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Letter from Joan Harris to Inge Poppert (nee Herrmann)
Número del objetoM2020/023:021
TítuloLetter from Joan Harris to Inge Poppert (nee Herrmann)
Creador Joan Harris
DescripciónLetter to Inge Herrman from her maternal cousin Joan 'Hanni' Harris on 2 February 1947, regarding Joan's progress in locating information about their family. Inge's parents, maternal grandmother and aunt had been imprisoned in the Thereisenstadt ghetto. They were murdered in Auschwitz in 1944, which she was yet to discover. Hanni refers to contacting Amely Krug in Berlin (M2020/023:022), saying that some Germans are 'still good', and of the famine the city is currently experiencing.
Hanni also tells Inge she should attempt contact with her cousin Guenther, who had also fled Germany as a child, referring to the shared inheritance from their lost family members.
Part of a collection of over 60 letters to Inge-Ruth Poppert (nee Herrmann) from 1937 to 1957, as well as memorabilia and personal documents that detail the Holocaust experiences of the Herrmann family, and the establishment Inge's life in Sydney, Australia.
Inge was born on 12 October 1922 in Wolmirstedt, near Magdeburg, Germany to Otto and Kate-Regina Herrmann (nee Manneberg). Inge lived in Wolmirstedt, but attended school in Madgeburg from 1933. The family relocated to the city of Magdeburg in 1935 where Otto owned two shops. Due to anti-Semitism and anti-Jewish legislation, Otto had lost his clothing business in Wolmirstedt. However, from 1937 with the increasing Aryanisation of Jewish assets and property, the Herrmann family again forcibly lost their remaining businesses and way of life.
Despite the worsening risk to all Jews in Germany, Inge's parents initially resisted emigration, though in 1937 they decided that their daughter should leave. Inge was approved to go to Australia after being assessed in Berlin. She arrived in Sydney via London in September 1938.
Otto and Regina lived in increasing poverty and anxiety. Otto was arrested in 1938 and sent to Buchenwald for a brief period before being released. In October 1942 they were deported to Theresienstadt. Inge received no sign of life from her parents from 1944 and only learned years after the war that they were deported to Auschwitz in October 1944 where they were murdered.
Hanni also tells Inge she should attempt contact with her cousin Guenther, who had also fled Germany as a child, referring to the shared inheritance from their lost family members.
Part of a collection of over 60 letters to Inge-Ruth Poppert (nee Herrmann) from 1937 to 1957, as well as memorabilia and personal documents that detail the Holocaust experiences of the Herrmann family, and the establishment Inge's life in Sydney, Australia.
Inge was born on 12 October 1922 in Wolmirstedt, near Magdeburg, Germany to Otto and Kate-Regina Herrmann (nee Manneberg). Inge lived in Wolmirstedt, but attended school in Madgeburg from 1933. The family relocated to the city of Magdeburg in 1935 where Otto owned two shops. Due to anti-Semitism and anti-Jewish legislation, Otto had lost his clothing business in Wolmirstedt. However, from 1937 with the increasing Aryanisation of Jewish assets and property, the Herrmann family again forcibly lost their remaining businesses and way of life.
Despite the worsening risk to all Jews in Germany, Inge's parents initially resisted emigration, though in 1937 they decided that their daughter should leave. Inge was approved to go to Australia after being assessed in Berlin. She arrived in Sydney via London in September 1938.
Otto and Regina lived in increasing poverty and anxiety. Otto was arrested in 1938 and sent to Buchenwald for a brief period before being released. In October 1942 they were deported to Theresienstadt. Inge received no sign of life from her parents from 1944 and only learned years after the war that they were deported to Auschwitz in October 1944 where they were murdered.
Lugar de producciónUnited States
Fecha 1947-02-02
Nombre del objetoletters
Materialpaper
Dimensiones
- width: 215.00 mm
height: 275.00 mm
Lenguaje
- German Dear Inge,
It took a while for me to reply to your letter. There are several significant reasons. First of all I have been ill, secondly I have been making inquiries about your relatives, and I would like to share with you the results. I write to you today in German, since the news originates from Germany, even though they partially receive American inquiries. My inquiries have naturally taken much time. The first results I will not send you. Enclosed are the last three notices from Central Tracing Bureau and American Joint Distribution Committee. I send you these so that you are informed about your parents whereabouts. Unfortunately I give you unfortunate information, I will however write again for you and leave nothing undone. I know its hard, we cannot change anything; we know what sort of barbarians the Nazi dogs were.
Ms. Thea Bloch (born Fleischer) meanwhile has written and shared with me that she inquired about your family from Paris, unfortunately she received the same results as I had.
I send you a transcript of a letter from Berlin from a friend of your Aunt Kaethe. Thank god there are still decent people in Germany. Although she was a friend of your Aunt, I never personally knew her, I remember hearing the name Kaethe often. I find the action from her so decent, that I had the mind to send her a few provisions. Since Berlin there is famine and for the good action, to give this lady who provided evidence of your relatives, I would like to return the favour. Not only did this Lady share that she would like to transfer you and Guenther Manneberg the jewellery and money of Kaethe, but during your lifetime she helped with food during the greatest danger*. Sit immediately down, Inge, and write to the lady. You will find the address in her letter. We could identify Guenther Mannebergs address. Dont you have an old address from him, where you could ask? Erich Manneberg that is your uncle a brother of your mother may have emigrated in 1940. But where is he? I have heard that he married years ago and that shows also in the letter from the American Joint Distribution Committee. I just read your letter again and I do hope that you found the address to which to write to in order to find out anything about Guenther Manneberg. It certainly would be your duty to trace him. Because it was the wish of your relatives before they were doomed. Just now I realise that I wrote in English, and that was due to the fact that I reread your letter. Anyway try your best in finding the address of Guenther and also write Ms Krug (born Saenger); she deserves it and she would like to know what should happen with the jewellery and money that must be shared between you two children. It is also the question, how emigrating from Germany will be.
*Translators note: difficult sentence to translate, based on what I interpreted it as.
I am feeling a lot better health wise, even though I am still under doctors care, since my brothers death, my nerves are still disturbed.
I am glad that I somehow kept the connex with you. Because from the letter of Ms Krug )born Saenger) I see that your aunt calculated with me, that I will be the link for the relatives**
**Unable to translate this accurately, however from what I interpreted it as, she would be the informant regarding Inges family.
Please let me know what you have undertaken, the issue with Guenther as well as the inquiries regarding your parents. You mention an aunt in Sweden. If I remember correctly. That is however a sister of your father. Has she left an enquiry regarding the whereabouts of your parents? On all grounds write to the American Joint Distribution Committee in Berlin; find if you can get copies.
I would like to finish for today, as I have to still settle some correspondence.
I am still in California and live with Mays. I work in the American army again since September. When this job is finished, that will be approximately half a year, when I will likely visit my family in the East. News reaches me but always about Mays. I will notify you about any changes in my address.
I live for today. Dont be a stranger and many greetings.
Your cousin
Hanni
Línea de créditoSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Kim Poppert
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.