Номер объектаM2018/008:059
Описание
In March 1938, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in the “Anschluss”. From May 1938, the racist Nuremberg laws applied in Austria, and Austrian Jews were steadily ostracised from their societies during the process of “Aryanisation.” This tension came to a climax in the Kristallnacht pogrom from 9th-10th November.
In the meantime, Hardy Brothers, a British jewellery-making firm, offer young Leo Steiner from Vienna employment in Sydney, Australia as a jewellery mounter in July 1938. However, the Gestapo threaten to arrest Jews issued with travel documents who do not leave within a short time. Whilst Leo’s Australian landing permit is pending, it is therefore prudent to seek temporary refuge in a third country. Before he is discharged from his erstwhile firm Vienna Art Designs, Leo’s employer Oscar Fastlich writes that his stay in Switzerland is necessary for business. In July, Leo moves to Zurich on a temporary stay visa, leaving his parents, Adolf and Hermine, and brother Paul, behind in Vienna.
Once established in Australia, Leo makes various applications to the Australian government for landing permits on behalf of his parents and Paul, all of which are denied. All three family members would eventually perish during WWII.
This item consists of two letters conveyed by the same envelope. One is a letter from Hermine Steiner, Leo’s mother, sent via a connection (Jacques Kohn) in Shanghai, due to wartime postal restrictions. Since it is not posted directly to Leo, it takes a few months for the letter to reach its destination. Hermine writes in July, yet according to the stamp on the envelope, her correspondence only reaches Leo by November. Hermine urges Leo to write more and tells him that his brother, Paul, has been relocated with the rest of the Kladovo Transport (a group that attempted to reach Palestine and was stranded in Kladovo, Yugoslavia for a time) to Sabac in present-day Serbia. The second letter is a shorter message from Jacques Kohn.
Unbeknownst to Leo, his father Adolf had already passed away from an acute infection in September by the time he received his mother’s letter.
In March 1938, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in the “Anschluss”. From May 1938, the racist Nuremberg laws applied in Austria, and Austrian Jews were steadily ostracised from their societies during the process of “Aryanisation.” This tension came to a climax in the Kristallnacht pogrom from 9th-10th November.
In the meantime, Hardy Brothers, a British jewellery-making firm, offer young Leo Steiner from Vienna employment in Sydney, Australia as a jewellery mounter in July 1938. However, the Gestapo threaten to arrest Jews issued with travel documents who do not leave within a short time. Whilst Leo’s Australian landing permit is pending, it is therefore prudent to seek temporary refuge in a third country. Before he is discharged from his erstwhile firm Vienna Art Designs, Leo’s employer Oscar Fastlich writes that his stay in Switzerland is necessary for business. In July, Leo moves to Zurich on a temporary stay visa, leaving his parents, Adolf and Hermine, and brother Paul, behind in Vienna.
Once established in Australia, Leo makes various applications to the Australian government for landing permits on behalf of his parents and Paul, all of which are denied. All three family members would eventually perish during WWII.
This item consists of two letters conveyed by the same envelope. One is a letter from Hermine Steiner, Leo’s mother, sent via a connection (Jacques Kohn) in Shanghai, due to wartime postal restrictions. Since it is not posted directly to Leo, it takes a few months for the letter to reach its destination. Hermine writes in July, yet according to the stamp on the envelope, her correspondence only reaches Leo by November. Hermine urges Leo to write more and tells him that his brother, Paul, has been relocated with the rest of the Kladovo Transport (a group that attempted to reach Palestine and was stranded in Kladovo, Yugoslavia for a time) to Sabac in present-day Serbia. The second letter is a shorter message from Jacques Kohn.
Unbeknownst to Leo, his father Adolf had already passed away from an acute infection in September by the time he received his mother’s letter.
Место изготовленияVienna, Austria, Shanghai, China
Дата 1940-07-27 - 1940-07-27 1940-10-09 - 1940-10-09
ТемаHolocaust, refugees, refugees, family life, Kladovo Transport, youth movements, aliyah, Zionism, Hechalutz, Shanghai, China, postal restrictions
Наименованиеletters
Размерность
- letter (i) length: 210.00 mm
letter (i) width: 148.00 mm
letter (ii) length: 209.00 mm
letter (ii) width: 137.00 mm
envelope length: 162.00 mm
envelope width: 114.00 mm
Язык
- German 27.7.40
My dearest child,
I wait every day for a couple of lines from you, although unfortunately I have not come to expect as much. I hope that you are in good health. Tato is going a little better, thank G-d, only the weather is not good so he can’t go out for walks. I am in good health, thank G-d. I cook, go shopping and there is always some bookkeeping to do. Only one thing is missing - if only we were with you two we would be completely content. The dear G-d shall help us so that we can be with you again.
I get mail from Pauli every week, only I have received nothing from you for a long time, and that worries me. Pauli is going very well, thank G-d, and writes that he will stay there [Sabac, Yugoslavia] for the winter, which sits well with me at the moment, although apparently they will also receive certificates, which I find hard to believe. There is surely nothing you can do right now to help him, otherwise you would have already tried long ago. For us here there are no prospects unfortunately, besides which I am not sure whether Tato could stand the transports as it would be such a strain for him. He must continue to take rest, as he is still weak.
Aunt Anna is still in Milan, but Uncle has already left. She won’t know where he is until he writes. We have had no mail from Aunt Pepi for 5 weeks now. Leonku, write to Olga, she lives now at 1417 Grand Concourse, Bronx NY. She will write to you and me. We’ve also had no word from Juliska lately. Write as often as you can to Hansi, send him reply coupons and he will always write back to you. Pauli is upset to have no post from you lately; I would love just to hear that you are healthy, so take care and look out for yourself at every possible opportunity.
On 17.7 I cried so much since it was already 2 years since you had left us; how long it will be that we continue to be apart only G-d knows, as well as whether we will indeed ever see each other again. We think of you two all the time and talk only about you, as we are so alone during the day. We have a little room in the 2nd district on Upper Donaustrasse 9/14 with some nice people, but with high interest. Frau Byli also has a sister in America, so we are being supported by them, although I don’t require anything from them, only a couple of lines from you.
Frau Fluegelman also requests that when you write to us, you also drop her a couple of lines. Please write soon, and keep healthy,
A thousand kisses,
Your Mama
[followed by note from father Adolf Steiner at the bottom of page, but too hard to decipher meaning as a part appears to have been accidentally ripped out]
Shanghai 9.10.40
Dear Leo!
Hansi sent us another letter from your dear parents which I immediately took to the post. Hansi also asked if I had already received your response to the first one. Hopefully you have received the letter in question and have sent your reply over to me. How are you and what are you up to? It is very difficult to earn money here. We have been here 1 ½ years and haven’t been able to find anything. Walter and Poldi left Vienna for Palestine on 3.9 and up till now have not written anything.
Best regards,
Jacques Kohn
Кредитная линияSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Pauline Shavit