Object numberM2018/008:064
Description
In 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 makes various applications to the Australian government for landing permits on behalf of his parents and Paul, all of which are denied. All three family members would eventually perish during WWII.
This letter is from a friend of the Steiner family, Max Soffer, living in Philadelphia, USA, to Leo. The letter carries the news of Leo’s father’s death in Vienna after a prolonged spell of pneumonia, stating that Leo’s mother was not up to the task of informing her son of his father’s fate herself. Some passages have been blacked out with ink by the censor. Max writes to Leo, "Dear Leo, be courageous, don’t despair, you have a big mission ahead of you: to bring your dear mother and your dear brother to you."
In 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 makes various applications to the Australian government for landing permits on behalf of his parents and Paul, all of which are denied. All three family members would eventually perish during WWII.
This letter is from a friend of the Steiner family, Max Soffer, living in Philadelphia, USA, to Leo. The letter carries the news of Leo’s father’s death in Vienna after a prolonged spell of pneumonia, stating that Leo’s mother was not up to the task of informing her son of his father’s fate herself. Some passages have been blacked out with ink by the censor. Max writes to Leo, "Dear Leo, be courageous, don’t despair, you have a big mission ahead of you: to bring your dear mother and your dear brother to you."
Production placePhiladelphia, Pennyslvania, United States
Production date 1940-10-24 - 1940-10-24
SubjectHolocaust, refugees, refugees, family life, refugee experiences in Australia, censored letter, censorship, postal restrictions
Object nameletters
Dimensions
- letter length: 278.00 mm
letter width: 214.00 mm
envelope length: 161.00 mm
envelope length: 92.00 mm
Language
- German Dear Leo!
How are you? What are you doing with yourself? What kind of work are you doing? You see, dear Leo, these are the sorts of questions that interest me. Please write to me as much as you can. [Blacked out sentence]. Did you receive both my letters, in which I enclosed letters from your loved ones? I sent you one letter on 29.8 and the other on 16.10. [Blacked out sentence].
Indeed, dear Leo, life is hard and fate is merciless. How lovely it was only three years ago when none of us had the faintest idea about what Hitler intended to do, and were happy together with our loved ones. Your beloved father and I were often in the country together, where we sunbathed and debated different matters. You see, dear Leo, I didn’t have the luck of having a father. I was 5 years old when my father died and my mother had to work very hard; and now that we are grown up and should be helping our beloved mothers we have had to leave them behind without any help or protection.
You are no longer a child, dear Leo. You are a man now, and I presume also sensible. So you see, dear friend, such is life and such is destiny. Now my dear Leo, I must deliver some very bad news. On 21.9 your dear mother and dear father sent me a letter which I forwarded to you, which was on a Saturday. On Sunday your loved ones spent the whole afternoon with my loved ones. They had a lot of fun. My beloved mother made coffee. When it came time to leave, your father said he hadn’t had as much fun in a long time. Your parents went home to bed. My dear Leo, take hold of yourself. So, at two in the morning your dear father woke up and he also woke your dear mother, as he didn’t feel well. You dear mother went to make some tea and when she went to give it to your father, all help was in vain. It is so hard for me to have to bear this news, but, dear Leo, fate is relentless. I shed many a tear when I heard this sad news myself. Your dear father has found peace.
Dear Leo, be courageous, don’t despair, you have a big mission ahead of you: to bring your dear mother and your dear brother to you. You can trust me that your mother is healthy and is bearing up. My loved ones are always together with your mother and she spends the whole day at their place with them. Your dear mother couldn’t bring herself to convey the news so she asked me to do so. I beg of you to write as often as you can so that your mother receives mail regularly. The only joy our mothers have is to receive a little letter from their children. [Next sentence has been blacked out].
Dear Leo, as a friend I beg you to be sensible. It serves no purpose for you to suffer, and G-d forbid that you should make yourself sick. You now will need all your strength to help your loved ones. Once again, I beg you to write to your mother as often as possible as this will make her happy. With G-d’s help I’ll have good news to report in my next letter. The greatest joy that your mother has is to receive a little letter from you. I ask that you believe me that she is being well looked after by my loved ones, so don’t worry about her. The date of death of your late father is 23.9 and I believe, dear Leo, that you will not forget to say Kaddish for him. Once again I ask you to hold your head high, and write straight away.
Warmest regards from me and my dear wife,
Max
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Pauline Shavit