InventarnummerM2001/001:111
BeschreibungPostcard from M. Sapir in Warsaw to J. Sapir in JewCom (Jewish Community) Kobe, Japan; handwritten in black ink; '35' written on in red pencil crayon, dated Friday 14 March 1941. Extract: "I am beside myself thinking about all these circumstances and my health is not really good. I only pray to God wishing that you are at the end of your journey and finish your wandering for good".
Jakob Sapir, his wife Tola and son Peter, travelled in the late 1930s from Poland to Vilno in Lithuania, then on to Moscow. They then travelled from Vladivostock to Kobe, Japan and eventually arrived in Shanghai in 1941. They lived in the French quarter in Shanghai, but were later moved into the Hongkew ghetto. Peter Sapir attended St. Francis Xavier's school, run by English priests, which was outside the ghetto boundary. Jakob Sapir earned a living in Shanghai running a Polish kitchen. The family left Shanghai in 1947, aboard the "Hwa Lien" ship, migrating to Sydney, Australia.
Jakob Sapir, his wife Tola and son Peter, travelled in the late 1930s from Poland to Vilno in Lithuania, then on to Moscow. They then travelled from Vladivostock to Kobe, Japan and eventually arrived in Shanghai in 1941. They lived in the French quarter in Shanghai, but were later moved into the Hongkew ghetto. Peter Sapir attended St. Francis Xavier's school, run by English priests, which was outside the ghetto boundary. Jakob Sapir earned a living in Shanghai running a Polish kitchen. The family left Shanghai in 1947, aboard the "Hwa Lien" ship, migrating to Sydney, Australia.
EntstehungsortWarsaw, Poland
Datum circa 1940
SchlagwortHolocaust, communications, desperation, signs of life
Objektbezeichnungpostcards
Materialpaper
Format
- height: 105.00
width: 148.00
Sprache
- Russian M01/011:111
From: M. Sapir
GERSIA 7/50, Warsaw
To: J. SAPIR, KOBE, JEWCOM, JAPAN
Friday, 14th March 1941
My precious ones! Yesterday, 13/3 we received your postcard from 8/2. I was horrified beyond belief that my dear Jasha was very sick, so far away from home, and you can imagine my despair when I have received your telegram about your leaving for Japan, and what else to expect later? Sasha wrote that he asked Kuba ISRACHOVICH to send your visas and he himself will look after Sasha as much as he will be able to.
I beg you Yashenka write Sasha everything that is happening to yourself. Now please forget about everything else and concentrate on obtaining visas to proceed further on and don’t become stick staying in a Public House. How are auntie and Pietrus doing? Please ask auntie to write us a full detailed letter and not just sent her regards.
How am I doing? I am beside myself thinking about all these circumstances and my health is not really good. I only pray to God wishing that you are at the end of your journey and finish your wandering for good. Please write whether you have enough food and how is Pietrus’s health. Which language do you use to communicate. Tsunge sent us a parcel and promised to do it again. Please for God’s sake keep writing. Bolek has received your postcard from Vladivostok. Please inform Sasha about your exact address. I wrote to you to New York on Rosenfeld’s address and asked him to assist with your arrival. All of you stay healthy. Yesterday we received a postcard from Shtorch. They received a postcard from you from Vladivostok. Kiss you all. Anna
Dear Jasha,
Mum wrote about everything. I can only add that we are all same as we were. Please let us know about yourselves. We are getting letters from Sasha and Bolek frequently.
Kiss you all strongly.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Dr Peter Sapir