Postcard from 1939 Germany

[Zefiro]

Only one word I can't read: the last on this page. Without the rest of the sentence, I just can't tell you what's written there. Sorry for that.

12.9.39
Mein liebes Ruthchen!
Tausend herzlichen Dank für deinen so lieben langen Brief. Ich habe mich ganz
schrecklich gefreut. Vor allen Dingen über die Promptheit mit der du geantwortet
hast. Also erstmal wünsche ich dir alles alles Gute zum morgigem Jahres-
wechsel, bleibe hübsch gesund und mache deinen lieben Eltern weiter Freude.
Ich hoffe das du nicht vergessen hast, das morgen 6.15 Eref Rauch Haschanah
beginnt (5700). Ich gehe wenn es irgendwie möglich ist in die Synagogue.
Aber ich weiss nicht ob im Augenblick Gottesdienst stattfindet. Es wurde
mir naturlich sehr weh tun, da ich ja immer in die Synagogue gegangen bin.
Doch nun zu dir. Ich freue mich sehr, dass es dir gut geht. Sei nur immer
schön artig dort, damit kannst du deinen Eltern nur sehr helfen. Ich glaube
nicht dass du deinen Eltern im Augenblick helfen kannst. Dass du darüber verzwei-
felt bist, kann ich vollständig verstehen. Mir geht es nämlich ganz genau so.
Ich habe hier schon getan, alles was ich nur irgend konnte, war auf dem Kommis,
habe auf Annonçen geschrieben, habe aber nicht das Geringste erreichen können.
Ich würde dir raten, dich mal an deine Leute dort wo du wohnst zu wenden,
denen die Lage deiner Eltern klar machen, und sie bitten ob sie für dich nicht was
schreiben können. Aber ich vermute dass Ihr dann die Antwort bekommt "Ihr müsst
erst mal eine Stellung für sie gefunden haben". Ausserdem glaube ich nicht,
dass du jetzt überhaupt was erreichen kannst. Halt die Ohren steif Ruthchen,
nur den Mut nicht verlieren. Das schlimmste von Allem ist, dass wir unseren
Eltern nicht schreiben können und nichts von ihnen hören. Das ist fast gar nicht
zu ertragen. Geht es dir auch so? Liebes Ruthchen, ich habe eine ganz grosse
Bitte an dich. Hör zu: "Ich habe meine Freundin Susie in Stockholm.
Du kennst sie, glaube ich. Ich darf nicht an sie schreiben, da meine ...

[Zefiro]

September 12, 1939

My dear little Ruth!

A thousand thanks from the bottom of my heart for your lovely long letter. I was enormously pleased. Above all, about the promptness with which you answered. So first of all, I wish you all the very best for tomorrow's New Year, stay healthy and continue to bring joy to your dear parents.

I hope you haven't forgotten that tomorrow at 6:15 pm Erev Rosh Hashanah begins (5700). I will go to the synagogue if it's at all possible. But I don't know if services are taking place at the moment. It would of course hurt me very much, as I have always gone to the synagogue.

Now to you. I'm very glad that you're doing well. Always be very good there, that's how you can help your parents the most. I don't think you can help your parents at the moment. I can fully understand that you're desperate about this. It's exactly the same for me.

I've already done everything I possibly could here, was at the employment office, have written to advertisements, but couldn't achieve the slightest thing. I would advise you to turn to the people where you are living, explain your parents' situation to them, and ask if they could write something for you. But I suspect that you'll then get the answer "You must first find a position for them". Besides, I don't think you can achieve anything at all at this moment. Keep your chin up, Ruth, don't lose courage. The worst of all is that we can't write to our parents and don't hear from them. It's almost unbearable. Is it the same for you? Dear Ruth, I have a very big request for you. Listen: "I have my friend Susie in Stockholm. You know her, I think. I'm not allowed to write to her, as my ...

[uptodat]

Brilliant! Thank you again Zefiro. Anne, Ruth's daughter is very grateful & moved by new insights into her mother's past.
I sensed that the one side was not the full letter & asked Anne if she'd overlooked the reverse. She confirmed she hadn't but I'll ask her again to check for a page 2.

[uptodat]

Second pair of eyes requested please Zefiro.
I think I did OK with my translation bur it certainly wasn't up to your standard!
This is from Berthold's mother Betty Heymann, born Berger, & is in large part sharing addresses.

I haven't identified Martin Berger but speculate he was Betty's brother in Breslau.

Franze Heymann hasn't definitely been identified either but she is thought to be sister of Ruth's father, David Heymann. Anne had heard of an aunt with the Anglicised name of Frances but I think she was Francisca or Franziska &, based on a Nazi era record of a person of that name from Zempelburg whence came the Heymanns, I think she was born in 1897 & probably still single when transported.

I forgot to respond to a previous point: The Sabine in Berthold's letter must be Biene & other variants, but I don't know who she was - sister of Berthold perhaps. (Nazi records indicated that Berthold's wife was Ilsa Birnbaum.)

[Zefiro]

Geschrieben, den 4. September 1939
Mein liebes, kleines Mädelchen!
Ich danke dir sehr für deinen
Brief, worüber ich mich freue.
Daß du liebes Mädel, dir schon
viele Freunde angeschafft hast,
das glaube ich dir, denn bei
deinem Temperament kann
es dir nicht schwer fallen. Die
Hauptsache ist die: es gefällt
dir dort. Die Langeweile wird
auch vergehen wenn du dich da
richtig eingelebt haben wirst.
Hast du schon die Verwandten
gesprochen? Wenn du mit
ihnen zusammen kommst, dann
grüße von mir. Wird in dem
Hause in dem du bist auch Deutsch
gesprochen, oder bloß Englisch?
Nun will ich dir die Adressen,
die du haben willst, schreiben.

# Martin Berger
Breslau
Steinstraße 18 bei Posner
# Berthold Heymann
Brüssel/ Belgien
Rue de la Violette 19 II
# Fränze Heymann
Berlin N.O. 54
Templinerstraße 7 II

Das Bild, worauf wir zu-
sammen fotografiert sind, haben
wir bekommen. Wir sind gut
getroffen. Willst du auch eins
haben?
Zum Neuen Jahre will ich
dir, liebes Ruthchen, alles Gute
wünschen. Bleibe gesund und
behalte immer deine Lustig-
keit.
Laß wieder von dir hören.
Sei herzlich gegrüßt, auch von
Ilse. Von deiner dich lieb-
habenden Tante Betty.

*******************************************

Written on September 4, 1939

My sweet little girl!
I thank you very much for your letter, which I'm happy about. That you, my sweet girl, have already made many friends, I truly believe. With your temperament it can't be that difficult for you. The main thing is that you like it there. The boredom will also pass when you have properly settled in.
Have you already spoken to the relatives? When you meet them, send my greetings. Is German also spoken in the house where you are, or just English?

Now I want to write you the addresses you want:

1. Martin Berger
   Breslau
   Steinstraße 18 at Posner's

2. Berthold Heymann
   Brussels, Belgium
   Rue de la Violette 19 II

3. Fränze Heymann
   Berlin N.O. 54
   Templinerstraße 7 II

We received the picture where we are photographed together. We look good in it. Do you want one too?
For the New Year, I want to wish you, dear little Ruth, all the best. Stay healthy and always keep your cheerfulness.
Let me hear from you again.
Warm greetings, also from Ilse.
From your loving Aunt Betty

****************************************

1. Steinstraße, Breslau = ulica Kamienna, Wrocław (Poland)
2. Rue de la Violette (French name)= Violetstraat (Dutch name)

[uptodat]

Wonderful work Zefiro.

Here is a short note which does have Mutti & Papa & sister Hilde. I'd be grateful for your expertise yet again please.

[Zefiro]

29.9.39
Mein liebes Rutchen!
Wir hoffen daß du gesund
und munter bist. Auch wir
sind wohlauf und denken sehr
viel an dich. Sei unsertwegen
ganz ohne Sorge. Hast du
dich schon eingelebt? Schreibe
bitte an Berthold für uns.
Herzliche Grüße von uns
Allen.
Dein Mutti und Papa.
---
(in margin)
Herrn und Frau F. Viele
herzliche Grüße von uns

*************************
Liebes Ruthchen!
Ja, es ist schade, daß das mit mir
nicht geklappt hat, und ich noch
nicht in London bin. Aber was
nicht ist, kann noch werden.
Ich hoffe, daß du dich dort
wohl fühlst. Grüße bitte Frau
und Herrn Farrar von mir und
sei selbst herzlich gegrüßt von
deiner Schwester
Hilde

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////

September 29, 1939

My dear little Ruth!
We hope that you are healthy and cheerful. We too are well and think very
much of you. Don't worry about us at all. Have you settled in already?
Please write to Berthold for us.
Warm greetings from all of us.
Your Mom and Dad.
---
to Mr. and Mrs. F.:
Many warm greetings from us

*************************************
Dear little Ruth!
Yes, it's a shame that it didn't work out for me, and I'm not
in London yet. But what isn't, can still become.
I hope that you feel at ease there.
Please greet Mrs. and Mr. Farrar from me and also warm greetings to you.
From your sister
Hilde

[uptodat]

Thanks for such swift work again Zefiro. You  contribution to researching this has been fantastic.
I'm waiting on Anne for news of any other documents.
All the best,
Dave

[uptodat]

Hi Zefiro, I think there are just 3 pages found, that you haven't yet seen. (Sorry they have been prrsented in a jumble.)

Your translation would ensure we miss nothing if you could again oblige please.

I add here 2 sides of a letter written after the War, in Deggendorf Refugee camp, by Cecilie Schlochauer, born Hammerstein, who was Ruth's mother, Martha's, elder half-sister. At this time Cecilie had 3 surviving children: one daughter, Helene, was married  with children, married name Sternberg, in Argentina; a son Ludwig was married and in Palestine; another daughter, Betti, was also in Palestine, married name Keyser.
Then there is a single side by an unknown writer who includes a bit of English & mentions Ruth's cousin Manfred Heymann & an unknown Mrs James.