Object numberM2015/004:015
DescriptionHandwritten postcard from Leonard Aron Oppenheim to his wife Leonie in Sydney, dated 7th December 1943 and written in pen.
Leonard Aron Oppenheim was the first husband of Leonie Hirschberg who later became Leonie Hilton. Leonie left Berlin in 1938 in order to escape the Nazi regime. They met and got married in Singapore. Leonard Aron Oppenheim was born in Harbin, Russia, of Jewish origin. He was an engineer and architect in Singapore which was controlled by Britain. When war started he joined the British Volunteer Corps. The Japanese conquered Singapore in February 1942. Leonie was evacuated and ended up in Sydney. Leonard was captured and put to work. He became a prisoner (N° 13753) of war and was moved from Singapore to a camp in Kuching, Sarawak, on the island of Borneo in March 1943. There Leonard died in 1945. The cause of his death was officially given as malaria and beriberi.
Between 1942 and 1945, Leonie and Leonard managed to make contact in an exchange of telegrams, letters, postcards and broadcast messages. In this postcard Leonard writes: "Dearest Shnuffel The season’s greetings and all my love. I am well and fit. Am longing for news. Had only two letters to-date. Your husband Fips."
The postcard is stamped with ‘passed by censor’ and shows Japanese characters in red colour on the front page. On the back of the postcard underneath the written text, the postcard tells P.O.W. Camp, Borneo where Leonard has been kept as a prisoner. Underneath the postcard has been signed with 'Pte. L. A. Oppenheim No. 13753'.
Leonard Aron Oppenheim was the first husband of Leonie Hirschberg who later became Leonie Hilton. Leonie left Berlin in 1938 in order to escape the Nazi regime. They met and got married in Singapore. Leonard Aron Oppenheim was born in Harbin, Russia, of Jewish origin. He was an engineer and architect in Singapore which was controlled by Britain. When war started he joined the British Volunteer Corps. The Japanese conquered Singapore in February 1942. Leonie was evacuated and ended up in Sydney. Leonard was captured and put to work. He became a prisoner (N° 13753) of war and was moved from Singapore to a camp in Kuching, Sarawak, on the island of Borneo in March 1943. There Leonard died in 1945. The cause of his death was officially given as malaria and beriberi.
Between 1942 and 1945, Leonie and Leonard managed to make contact in an exchange of telegrams, letters, postcards and broadcast messages. In this postcard Leonard writes: "Dearest Shnuffel The season’s greetings and all my love. I am well and fit. Am longing for news. Had only two letters to-date. Your husband Fips."
The postcard is stamped with ‘passed by censor’ and shows Japanese characters in red colour on the front page. On the back of the postcard underneath the written text, the postcard tells P.O.W. Camp, Borneo where Leonard has been kept as a prisoner. Underneath the postcard has been signed with 'Pte. L. A. Oppenheim No. 13753'.
Production placeBorneo, Asia
Production date
SubjectHolocaust, survivors, Jews in Australia, loved ones' contact, Japanese occupation, prisoners of war
Object namepostcards
Dimensions
- width: 141.00 mm
height: 94.00 mm
Language
- English
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Jeffrey Hilton