Chanuka 1939

 

One of the last letters received from Dally's father הי"ד
 seeking help to escape from the hands of  the Nazis

This letter, dated December 12, 1939 which was the sixth day of Chanuka ת"ש, is most likely one of the last letters Dally received from his father Dov (Berthold) הי"ד.

In March of 1938, Vienna was annexed by Nazi Germany. The persecution of Jews in Vienna from that point on became worse from month to month.  November 1938 during Kristalnacht most of the Shuls and Jewish businesses were destroyed. Dally, Ma and their two children, Hanna and Shlomo, escaped Vienna, fleeing to New York at the end of 1938. 
 
Dally's parents, who remained in Vienna, were desperately trying to obtain affidavits and visas to emigrate to the United States.  Some time in 1939, an extremely difficult year for Jews in Vienna, Dally's parents escaped from Vienna to Hungary. From letters written by Ma's sister Greta and other sources, it seems that for a while Dally's parents were staying with their Breuer relatives in Hungary, in Sopron. We are unsure of the exact sequence of events, but we heard that for some time before they were deported to Auschwitz, in the spring of 1944, they were in hiding in Hungary and were staying with a family that lived in New Square after the war.
 
In the above letter, written from Sopron at the end of 1939, Dally's father mentions that he has received permission to extend his stay in Hungary for only another two weeks.  Ma's sister Greta הי"ד and her husband Erno Bauer ז"ל lived in Szombathely, Hungary and were in touch with Dally's parents. This letter was written when Dally's father was staying by Greta and Erno.
 
Unfortunately, all efforts failed and Dally's parents, Berthold and Sabina were eventually murdered by the Nazis יש"ו in Auschwitz, הי"ד.
 
(The letter is written in Dally's handwriting, apparently the original was deteriorating therefore he copied it and placed it in the original envelope.  The letter was found in the same envelope as a letter written by Greta and Erno Bauer dated on the same date, December 12, 1939.)    

 

We transcribed the letter in its original German and translated it to English.

ב"ה

Sopron, December 12 1939

Dear Edwin! עמ"ש

I have just come from Budapest and with unusually great difficulty, this time, I was able to extend my visa for an additional 2 weeks.  I cannot understand how you have written three times that you have already sent an affidavit, upon every inquiry I made at the consulate the answer was always no documents have been submitted for you.  As a precaution I also made inquiries at the consulate in Vienna where I received the same reply.  I can not understand why you are not putting more effort into the matter, when you yourself know exactly the despairing situation we are in.  I have no idea what to begin to do if the affidavit will not arrive before the 2 weeks run out, I will then have absolutely no chance that they will lengthen my visa.  You can imagine how despairing dear mother is.  I beg you immediately as soon as you receive this letter use all leverage you can muster to send the affidavit to my address here via air mail that it may arrive within the time I have left.  I am by Grete and Erno, Marta is extremely cute, constantly saying, Opapa Stroh, also hoping to come to you soon.  How are you and the dear children? How is the Bauer family doing?  Send my best regards to the Zehlemer Rav.  What is your position?  How are things with you their?  Are you happy with your salary?  We haven’t heard anything from Vienna in a quite some time.

Sending you our best wishes, regards and kissing you many times,

Your … father,

Stroh

Following is the transcribed copy of the letter. 

ב"ה

Sopron, 12. Dez. 1939

Lieber Edwin! עמ"ש

Ich komme Soeben aus Budapest und hatte dort deismal besonderes grosse schwierigkeiten um unsere aufenthaltsbewilligung auf weitere 2 wochen verlangern zu konnen. Ich kann nicht begreifen wieso du schon dreimal schreibst dass das affidavit fur uns schon abgegangen ist und ich auf jede ausfrage beim konsulat, den bescheid erhalte dass keinerlei papiere fur uns eingelangt sind. Vorsichtssalber habe ich auch beim konsulat in Wien angefragt, wo ich die selbe antwort erheilt. Ich kann nicht verstehen wieso du in die sache nicht mehr bemuhst, wo du doch genau weist in welcher werzweifolten lage wir uns hier befinden. Ich weiss nicht was ich anfangen soll wenn das aff. bis zu um ablauf der nachsten 2 wochen nicht hier ist, den ich habe garkeine aussicht, das man mir den aufenthalt wieder verlangert. Du kanst dir also vorstellen wie verzweifelt die l. mutter ist. Ich bitte dich daher sofort nach erhalt dieses briefes alle hebel in bewegung zu setzen unn das affidavit sofort an meine adresse abzusenden, damit es innerhalb der frist unsereres aufenthaltes  hier ist, sende es daher unbedingt per luftpost an mich. Ich bin bei Grete & Erno, Marta ist unberufen sehr goldig, … immer Stroh opapa, hoffen auch balt zu euch zu kommen. Was macht ihr und die l. kinder? Was macht fam. Bauer? Viele grusse an Zehlemer Rav. Wie ist Dein posten? Wie geht es dir dort? Bist du mit der bezahlung zufreiden? Aus Wien haben wir schon lange keine nachricht.

senden euch alles gute wunsche, grusst u. kusst euch vielmals,

euer … vater

Stroh