Object numberM2018/008:043
DescriptionIn March 1938, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in the “Anschluss”. From May 1938, the racist Nuremberg laws applied in Austria, and Austrian Jews were steadily ostracised from their societies during the process of “Aryanisation.” This tension came to a climax in the Kristallnacht pogrom from 9th-10th November.
In the meantime, Hardy Brothers, a British jewellery-making firm, offer young Leo Steiner from Vienna employment in Sydney, Australia as a jewellery mounter in July 1938. However, the Gestapo threaten to arrest Jews issued with travel documents who do not leave within a short time. Whilst Leo’s Australian landing permit is pending, it is therefore prudent to seek temporary refuge in a third country. Before he is discharged from his erstwhile firm Vienna Art Designs, Leo’s employer Oscar Fastlich writes that his stay in Switzerland is necessary for business. In July, Leo moves to Zurich on a temporary stay visa, leaving his parents, Adolf and Hermine, and brother Paul, behind in Vienna.
As soon as Leo is established in Australia, friends and relatives are desperate to enjoin his help in the hopes of migrating to Australia themselves, including even those in Palestine who are growing tired of the Middle Eastern conflict. This letter is from Leo's cousin-in-law Hans Kohn, who is staying in a refugee shelter in Unterärgeri, Switzerland. Although Leo has managed to secure a job contract for Hans in Australia, he is ultimately unable to secure the landing permit necessary for him to travel.
Hans writes to Leo here that he has received an order to leave in the country in 9 days, and that his Australian job contract does not suffice for an extension of his stay. He has been advised by the Swiss authorities that he can travel to Italy without a visa and await his Australian permit there, but is unwilling to go to Italy since Jews are not well supported there. Instead, Hans plans to immigrate to France by illegal means. His parents are not going well in Shanghai and his aunt died there. Hans is jaded at this point about the seemingly never-ending struggles awaiting Jews.
The postmark (Sussex, England) on this letter suggests that it was sent via a friend or relative to assist with the cost of postage.
In the meantime, Hardy Brothers, a British jewellery-making firm, offer young Leo Steiner from Vienna employment in Sydney, Australia as a jewellery mounter in July 1938. However, the Gestapo threaten to arrest Jews issued with travel documents who do not leave within a short time. Whilst Leo’s Australian landing permit is pending, it is therefore prudent to seek temporary refuge in a third country. Before he is discharged from his erstwhile firm Vienna Art Designs, Leo’s employer Oscar Fastlich writes that his stay in Switzerland is necessary for business. In July, Leo moves to Zurich on a temporary stay visa, leaving his parents, Adolf and Hermine, and brother Paul, behind in Vienna.
As soon as Leo is established in Australia, friends and relatives are desperate to enjoin his help in the hopes of migrating to Australia themselves, including even those in Palestine who are growing tired of the Middle Eastern conflict. This letter is from Leo's cousin-in-law Hans Kohn, who is staying in a refugee shelter in Unterärgeri, Switzerland. Although Leo has managed to secure a job contract for Hans in Australia, he is ultimately unable to secure the landing permit necessary for him to travel.
Hans writes to Leo here that he has received an order to leave in the country in 9 days, and that his Australian job contract does not suffice for an extension of his stay. He has been advised by the Swiss authorities that he can travel to Italy without a visa and await his Australian permit there, but is unwilling to go to Italy since Jews are not well supported there. Instead, Hans plans to immigrate to France by illegal means. His parents are not going well in Shanghai and his aunt died there. Hans is jaded at this point about the seemingly never-ending struggles awaiting Jews.
The postmark (Sussex, England) on this letter suggests that it was sent via a friend or relative to assist with the cost of postage.
Production placeUnterägeri, Switzerland
Production date 1939-08-11 - 1939-08-11
SubjectHolocaust, Nazi political activities (1933-1939), refugees, refugees, family life, Visa Refusal, landing permit, visa application, refugee experiences in Australia, refugee camps
Object nameletters
Dimensions
- letter length: 222.00 mm
letter width: 145.00 mm
letter (loose page) length: 223.00 mm
letter (loose page) width: 137.00 mm
envelope length: 156.00 mm
envelope width: 122.00 mm
Language
- German Unteraergeri
Zug Canton
Boarding house
Wyssenschwaendi
Switzerland
Hans Kohn
11.8.39
Dear Leo!
I have been waiting a long while for your reply, which arrived only today. Above all, dear Leo, I hope that you are healthy and that things are going well for you.
I have great concerns, my dear Leo, because of my stay here, and received today a notice from the police saying that I must leave the country by 20.8.39 due to the danger of foreign infiltration. The documents relating to my work contract in Australia are not enough to satisfy the authorities. They say that I can go to Italy without a visa and wait for my permit there. It would be useless to apply for a prolonged stay here.
I don’t know, my dear Leo, whether your letters are still able to reach me here. I’m going to go illegally to France, since it’s not great in Italy and you receive hardly any support over there. You can still write to my old address and your letter will be forwarded on if I’m not here anymore. I still don’t know what will become of me. I have written an appeal to King George asking him to advocate on my behalf for a permit and am curious to see if he gets back to me.
Aunty Elsa Junkermann has passed away in Shanghai. Please don’t write to your parents in Vienna about this as I don’t want my grandparents to hear anything. Bernhard and Lissy have already left for Venezuela. My parents are going very badly in Shanghai, Otti as well. I am very jaded, dear Leo, since there is no end to this struggle. How is your parents’ situation coming along?
Dear Leo, could Mr Gilbert not find out more information about my case and send me some documents? It is not enough just to have this contract. Dear Leo, please do some research for me and write to the ministry or Mr Gilbert and explain my situation and that I have no possibility of going anywhere else, so that maybe they’ll expedite the application.
Should I write to Mr Gilbert dear Leo? I am already completely desperate. I keep receiving bad news from everyone. Poldi and Walter are both still in Vienna; it’s terrible. You also write to me very seldom and I don’t understand why. I hope to be with you soon, dear Leo, so please help me with my situation. Maybe Mrs Kuff could be of use to you or Mr Gilbert.
Best wishes from me and respond to my enquiries soon. I hope, my dear Leo, that you do not leave me hanging and can understand my concern. Please write to me straight away what you find out about my case.
Regards,
Your best friend Hans
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Pauline Shavit