Object numberM2012/035:006
DescriptionThis is a letter to John Gruschka in England from his mother Helena and Father Theo in Prague dated 23 February 1939. His mother writes that she is glad that John has come across many interesting thing. His sister Ruth is due to go to Palestine in a few days. She passes along compliments from people about his courage in moving. She also writes some news about a person killed in a tram accident.
His father commends him for the first English letter he has written. He gives him some fatherly advice on study and is very interested in hearing more details about his daily routine, particularly regarding when he sleeps. Hi second paragraph is very interesting. He writes about how he has been dismissed from his job and the financial implications. He will now be in charge of social welfare of the Jewish communities and is thinking of emigrating.
In face of imminent invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 John (Hansi) at age of 14 left for England in February to be received by a distant cousin in Manchester, whose address became available from another cousin in Poland. John's sister managed to leave for Palestine shortly after. His father Theodore, although on the "wanted" list by the Gestapo managed to escape to Palestine, with the help of Czech officials, after the invasion. His mother stayed to care for her sick mother. She did not survive the war.
The content of this correspondence is mainly a mother-to-son personal chitchat, here and there complemented by a note from John’s father Theodor and grandmother. However to the discerning eye it is also a historical reflection of the gradual tragic deterioration of Helena’s and friends’ fate under German occupation leading to the inevitable deportation.
His father commends him for the first English letter he has written. He gives him some fatherly advice on study and is very interested in hearing more details about his daily routine, particularly regarding when he sleeps. Hi second paragraph is very interesting. He writes about how he has been dismissed from his job and the financial implications. He will now be in charge of social welfare of the Jewish communities and is thinking of emigrating.
In face of imminent invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 John (Hansi) at age of 14 left for England in February to be received by a distant cousin in Manchester, whose address became available from another cousin in Poland. John's sister managed to leave for Palestine shortly after. His father Theodore, although on the "wanted" list by the Gestapo managed to escape to Palestine, with the help of Czech officials, after the invasion. His mother stayed to care for her sick mother. She did not survive the war.
The content of this correspondence is mainly a mother-to-son personal chitchat, here and there complemented by a note from John’s father Theodor and grandmother. However to the discerning eye it is also a historical reflection of the gradual tragic deterioration of Helena’s and friends’ fate under German occupation leading to the inevitable deportation.
Production placePrague, Czech Republic
Production date 1939-02-23
Subjectseparation, children, Nazi political activities (1933-1939), retrenchments, discrimination, Jewish communities
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 150.00 mm
height: 211.00 mm
Language
- German Dear Hansi (Johnny),
I am pleased that you have come across so many interesting things. Ruth has gone to Bruenn to say good-bye, I was not happy to go there. On the 28/02/1939 she is already due to go to P.(Palestine). Gusta is leaving me one of these days. Bloch was here again yesterday, he admires your courage to have travelled alone, he would not have dared. Edith Roubicek wants to take up a job in England with her friend and is emigrating in a year’s time. Yesterday, on Vaclavske Namesti, a man was jumping up on a moving tram, got under the wheels and was killed. Despite the many accidents people are still so stupid. Keep really well, Many kisses, Mother.
My dear Johnny,
We have been very glad to receive the first English letter from you. You have made good progress of course and I am sure you will overtake your father in no time. For a student who knows German and a little Latin it is really easy to learn English. You have had so many nice adventures and now finally you have listened to Huberman. He is famous especially for his emotional sound. He is such a great artist that the listener is not aware at all of the technical problems, and completely wrapped up in the miraculous sound. The other adventures will have given you much insight in the peculiarities of English life. Want me to send you a pretty and interesting book for English studies? Perhaps you learn things about grammar which verbal explanations are not clear to you. It’s great that you have a workshop at school. Hopefully you can take advantage. You have overlooked my question how you organize your time, when you do homework, practice violin and most important when you go to sleep.
Yesterday, under deep expressions of regret, I was advised that I have to terminate my services. Every hour I am expecting a word from the commission handling the transition.(?). Then, till end March I am on leave (that is to say still some work which I am supposed to handle at home) and from April 1 am on leave against fee on leave, that is the Activity Supplement is no longer paid (9.000 Czech Crowns p.a.). Since I will no longer get the children’s’ allowance on account of you absence. In future I will have a shortfall of 12.000 Czech Crowns. We will manage. Actually I am very much thinking about emigrating and for all these expenses will need a lot of money. In the meantime I’ll have more work now than I had in the office as I will be in charge of the social welfare of the Jewish communities. Write soon, many kisses from your father. Won’t you be loosing your ability to type? Lotte Pick is off to London tomorrow. Send us the address of Mr. Sappir so that we can thank him for his troubles.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mr John Gruschka