Object numberM2018/008:069
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.
Hermine, Leo’s mother, sent these two letters to him via their relations the Liliens in New York City (of which one is addressed to Leo and the other, enclosed, to the Lilien family), expressing great longing for her family and concern for Leo’s brother in Sabac, Yugoslavia. She asks the Liliens for help in the last-ditch effort to obtain authorisation for Paul Steiner to travel to the US.
Paul Steiner was previously stranded in Kladovo, a remote port in Yugoslavia, with his youth movement on the way to Palestine before being relocated to Sabac. Later in 1941, Paul would be shot along with most of the other men of the Kladovo Transport by fascist insurgents near Zasavica, Macva.
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.
Hermine, Leo’s mother, sent these two letters to him via their relations the Liliens in New York City (of which one is addressed to Leo and the other, enclosed, to the Lilien family), expressing great longing for her family and concern for Leo’s brother in Sabac, Yugoslavia. She asks the Liliens for help in the last-ditch effort to obtain authorisation for Paul Steiner to travel to the US.
Paul Steiner was previously stranded in Kladovo, a remote port in Yugoslavia, with his youth movement on the way to Palestine before being relocated to Sabac. Later in 1941, Paul would be shot along with most of the other men of the Kladovo Transport by fascist insurgents near Zasavica, Macva.
Production placeVienna, Austria
Production date 1941-01-19 - 1941-01-19 1941-03-04 - 1941-03-04
SubjectHolocaust, refugees, refugees, family life, Kladovo Transport, youth movements, aliyah, Zionism, Hechalutz, postal restrictions
Object nameletters
Dimensions
- letters length: 296.00 mm
letters width: 208.00 mm
envelope length: 165.00 mm
envelope width: 94.00 mm
Language
- German 19.1
My dearest Leo,
Letting you know that I am in good health, and hoping to hear the same from you soon. The same day that I got your letter I also received post from Aunt Pepi and Pauli, who have also received your letters. I was feeling so worried about you, as I am so preoccupied with things now that I am alone, and all my thoughts are with you and Pauli.
Until now I have gone to be with our good Tato every week, but at the moment there is a lot of snow, meaning I can’t leave the house even though he pulls me to him. Last Sunday I was up to my knees in snow, so it should die down soon now.
When you write, my dear Leo, I feel no longer so disheartened and am relieved from my pain. I was very excited about your lovely letter, as I was about Masel’s, but my wounds cannot heal. We were so used to one another’s presence these two years, as we were so alone in the world, that it is now difficult for me to learn to live unhappily and alone. Only one hope sustains me, that the dear G-d will give me the strength to see you both again - when I don’t know - but we must continue to hope that G-d will help us.
So, your Betty would like to learn to cook from me - G-d willing that soon she can. Pauli is already married, which bothered me at first, but now I tell myself that he has someone to surround him with love and to feed him. What is happening on your end - are you still not planning on marrying just yet? It pains me a lot that I cannot attend the wedding of either one of my children, but the dear G-d would have it so. You must both be happy without me, and both of you have my heartfelt blessing.
Aunt Pepi is providing Paul with everything he needs, as Aunt Ada’s husband does for her. I can’t go to live with Aunt Ada because she lives alone with her sister. I am also living well here with good people.
My golden Leo, your birthday is now coming up, for which I wish you much health and happiness. You shall celebrate many more happy birthdays in the future with your loved ones. I am also going to send birthday wishes to Pauli one of these days, but he receives my letters faster than you do. I am so sorry for the poor thing that he can’t travel on. I am so worried about him, as he is such a good boy. He got $5 from Willy and was very excited about it. He is waiting for more from Willy, and must go to buy himself several things. I gave him enough clothing to take on the journey but everything is ripped, as that was so many months ago.
Please write again very soon, as I live for those times when I hear from you.
A thousand greetings and kisses from your forlorn Mama.
4.3
Dear Willy, Olga and Heinzl,
Please be so good as to pass these few lines on to Leo so that I don’t have to write them all again. Yesterday, Willy, I received your letter with great pleasure, and I was so delighted that you thought of me. I have written to you so often since the passing of my dear husband, and these are the first few lines I have received from you, whereas I have nothing from Olga, even though you insist that what you write is from the both of you.
I need not describe how much I think of you, and of Heinzl, who is now a proper young man; now wouldn’t some greaves or liver be good, like Hermine always had in the house?
Dear Willy, Pauli sends his immediate thanks for the $5 that you sent him, and I thank you for this as well. Please continue to support him if you can.
Have you heard from Juliska and all the others? I don’t hear anything from anyone at the moment, but Pauli got a card from Ilus a few weeks ago. The poor Juliska has now lost her brother, but what I have lost I cannot describe to you. It is G-d’s wonder that I am still alive. If Pauli could join you it would make me happy. Leo writes that he would like to send him the ticket straight away - if it is still possible for Pauli, I plead for your help.
Please write to me again soon; tell me what you, Olga and Heinzl are up to, whether everything is well and good, and what you’ve heard from Juliska. I hear from my siblings often. My brother supports me as much as he can, but like before he can’t anymore now.
Write to me again soon, and my warmest greetings to you all,
Your Hermine. A thousand kisses to Heinzl.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Pauline Shavit