that you have a busy day and get around to writing only in the evenings. Even when the work is not too difficult one tires all the same when one is on one's feet all day. We are very satisfied if you write twice a week. We will naturally be writing more often. It was a great relief for us to know that you look well and have no complaints.
This week I visited the mother of (name…) He is already in America. His brother Holger was married 25 years ago, his wife and child emigrated to America 20 years ago because she was unable to live with Holger who was a serious psychopath. (name….) has traced the address of the wife and child with the help of a detective agency and was pleasantly surprised that the child had become a mariner (belonging to the Marines) and made all the efforts to help his father to immigrate to the USA. These are the moods of fate.
You already know how the question of grandma's accommodation was resolved. I am now worried that due to the oversensitivity of...differences of opinions and moods, disturbances may occur which both parties would not exactly enjoy. Neither is the solution right now what should be recommended. In the end they had to take a large dwelling, the large household and the expensive alterations, the cohabitation with Emil, the differences of opinion which had to be expected between mum and grandma, the care of them, all these were reasons contrary to the building up of new relationships.
As one can nowadays already achieve a constancy as one lives in an unstable condition, maybe the solution of relocation to Aunt Paula is the best one. Otto wants to go to Shanghai. Hans got the news that his application for emigration to Australia has been misplaced by the government. You can imagine how nervous Anni is. It still can take months before he gets the permit. Ernst would like to await removal to the US or England, he asked Josef to intervene. Josef refused, giving a reason of not wanting to overdo the requesting for help. If this is so then you will be doing the right thing to ask Nelle to lend you the money for the dentist. Let me know the address and also the receipt of what you have to pay. If you want I shall ask them for it. Show her Graber's letter. She knows Mrs Kafka very well did not get along very well with you because she did not appreciate some peculiarities. Yesterday Mr and Mrs (name….) came to us; at 9am we went to Lisel and played bridge. Thery made an effort to learn to play. He may have learnt the interpretation of cards more easily. Ann and (name…) entertained us well with Thery. Maybe he interpreted only good news for them from the cards. Otherwise I have no more to report which would be of interest to you. We actually only live in……
With many thousand greetings and kisses I remain your loving father
by David Benedikt
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mrs Greta Albera