Object numberM2018/004:001
DescriptionLetter from Mother Cywia Gilden in Przemyśl, Poland to the Gilden family in Australia 6 August, 1939. Written in German with the occasional Yiddish word, Cywia is the mother of Issak Awigdor and writes of how proud she is of him and of her pleasure in hearing of their happiness. She refers to her worry, the distance between them and hopes they might be rewarded by God.
The letter is part of a collection of correspondence donated to the Museum by Phillip Palmer. His mother, Miriam (Minni) Gilden, her parents Isaak Awigdor and Chana (Hanna) Gilden and her brother Louis, emigrated from Germany to Australia, arriving 16 December 1938. Minni, who was born 12 May 1923, was 16 at the time and her brother was 12. Most of the letters are dialogue between maternal family and friends, spanning 1937 through to the early years of WWII; however, there is one letter written to Madam Gilden (presumably Hanna Gilden) in 1947 pertaining to inquiries about her parents property in Poland.
Phillip’s parents, Minni and Fritz Palmbaum (who later became Fred Palmer), were married on 9 January 1944. Fred emigrated from Hildesheim in the North of Germany on 3 November 1938, via a sponsorship by NAJEX; he was 15 at the time. After a few years working with sheet metal at J. Goldstein & Co, he enlisted with the Australian Army in 1942 as a member of the 3rd Australian Employment Company.
The letter is part of a collection of correspondence donated to the Museum by Phillip Palmer. His mother, Miriam (Minni) Gilden, her parents Isaak Awigdor and Chana (Hanna) Gilden and her brother Louis, emigrated from Germany to Australia, arriving 16 December 1938. Minni, who was born 12 May 1923, was 16 at the time and her brother was 12. Most of the letters are dialogue between maternal family and friends, spanning 1937 through to the early years of WWII; however, there is one letter written to Madam Gilden (presumably Hanna Gilden) in 1947 pertaining to inquiries about her parents property in Poland.
Phillip’s parents, Minni and Fritz Palmbaum (who later became Fred Palmer), were married on 9 January 1944. Fred emigrated from Hildesheim in the North of Germany on 3 November 1938, via a sponsorship by NAJEX; he was 15 at the time. After a few years working with sheet metal at J. Goldstein & Co, he enlisted with the Australian Army in 1942 as a member of the 3rd Australian Employment Company.
Production date 1939-08-06 - 1939-08-06
Subjectfamilies, immigration, signs of life, WWII
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 288.00 mm
width: 144.00 mm
height: 147.00 mm
Language
- German My Very Dearest Children,
Your dear letter was recieved with great joy. You are making me very happy with it and shall be reward by God for it. Write me further how you....in this place about Paruassa - as I live so far away from you and worry constantly that all should be well for you. Further, I thank you that you were so caring and good to...(Eoa) hopefully God shall reward you for this. Futher, write how you all are. Is Luser (Louis) in school and learns well? It is just going on Rosh-Chodesh and it is going to the New Year - so i wish you a good, healthy New Year and you should be rewarded and helped with all good things. I complain that I have such a very good son and he lives so very far away - let me at least only hear good tales so that the world may be jealous, as everyone seems to be jealous of me with such a good son. I should only have lots of nachas from you and love you all and kiss you
You mother
Cywia Gilden
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Phillip Palmer