Testimony letter from Marie Polakova
InventarnummerM2025/072:043
TitelTestimony letter from Marie Polakova
BeschreibungTwo page letter by Marie Polakova, writing of her experiences during the Holocaust, 1946.
Marie describes how her parents were deported from Kostelec in June 1942. 'Nobody was allowed to leave Prague, but I managed to get to Kostelec twice and help prepare my parents for the transport. It was awful, dad could not understand why he had to leave home at his old age and with disability...' She never saw them again.
She also relates she was thrown out of her home in 1941. Her husband, Mila, as a Jew was not able to live with her and was only allowed to live with other Jews. They were separated until Mila travelled secretly to Prague and hid in her flat until a "good soul" notified the Gestapo in October 1942. They were interrogated and taken to the Small Fortress in Theresienstadt. Completely exhausted and ill, the couple were separated in January 1943. Mila was deported to Auschwitz and murdered.
Marie was accused of illegally sending money to Jews, listening to foreign radio stations and supporting 'enemies of the Reich'. She would be imprisoned until Russian liberation in 1945.
Collection of material relating to Arthur, Valerie and Walter Lederer including correspondence to notable people and organisations outside Austria asking for help to immigrate, as well as certificates, photographs and official documents.
Arthur Lederer was born in Vienna, Austria in 1889. Married to Valerie Hermannova, the couple had one son, Walter in 1923. As a skilled tailor, Arthur was well connected in society, co-owning the business Schlaf & Sohne which catered to European royalty and members of high society.
After the annexation of Austria to Nazi Germany in March 1938, the Lederer family were forced to seek new arrangements. From April 1938, Arthur contacted business and personal acquaintances as well as refugee organisations to attempt to find a means of escape. As he stated in many of his letters, as a ‘full Jew’ he did not meet the racial laws and was forced to sell his business back to his partner. Over the course of the months of 1938, he writes to individuals in England, United States, Canada, India, Japan, Uruguay, Paraguay, Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden and Greece. Whilst understanding of his plea, most reply they cannot help.
Ultimately, the family are able to firstly relocate to Prague, Czechoslovakia in November 1938. During this time the Lederers await confirmation of approval to immigrate out of Europe. As they wait, Arthur continued to reach out to businesses in various countries requesting employment as well as the possibility of work as a representative agent. In many cases, his requests are politely declined due to a lack of need and concerns over world politics.
Eventually, through the assistance of American heiress, Countess Margaret Muriel White Seherr-Thoss and Lady Max Muller, wife of the British Ambassador to Spain, the family were able to travel to London at the beginning of 1939. Lady Max Muller provided them with tickets to Australia and the £300 arrival money required by the Australian Government.
The family travelled to Australia on the Orient liner SS ORAMA, which departed Toulon, France on 17 June 1939. Due to international political tensions, the Lederers were unable to transport the entirety of their possessions to Australia. They would not be able to receive these until well after the war concluded.
Upon arrival in Australia, the family were registered as enemy aliens, but due to their skills were allowed to continue in Sydney, permitted to travel and contribute to the war effort. Arthur’s health declined during the war, and he passed away. Valerie passed away in 1967. Walter married Jean and continued in the tailoring profession. He passed away in 1993.
Marie describes how her parents were deported from Kostelec in June 1942. 'Nobody was allowed to leave Prague, but I managed to get to Kostelec twice and help prepare my parents for the transport. It was awful, dad could not understand why he had to leave home at his old age and with disability...' She never saw them again.
She also relates she was thrown out of her home in 1941. Her husband, Mila, as a Jew was not able to live with her and was only allowed to live with other Jews. They were separated until Mila travelled secretly to Prague and hid in her flat until a "good soul" notified the Gestapo in October 1942. They were interrogated and taken to the Small Fortress in Theresienstadt. Completely exhausted and ill, the couple were separated in January 1943. Mila was deported to Auschwitz and murdered.
Marie was accused of illegally sending money to Jews, listening to foreign radio stations and supporting 'enemies of the Reich'. She would be imprisoned until Russian liberation in 1945.
Collection of material relating to Arthur, Valerie and Walter Lederer including correspondence to notable people and organisations outside Austria asking for help to immigrate, as well as certificates, photographs and official documents.
Arthur Lederer was born in Vienna, Austria in 1889. Married to Valerie Hermannova, the couple had one son, Walter in 1923. As a skilled tailor, Arthur was well connected in society, co-owning the business Schlaf & Sohne which catered to European royalty and members of high society.
After the annexation of Austria to Nazi Germany in March 1938, the Lederer family were forced to seek new arrangements. From April 1938, Arthur contacted business and personal acquaintances as well as refugee organisations to attempt to find a means of escape. As he stated in many of his letters, as a ‘full Jew’ he did not meet the racial laws and was forced to sell his business back to his partner. Over the course of the months of 1938, he writes to individuals in England, United States, Canada, India, Japan, Uruguay, Paraguay, Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden and Greece. Whilst understanding of his plea, most reply they cannot help.
Ultimately, the family are able to firstly relocate to Prague, Czechoslovakia in November 1938. During this time the Lederers await confirmation of approval to immigrate out of Europe. As they wait, Arthur continued to reach out to businesses in various countries requesting employment as well as the possibility of work as a representative agent. In many cases, his requests are politely declined due to a lack of need and concerns over world politics.
Eventually, through the assistance of American heiress, Countess Margaret Muriel White Seherr-Thoss and Lady Max Muller, wife of the British Ambassador to Spain, the family were able to travel to London at the beginning of 1939. Lady Max Muller provided them with tickets to Australia and the £300 arrival money required by the Australian Government.
The family travelled to Australia on the Orient liner SS ORAMA, which departed Toulon, France on 17 June 1939. Due to international political tensions, the Lederers were unable to transport the entirety of their possessions to Australia. They would not be able to receive these until well after the war concluded.
Upon arrival in Australia, the family were registered as enemy aliens, but due to their skills were allowed to continue in Sydney, permitted to travel and contribute to the war effort. Arthur’s health declined during the war, and he passed away. Valerie passed away in 1967. Walter married Jean and continued in the tailoring profession. He passed away in 1993.
EntstehungsortCzech Republic
Datum 1946-03-15
Entstehungszeitraumpre-World War II
Schlagwortdesperation, immigration, tailors, escape pre-war
Objektbezeichnungletters
Materialpaper
Techniktypewritten
Format
- height: 301.00 mm
width: 215.00 mm
Sprache
- Czech
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum collection, donated by Jean Lederer.
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.