Author Topic: Postcard from 1939 Germany  (Read 1482 times)

Offline uptodat

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Postcard from 1939 Germany
« on: Tuesday 18 February 25 21:14 GMT (UK) »
Could someone please decipher the stained writing on the left of this "Puss in Boots" postcard dating, I think, to 1939.
The item was in possession of a 9 year old Jewish girl arriving in the UK on a Kindertransport. All her immediate family died in the Holocaust. I am assisting her daughter to piece together the family tree & whoever wrote this card is likely an important part of that.
I believe the address side on the right reads "Fraulein Ruth ----,
Berlin, Wilmersdorf, Uhland Str, 118, 119 then perhaps garden- house (flat II) ---
Almost all of the left side is indecipherable to me although I think there may be part of sender's name Cohn? before an address 22.
I have tried AI, etc without success. I have very limited knowledge of German language & especially of such handwriting which is perhaps from a child?

Offline Zefiro

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Re: Postcard from 1939 Germany
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 18 February 25 22:20 GMT (UK) »
my attempt (left side only)

Absender P. Cohn Schlowe
Mühlenstrasse 22
das ist ... Karte
hast auch ein Album
das du sie Aufbewärst
ich wunsch Euch guten
Sonabend und gute
Gesundheit. Alle gute
Schabes

Offline uptodat

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Re: Postcard from 1939 Germany
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 19 February 25 07:11 GMT (UK) »
Thank you Zefiro!

Offline Zefiro

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Re: Postcard from 1939 Germany
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 19 February 25 20:36 GMT (UK) »
Right side:

Fraulein
Ruth H..hmann
Berlin Wilmersdorf
Uhlandstraße 118 119
Gartenhaus II Tr..


Offline uptodat

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Re: Postcard from 1939 Germany
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 20 February 25 07:36 GMT (UK) »
Thank you again. She was Ruth Heymann but the handwriting in no way resembles that!

Offline Zefiro

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Re: Postcard from 1939 Germany
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 20 February 25 20:38 GMT (UK) »
Thank you again. She was Ruth Heymann but the handwriting in no way resembles that!

I can now read it as Heihmann (the E written with a very shaky hand). Phonetically this is the same as Heymann.

The last word of the address is propably Treppen. (stairs, steps)

I found that a lot of people lived at 118/ 119. I suspect there may have been either more than 1 entrance to the building (hence II Treppen, steps leading to the second entrance), or multiple floors (II Treppen meaning second floor).

Offline uptodat

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Re: Postcard from 1939 Germany
« Reply #6 on: Friday 21 February 25 09:07 GMT (UK) »
Again, my thanks. You are correct about the address, from which many from different families were transported to their deaths.
Your help with this is very much appreciated. May I submit other letters both sides, with contributions by Ruth's parents, siblings & others?
One is dated 1940, & may be the last communication received before their transportations in 1942, 1943.
As background, young Ruth was being fostered by a childless couple in the North of England. Siblings' names were Hilde(gard), Kurt & Manfred, but at least one sign off seems to be something else.

Offline Zefiro

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Re: Postcard from 1939 Germany
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 22 February 25 11:13 GMT (UK) »
Here's the transcription of the first letter. If you need help translating it, just ask.
When the original writer of this letter had finished, the rest of the space was filled with greetings from the rest of the family. I've separated those lines with ++++++++++++++.
There are a few words I just couldn't read, and some names are uncertain. I hope you can tell who they are. I've highlighted these.
I'm going to do the other letter later this weekend.

Viele Grüße
Schreibe bald
Berthold und Bine

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
18.4.40
Meine Lieben!
Heute haben wir Euren lieben Brief erhalten
und uns sehr über denselben gefreut.
Gott sei Dank daß du liebes Rutchen gesund
bist. Ich hatte mir schon so sehr große
Sorgen gemacht. Das ist ja fein, daß du
nun schon zur Schule gehst, und es dir
dort gut gefällt. Bleibe nur weiter
eine gute fleißige Schülerin. Wie geht
es Herrn Katz und Hund? Bitte grüße und b. W.
von uns. Und der Herr bei dem du einmal
zu Mittag geladen warst, wo das 4 jährige
Kind ist. Warst du wieder mal da?
Hast du denn mehrere Vögel, oder nur eine?
Ich habe mich auch sehr gefreut über
deinen neuen Mantel. Er ist wohl schön
warm. Laß dich nicht so viel belecken von
dem Hund. Waßch dir sehr viel deine Hände.
Habt Ihr was von Tante Rosa gehört?
Wir schon ewig nichts. Tante Recha ist
von uns gezogen. Sie heiratet mit
Onkel Fritz. Grüßt Betty Cohn herzlich von
uns. Hat Margot mal geschrieben?
Liebe Rutchen, schreibe so oft du kannst.
Schreibt bald alle wieder mit Berthold,
und schreibe auch an Tante Lenn und Gladys.
Die freuen sich auch sehr, genau wie wir.
///
Bleibt schön gesund, und du auch mein
geliebtes Rutchen. Ich denke so sehr viel an
dich. Bitte grüßt recht herzlich Onkel und
die liebe Tante Farrer. Viele recht herzliche
Grüße und Küsse von Eure Euch gut
Tante und Mutti
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Liebes Ruthchen,
Vielen Dank für deine Zeilen. Ich sehe, daß
du jetzt viel mehr Englisch kannst als ich.
Vergiss wohl nicht ganz das Deutsche.
Diesen Monat habe ich frisieren ausgelernt.
Siehst du Ruthchen, ich hätte dir eine
schöne Frisur gemacht. Mit Löckchen
und alles dran. Na, ich habe alles noch.
Schreibe bald. Herzliche Grüße,
deine Schwester
Hilde
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Liebes Ruthchen!
Ich lerne jetzt Schlosser. Warst du eigentlich schon mal
im Kino? oder in Theater? ...? Ach! so!
Viele Grüße und Küsse,
dein Bruder
Kurt
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Liebe Ruth,
Ich lerne jetzt Graphiker.
Ich gehe schon lange nicht
mehr zur Schule. Viele
Grüße, dein Bruder
Manfred
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Meine kleine Lulle
Sehr erfreut haben mich
deine Zeilen. Sehe ich doch,
dass du gesund bist. Es ist
... früh, ich muss zur Arbeit.
Viele Grüße und Küsse, dein
Sußi
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Liebes Rutchen!
Wir haben uns sehr
gefreut über deinen Brief.
Herzlichen Grüß von deine
Tante Sanni
Gute Gesund-
heit wünsche ich dir.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dir l. Berthold und Biene herzliche Grüße und vielen Dank von Onkel Dago

Offline uptodat

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Re: Postcard from 1939 Germany
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 22 February 25 19:53 GMT (UK) »
Excellent. You are very kind. Thank you for taking the trouble to do this.
I think I have the gist of the letter but your translation would be great.

 Aunt Rosa (Hayes) was a paternal aunt who had long lived in England.

I'm not sure how the Cohns were related, probably through Ruth's maternal grandmother, but Betty / Bertha was in the south of England & Recha in Berlin. She married Fritz Sandberg but was transported to her death in 1943.

The Farrers were Ruth's carers as previously stated, & presumably had a pet dog & a cat.

I suspect Berthold Heymann was a paternal cousin of Ruth. He was married to Ilsa nee Birnbaum & they were in Brussels at the start of the war but died at Auschwitz I believe.

I think you have the siblings correctly, Hilde, Kurt & Manfred.

Margot Heymann / Heimann was a paternal cousin who got to England & married an American serviceman, and then emigrated to the US.

I haven't identified any aunts Lenn (Lena?) or Gladys yet.

I'd assumed the main bit was from Daddy & Mummy but it appears to be an Aunt as you have transcribed. I don't know who that might be. I believe father David Heymann was still with the family at this time.

I don't know who Sussi might be. There  was a relative Franziska Heymann but it is a stretch to think it might be her! Likewise Sanni - Franni?

I wonder if the bottom line could be Berthold, Ilsa & Uncle Isador (father of Berthold)?

I think every little clue might be important &, with the benefit of your work here, I will be able to look at other correspondence with fresh eyes.

All the best & thanks again,

Dave