Object numberM2010/054:046
DescriptionPersonal letter dated 1939-05-04 typed in German to Leo Steiner in Vienna, Austria from one of his friends Hans Kohn in the Fallanden Refugee Camp in Switzerland. The letter is asking Leo to assist him with immigration and sponsorship. Hans' fate is unknown.
He writes: "The political situation in Europe is very bad and the war is very near. We can see war in the very near future. I would love to say goodbye before a catastrophe hits Europe. I do hope dear Leo that you convince Gilbert with the information about our severe situation. I need the permit as soon as possible. Please excuse me for my constant bothering you but you know yourself, despite your immigration a short while ago, about how our lives are badly affected and we are urged to leave our country."
Part of a collection of letters, Red Cross messages and photographs donated by Betty Steiner (nee Walsch), relating to her husband Leo Steiner (1918-1996). Leo was apprenticed to a jeweller in Vienna; his boss wrote to the Hardy Bros in Australia who sent him a permit at the age of 18 to come to Australia. Leo obtained a visa and went to Switzerland until the permit for Australia arrived in 1938. He commenced work with Hardy Bros, a company that manufactured jewellery for the Queen. He worked for them until the outbreak of war; he then found a job with a factory making aircraft tools. Betty met Leo when she was 15. They married on 21 December 1941 when she turned 18. Leo wrote numerous letters to the Australian Government pleading for permits for his parents, Adolf and Hermine Steiner, and brother Paul to come to Australia, but his applications were denied. Leo's mother was the daughter of Ludwig Klinger and Marie Freud and her sister was Anna Seifter. Anna and her husband Abraham survived Ferramonti-Tarsia internment camp in Italy and moved to America after the war.
Leo's father, Adolf, had served in the Austrian Army during WWI. In September 1940, the Germans in Vienna ordered all the Jewish males to assemble in the street on a cold winter's night and run until they were overheated. They were hosed down with cold water. Adolf caught pneumonia and died on 23 September 1940. One of the letters in the collection from Leo's mother informs him of his father's death. By 1995, Leo was still trying to find out what happened to his mother. A reply from the Red Cross received in 2000, four years after Leo's death, states that Hermine Steiner's last known residence was in Vienna and that she was evacuated to Minsk by the 'Geheime Statspolizei Wien' with Transport 26 on 9 June 1942. Thus, he died never knowing what happened to his mother.
Leo's brother Paul escaped by swimming across the Danube from Vienna to Belgrade. He was captured and sent to Sabac Camp in Yugoslavia. On 15 November 1940, he married a woman named Edith. They had a child named Ruth in the camp. Several telegrams to Leo from his mother concern the well-being of Paul, Edith and the baby, later expressing concern when she stops hearing from them. The Australian and European Search Bureau of the Association of New Citizens enquiring on his behalf about the fate of Paul determined that he probably fell victim to fascist occupation forces during the mass shooting of Jews in Zasavica, Macva.
He writes: "The political situation in Europe is very bad and the war is very near. We can see war in the very near future. I would love to say goodbye before a catastrophe hits Europe. I do hope dear Leo that you convince Gilbert with the information about our severe situation. I need the permit as soon as possible. Please excuse me for my constant bothering you but you know yourself, despite your immigration a short while ago, about how our lives are badly affected and we are urged to leave our country."
Part of a collection of letters, Red Cross messages and photographs donated by Betty Steiner (nee Walsch), relating to her husband Leo Steiner (1918-1996). Leo was apprenticed to a jeweller in Vienna; his boss wrote to the Hardy Bros in Australia who sent him a permit at the age of 18 to come to Australia. Leo obtained a visa and went to Switzerland until the permit for Australia arrived in 1938. He commenced work with Hardy Bros, a company that manufactured jewellery for the Queen. He worked for them until the outbreak of war; he then found a job with a factory making aircraft tools. Betty met Leo when she was 15. They married on 21 December 1941 when she turned 18. Leo wrote numerous letters to the Australian Government pleading for permits for his parents, Adolf and Hermine Steiner, and brother Paul to come to Australia, but his applications were denied. Leo's mother was the daughter of Ludwig Klinger and Marie Freud and her sister was Anna Seifter. Anna and her husband Abraham survived Ferramonti-Tarsia internment camp in Italy and moved to America after the war.
Leo's father, Adolf, had served in the Austrian Army during WWI. In September 1940, the Germans in Vienna ordered all the Jewish males to assemble in the street on a cold winter's night and run until they were overheated. They were hosed down with cold water. Adolf caught pneumonia and died on 23 September 1940. One of the letters in the collection from Leo's mother informs him of his father's death. By 1995, Leo was still trying to find out what happened to his mother. A reply from the Red Cross received in 2000, four years after Leo's death, states that Hermine Steiner's last known residence was in Vienna and that she was evacuated to Minsk by the 'Geheime Statspolizei Wien' with Transport 26 on 9 June 1942. Thus, he died never knowing what happened to his mother.
Leo's brother Paul escaped by swimming across the Danube from Vienna to Belgrade. He was captured and sent to Sabac Camp in Yugoslavia. On 15 November 1940, he married a woman named Edith. They had a child named Ruth in the camp. Several telegrams to Leo from his mother concern the well-being of Paul, Edith and the baby, later expressing concern when she stops hearing from them. The Australian and European Search Bureau of the Association of New Citizens enquiring on his behalf about the fate of Paul determined that he probably fell victim to fascist occupation forces during the mass shooting of Jews in Zasavica, Macva.
Production placeFällanden, Zurich, Switzerland
Production date 1939-05-04 - 1939-05-04
Subjectsurvival, desperation, sponsorship
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- letter width: 147.00 mm
height: 210.00 mm
Language
- German Fallanden, den 4.5.1939
My Dearest Leo!
I was happy to receive your letter and to hear that you are healthy and well. Regarding my landing permits I would hope that you are behind me supporting the cause so my immigration will have a successful outcome.
I received mail from your dear parents a few days ago and they wrote about your well-being and their patients regarding their landing permit.
In regards to Bernhard and sissy we are constantly exchanging letters. I have sent them your letter and received a reply today. Bernhard noticed the information that you wrote and he is a little upset that you did not write to him directly. He is not upset that you can not support him directly but only because you did not write directly to him. I think Leo that you should be duty-bound to send Bernhard and sissy a letter as this is how good friends should act and Bernard would be very happy about it. Here is his address: Bernhard Thimann, c/o Ludwig Tramer, Lipnik n/b Mahren, C.S.R
My dear parents have been on a boat for the last twelve days to Shanghai. Otto also left us on 28th of April. He went on board a ship from Marseille to Shanghai. He has been away for a week. As you can see I am now alone and abandoned in Fallanden den for the past six months.
I do hope M Gilbert is able to help me with the permission to arrive. The political situation in Europe is very bad and the war is very near. We can see war in the very near future. I would love to say goodbye before a catastrophe hits Europe. I do hope dear Leo that you convince Gilbert with the information about our severe situation. I need the permit as soon as possible. Please excuse me for my constant bothering you but you know yourself, despite your immigration a short while ago, about how our lives are badly affected and we are urged to leave our country.
Now comes the personal information. What are you up to? How are the women? How do you spend your free time? Please let me know in your next letter. We will have to leave Fallanden. We will arrive in a new camp soon. You can however send your next letter to the old address as I do not know the new one. It will probably be forwarded to my next address. I received a letter form Mina a few days ago. She said she was able to get employment in Shanghai as an usherette in a cinema. She is not very happy there and would love to be with me again. I conveyed your best regards to your friends and they send the same to you. I hope your next letter will happy message regarding the permits – that would be a wonderful surprise.
I know you are in direct contact with the sponsors and you will soon know the outcome. I ask for your advice once again to enquire with M.Gilbert how my situation proceeds.
I hope dear Leo that you will act as best as possible and expect your reply to have extensive information as soon as it is possible. I end my letter for today and hope to be with you shortly.
Best regards and kisses from your best friend
Hans
P.S
Please convey my best regards to Mr Gilbert
please save the envelope, I promised it to Leo if you want one because of the very nice stamps.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Betty Steiner