Номер объектаM2020/040:009
ОписаниеPostcards from Karolina Sonnenfeld in Vienna to her daughter Elsa Strauss in England from June to August 1939. Elsa and her daughter Hetty had immigrated to London in March of that year. Karolina wrote often to her family; usually every second day. Her letters and cards give insight into her loneliness and the increasing persecution and restrictions for Jews in Austria.
Part of a collection of 71 letters and postcards, a diary and driver's license relating to Henrietta (Hetty) Hardy (nee Strauss), her mother Elsa Strauss (nee Sonnenfeld) and her grandmother Karolina Sonnenfeld (nee Löwy).
Hetty was born 21 April 1920 in Vienna. They family lived in an apartment in the city but owned a large farm about 25km away. When her father Jacob died of heart failure in 1929, they moved into her maternal grandmother's apartment, so Karolina could look after Hetty while Elsa worked at the farm. They lived there for six years; the three women were incredibly close.
After the Anschluss in March 1938, Elsa was stripped of her ownership of the farm. Hetty eventually received a domestic permit to live in England and immigrated at the beginning of March 1939. She worked as an au pair in Sussex. Hetty was considered a 'friendly alien' – her father was born in Czechoslovakia and as a result she had attained a Czech passport. Elsa was torn between following her daughter and staying to support her mother, but at the urging of family she soon followed Hetty at the end of March 1939.
Almost immediately after arriving, Elsa met Edward Bingham, a retired farmer who travelled frequently between England and New Zealand. Elsa and Edward married in April 1939, which was a marriage of convenience and compassion. Edward allowed Elsa to receive British citizenship and save her farm in Vienna, which became foreign owned. He also enabled Elsa and Hetty to attain a permit for New Zealand, and they left in August 1940. Edward soon moved back to England and their marriage was dissolved.
Hetty and Else remained in frequent contact with Karolina throughout 1939-1940, however their letters mostly ceased at the onset of war. Both Elsa and her brother Richard, who was living in Venezuela, tried to get a visa for Karolina but were unsuccessful. On 23 October 1941 she was deported to Lodz ghetto. In 1942 she was deported to a concentration camp where she was murdered. The family never learned the details of her fate, and always felt a lack of closure.
While on vacation in Australia in December 1947, Hetty met Nathan Hardy, soon became engaged, and married in April 1948 in Sydney.
Part of a collection of 71 letters and postcards, a diary and driver's license relating to Henrietta (Hetty) Hardy (nee Strauss), her mother Elsa Strauss (nee Sonnenfeld) and her grandmother Karolina Sonnenfeld (nee Löwy).
Hetty was born 21 April 1920 in Vienna. They family lived in an apartment in the city but owned a large farm about 25km away. When her father Jacob died of heart failure in 1929, they moved into her maternal grandmother's apartment, so Karolina could look after Hetty while Elsa worked at the farm. They lived there for six years; the three women were incredibly close.
After the Anschluss in March 1938, Elsa was stripped of her ownership of the farm. Hetty eventually received a domestic permit to live in England and immigrated at the beginning of March 1939. She worked as an au pair in Sussex. Hetty was considered a 'friendly alien' – her father was born in Czechoslovakia and as a result she had attained a Czech passport. Elsa was torn between following her daughter and staying to support her mother, but at the urging of family she soon followed Hetty at the end of March 1939.
Almost immediately after arriving, Elsa met Edward Bingham, a retired farmer who travelled frequently between England and New Zealand. Elsa and Edward married in April 1939, which was a marriage of convenience and compassion. Edward allowed Elsa to receive British citizenship and save her farm in Vienna, which became foreign owned. He also enabled Elsa and Hetty to attain a permit for New Zealand, and they left in August 1940. Edward soon moved back to England and their marriage was dissolved.
Hetty and Else remained in frequent contact with Karolina throughout 1939-1940, however their letters mostly ceased at the onset of war. Both Elsa and her brother Richard, who was living in Venezuela, tried to get a visa for Karolina but were unsuccessful. On 23 October 1941 she was deported to Lodz ghetto. In 1942 she was deported to a concentration camp where she was murdered. The family never learned the details of her fate, and always felt a lack of closure.
While on vacation in Australia in December 1947, Hetty met Nathan Hardy, soon became engaged, and married in April 1948 in Sydney.
Наименованиеpostcards
Материалpaper
Язык
- German M2020/040:009a Postcard from Karolina to her daughter Else, undated [could be June 1939].
Karolina called her property manager, to learn more about the tax issue. She told him, to spend all the money she had left for that purpose and for further official permits. There was still a problem, related to the permit of the “Steuerunbedenklichkeitserklaerung” because of her furniture, but her lawyer had promised to solve it.
M2020/040:009e Postcard from Karolina, Baden, to her daughter Else and her granddaughter Hetty, England, 5 July [1939]
Karolina explained her relatives how she had ended up in Baden, Austria. She was at the spa commission [Kurkommission], but she couldn’t stay there. There were only possibilities in Esplanade or Guttenbrunn, but Esplanade was too expensive. So she went to Guttenbrunn, where she could have a room as from the 15 July. However, she was not satisfied and was planning to keep on searching for a place to stay.
M2020/040:009f Postcard from Karolina to daughter Else and her granddaughter Hetty, London, 13 July 1939
She send Richard nine books.
M2020/040:009g Postcard from Karolina, Vienna, to her daughter Else, London, 21 July 1939
Karolina wanted to inquire Hetty’s certificate of birth, presumably after Else had asked her. Karolina wrote about her stay in Baden, from as 10 August to 1 September 1939.
M2020/040:009i A postcard from Karolina to her daughter Else and Edward, London, 18 August 1939
She wrote: “There are 40 J. out right now. But now, thank god, I am calmer again and more satisfied and hopeful. […]. But I am very concerned about Richard. I haven’t received any post from him since 14 Days. That didn’t happen before.”
Кредитная линияSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by David Hardy
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.