Letter from Horst Simon to Inge Herrmann
Номер объектаM2020/023:011
НазваниеLetter from Horst Simon to Inge Herrmann
Создатель Horst Simon
ОписаниеUndated letter from during the war by Horst Simon, an 'old friend' of Inge Herrmann. The letter relays the news of the death of a friend of Inge's, Hilde Lindheim, who was killed in an air raid. According to a letter from 1938 (M2020/023:048) Horst and Hilde were at that time planning to join Inge in Australia. Both letters suggest they were close friends of Inge.
The letter seems to be in reply to another from Inge in which she wrote of her situation in Sydney, the worrying state of Germany and Magdeburg and concerns for her parent's welfare. She also seems to have requested his help in acquiring travel permits for her parents to leave Germany. However, Horst relays that he was unable to do so due to censors removing the names of the people she asks after (Sydney to UK censorship).
Horst updates Inge on his current situation, commenting that he is sure that the location of the letter's origin would be a surprise to her, as he has joined the RAF voluntarily on July 23rd. He states that there are two reasons for this, "1. Idealism 2. Materialism", explaining that he lost his job, so saw it as a clear opportunity, also stating that he holds "the ardent desire to annihilate Hitler and his whole regime." Horst speaks of a short drilling for the RAF in Palestine, then a move near to Alexandria.
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.
The letter seems to be in reply to another from Inge in which she wrote of her situation in Sydney, the worrying state of Germany and Magdeburg and concerns for her parent's welfare. She also seems to have requested his help in acquiring travel permits for her parents to leave Germany. However, Horst relays that he was unable to do so due to censors removing the names of the people she asks after (Sydney to UK censorship).
Horst updates Inge on his current situation, commenting that he is sure that the location of the letter's origin would be a surprise to her, as he has joined the RAF voluntarily on July 23rd. He states that there are two reasons for this, "1. Idealism 2. Materialism", explaining that he lost his job, so saw it as a clear opportunity, also stating that he holds "the ardent desire to annihilate Hitler and his whole regime." Horst speaks of a short drilling for the RAF in Palestine, then a move near to Alexandria.
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.
Место изготовленияEgypt
Наименованиеletters
Размерность
- width: 210.00 mm
height: 295.00 mm
Язык
- English
Кредитная линияSydney 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.