Object numberM2016/036:012
DescriptionThis is a letter sent from Mietek (donor’s uncle) to Stenia (donor’s mother) on 03/05/1939. It contains questions as to whether Stenia is working, and contains information about Ben’s (donor’s father) father, that he has sent machinery to Sydney to help ben’s work. Mietek writes that Ben’s father thinks the machinery is of high quality and worth a lot but Mietek himself seems to disagree. The letter mentions Ben’s father boasting about Ben’s brother that he is rich and can send the aforementioned equipment. The letter also mentions Stenia’s mother in law, who apparently did not have a good relationship with Stenia but now wishes she was back in Poland. The letter also mentions that Poland refused to allow Germany to build an Autobahn connecting Germany and Russia through Gdansk. Mentions the financial difficulties of Jewish Poles.
Production date 1039-05-03 - 1039-05-03
Subjectmigration, loved ones' contact, establishing new life, keeping in touch, family life, life in Australia, working conditions
Object nameletters
Dimensions
- height: 200.00 mm
width: 120.00 mm
Language
- Polish Dearests
Lately we get very irregular letters from you. As we didn’t get a letter from you this week I want to write to you so at least you get one. I’m not waiting for your letters but I’m sending one. Dad this week also wrote a letter to you but didn’t want me to read it, if he wrote something to upset you don’t get upset because all the time they can’t forgive themselves, it’s also the same with our mother. We don’t know yet if you are earning money or what is going on with Cesiu. Ben’s father comes often and tells us different news about the machines he sent to Sydney and that he thought they were worth a terrific lot of money. I think that isn’t so because they were his own old machines and some of them were bought in the market. Because the machines Ben asked for were new and would be many thousands zloty. I told him he should do it after all it is not for a stranger but for his children. He was boasting about Jerzyk (Benjamin’s brother) that he has so many thousands of dollars and I think that they were writing to you that if you send us the money, a few thousand zloty they will send the machines.
Cisiu you shouldn’t send but after all you haven’t got it. Look if it would be somebody from us with all our might we would send it. One thing mother wanted to find out is that your mother in law wrote you to return to Poland. She, the one who was so happy with you leaving (that she got rid of you) could write something like that, or maybe she feels a bit guilty but please let us know.
I beg you Ben and Cesiu don’t make a big do about it. I don’t want any gossip, I don’t want to cause any unpleasantness, I only want to know the truth.
How are you all? We thank God are healthy. What weather is it in Sydney because we have now summer and the fall and war will be after the harvest and maybe in autumn. You must have read about that Poland did not accept Hitler’s demands to build the autobahn extra (word unintelligible) connecting Germany with Russia through Gdansk. This shows that we don’t know what’s going on, we have no peace of mind because everything is out of control. There is no business and everybody sells everything to get cash.
Keep well
Best regards, lots of kisses from us all to you all
Yours, Mietek.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Prof Ron Penny AO