Object numberM2001/001:023
DescriptionPostcard from M. Sapir in Warsaw to Jakob Sapir in Kobe, Japan dated 11 May 1941. Censored by the Nazis, the postcard also bears a cachet from the Warsaw Judenrat. The postcard talks about letters received and not received; that telegrams can't be sent because they are very expensive, and about affidavits that have been sent.
Jakob Sapir, his wife Tola and son Peter, travelled in the late 1930s from Poland to Vilno in Lithuania, then on to Moscow. They then travelled from Vladivostock to Kobe, Japan and eventually arrived in Shanghai in 1941. They lived in the French quarter in Shanghai, but were later moved into the Hongkew ghetto. Peter Sapir attended St. Francis Xavier's school, run by English priests, which was outside the ghetto boundary. Jakob Sapir earned a living in Shanghai running a Polish kitchen. The family left Shanghai in 1947, aboard the "Hwa Lien" ship, migrating to Sydney, Australia.
Jakob Sapir, his wife Tola and son Peter, travelled in the late 1930s from Poland to Vilno in Lithuania, then on to Moscow. They then travelled from Vladivostock to Kobe, Japan and eventually arrived in Shanghai in 1941. They lived in the French quarter in Shanghai, but were later moved into the Hongkew ghetto. Peter Sapir attended St. Francis Xavier's school, run by English priests, which was outside the ghetto boundary. Jakob Sapir earned a living in Shanghai running a Polish kitchen. The family left Shanghai in 1947, aboard the "Hwa Lien" ship, migrating to Sydney, Australia.
Production date 1941-05-11
Object namepostcards
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- whole width: 104.00 mm
whole height: 145.00 mm
Language
- Polish MO1.01.23
This postcard was written to Mr J. SAPIR KOBE JAPAN
It was written by M. SAPIR 7/50 (I assume it is Gesia St. as indicated on a previous postcard) WARSAW
The card bears a cachet from the Warsaw Judenrat.
It was written on 11th of May 1941.
My dear Tecia, Yasza and Piotrus (Peter)
I would like to inform you that Yasza and his family are now living in New York. Yasza received from you letters dated 16/02 and 11/03. On the 5th of April Sasza sent you a telegraph that Wronowiec had sent you an affidavit. He had corresponded with him re this matter for a long time.
Sasza had sent you a lot of airmail letters but he has not received from you confirmation that you collected these letters.
We are very worried that you don’t receive our letters though we write to you very frequently and we are thinking of you. We cant send you a telegram because it is very expensive. Sasza in his last letter wrote that he had received your telegram regarding the second affidavit which he will try to acquire. I wrote about you to Rozenfeld’s address but he can’t do anything! Write how your health is, how you live. I am asking you very much to write to us frequently, we also write to you frequently. Why don’t you write to Bolis, he is complaining that he has no news from you. Bolis and his family have obtained a visa to leave (emigrate) but they still haven’t received permission to leave.
We are both healthy and waiting for your letters.
Sasza and Bolis often write to us. I kiss you all strongly.
Anna
Translated by Michael Herman 2/6/09
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Dr Peter Sapir