Object numberM2018/008:051
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.
Once established in Australia, Leo is still in touch with a wide network of family and friends, many of whom hope to enjoin his help to travel to Australia themselves. This letter is from Hans Kohn, Leo’s cousin-in-law, from his refugee camp in Unterägeri, Switzerland. Even though Leo was able to secure a job contract for his cousin-in-law, his sponsor Mr Gilbert wrote to Hans that he would be unable to help him receive an Australian landing permit until after the war. Leo sent Hans 20 francs, which he was unable to receive due to the impatience of an acquaintance who had lent him money some time ago. This letter expresses Hans’ anger about the meanness of others with money. Hans is hopeful that Paul Steiner, Leo’s younger brother, will reach Palestine with his youth movement (Hechalutz). The letter is censored in two places.
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.
Once established in Australia, Leo is still in touch with a wide network of family and friends, many of whom hope to enjoin his help to travel to Australia themselves. This letter is from Hans Kohn, Leo’s cousin-in-law, from his refugee camp in Unterägeri, Switzerland. Even though Leo was able to secure a job contract for his cousin-in-law, his sponsor Mr Gilbert wrote to Hans that he would be unable to help him receive an Australian landing permit until after the war. Leo sent Hans 20 francs, which he was unable to receive due to the impatience of an acquaintance who had lent him money some time ago. This letter expresses Hans’ anger about the meanness of others with money. Hans is hopeful that Paul Steiner, Leo’s younger brother, will reach Palestine with his youth movement (Hechalutz). The letter is censored in two places.
Production placeUnterägeri, Switzerland
Production date 1940-01-06 - 1940-01-06
SubjectHolocaust, refugees, refugees, family life, aliyah, Kladovo Transport, Zionism, youth movements, Hechalutz, refugee camps, landing permit, refugee experiences in Australia, visa application, censorship, censored letter, postal restrictions
Object nameletters
Dimensions
- letter length: 199.00 mm
letter width: 145.00 mm
Language
- German Unteraergeri
Zug Canton Boarding House
Wyssenschwaendi
Switzerland
Hans Kohn
6th January 40
My dear Leo!
I received your last letter and forwarded both your letters on to your parents. I am happy that you are going so well.
I wish for nothing other than to be with you in Australia. I am not giving up my hope, my dear Leo, to be together with you again. You write that Mr Gilbert will help me as soon as the war ends. Visit him now and then and keep in contact with him so that he doesn’t forget about us.
It must be so wonderful in Australia, dear Leo. Meanwhile I am spending my youth here until the end of the war, and who knows how long it will last. Must this be my only option?
You wrote, dear Leo, to me about Mina and I am dismayed – I received a nice letter from her a couple of days ago – that I may never see her again. I will send you a thorough report about your parents and dear Pauli. Apart from that your dear parents write to me that Pauli has written to them from Romania and Yugoslavia. I hope, dear Leo, that Pauli will arrive soon in Palestine.
Dear Leo, you transferred me the 20.50 Swiss francs with the help of Mr Mill. Mr Mill gave the money to Mr Hättenschwiller as the former had to go away urgently [censored section makes the rest of this sentence unclear]. I’m not sure whether you were still in Switzerland when I borrowed 40 francs from Mr Hättenschwiller for a visa to help my papa out of Dachau. I think that you will remember, as you wanted to do the same for Seifter [Leo’s uncle]. I thought that when my papa came out of Dachau he would send me the money so that I could pay it back. I told Mr Hättenschwiller that he would definitely receive the money before I left Switzerland. Even though he had only received this money lately in order to send it to me, he wrote to your parents’ address, and when I asked him why he said he wanted to send your parents some groceries in return for the 20 francs. After I told your parents about your letter and asked which groceries I should send, they said not to send anything. I explained this to Mr Hättenschwiller. I did not know what I was supposed to do – I wrote to your parents, so far without a response, to explain that I wasn’t trying to take someone else’s money and attached your letters. Mr Hättenschwiller explained to me that if your parents didn’t want any groceries in return for the money that he would keep it himself and deduct it from my debt to him.
You see, dear Leo, in spite of everything, when money happens to be the issue at hand people are terrible. Mr Mill wouldn’t hear anything about lending me money. He would never have lent me 50 francs for groceries. I am not going to go to either Mill or Hättenschwiller anymore. After 19 months here, I receive 20 francs and it doesn’t even come to me.
Dear Leo, if you want to send me money from now on, send it to my address at the camp where I will get it along with all my letters. Follow my example and don’t write to either of these families; despite all they are awful people who can’t accept that a poor emigrant might receive 20 francs because they are envious. Mr Mill asked me a few weeks ago where I was going to get the money for my journey; I receive one franc a week along with my food. He didn’t ask about what I get by post. Write immediately.
Best regards,
Your friend Hans
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Pauline Shavit