Flight from Vienna 1938

An airmail letter from Dally to Ma From Königsberg
written ערב שבת שובה 1938
Dally was planning to flee to America alone
through Riga, Latvia

We are posting an airmail letter from Dally to Ma, written Friday September 30th 1938. From the address on the envelope it is apparent that Ma was staying with her parents. It is very difficult for us to imagine the situation in Vienna at that time. We are not sure if this was before or after Dally's arrest by the Gestapo ימ"ש.

The letter was written from Königsberg, Prussia to Vienna. The content of the letter is not entirely clear. We would greatly appreciate if anyone can help us translate the letter or shed some light on the circumstances regarding Dally's trip to Riga, Latvia at that time. Following are some facts that we have put together based on the letter and other documentation.

In March of 1938 Hitler ימ"ש and his Nazi henchmen took over the Austrian government. The situation of Austrian Jews, the majority of which lived in Vienna, became extremely grave. However, no one dreamed of the enormity of the catastrophe which awaited them. The consensus was that it was dangerous for young able bodied men to stay in Vienna as many of them were being arrested daily. It is against this background that the letter was written.

From Dally's German passport, stamped with the red J for "Jude-Jew" that was issued by the Nazis September 19th 1938, it is apparent that he applied for a visa to travel to Latvia. Towards the end of September 1938 (ימים נוראים תרצ"ט) he received a visa which was valid from September 28th (צום גדליה) thru October 4th (ערב יום כיפור תרצ"ט). He traveled through Berlin and Koenigsberg on the way to Riga. It is not clear to us if he actually arrived in Riga. It seems, his plan was to flee to America, alone without his family, through Riga, a port city. After having arranged the particulars of his escape he was returning to Vienna to say good bye.

Telegram sent by Dally requesting one hundred Mark
and notifying Ma that he would arrive in Vienna on Tuesday (ערב יום כיפור)

Dally begins the letter, mentioning the telegram he sent requesting additional finances. He then discusses the difficulties in catching his train, apparently from Berlin to Latvia. 

Dally got stuck in Königsberg (on his way back from Riga?) over שבת and was not able to make it to Berlin where it seems he had originally planned to spend שבת. 

Receipt for the 100 Mark
Ma wired to Dally in Königsberg

In the letter Dally mentions that he heard the news of the "4 Machte Konferenz" - The Conference of the Four Powers, that morning. That conference was part of the appeasement plan where the governments of Italy, France and England agreed to the transfer of Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia to Germany. Upon his return to Britain, Chamberlain, Britain's Prime Minister, delivered his famous "Peace for our time" speech to delighted crowds in London.

If we understand the letter correctly, Dally writes that after looking at a photograph of Ma he decided that it would not be embarrassing at all if Ma were to accompany him  to America with the children. At that time there was no plan for the entire family to emigrate because it was extremely difficult to flee with small children and they just did not realize the danger to women and children (Kristallnacht was still some six weeks away).

Ma used to relate how Dally fled Vienna alone; he  couldn't live with that decision and decided to return home to Vienna.

Page 1 of the Letter
Dearest Cilla עמ"ש,
You surely received my telegram and post card ...

Konigsberg Pr. 30. IX.1938

Liebste Cilla עמ"ש!

Meine Karte und Telegramm wirst Du ja bekommen haben. Also wie Du weisst sind wir in Berlin mit einer halbstündigen Verspätung angekommen statt um 7: 50 h. um 8:25 h. Um 9 h. ging da zug von hinein anderen Bahnhof (Schlesischen) weiter wir hatten ihn bequem erreicht doch durch ein Missverstandnis fahren wir zum Stettiner Bahnhof von dort gehts auch nach Riga ubers Meer das war aber falsch, es war 8:45 Koffer waren von Taxi schon unten noch ein mal hinauf frisches Taxi zum Bahnhof Friedrich Strasse (Modling) 8:53 zug war weg wieter zum Schlesischen wir kommen hin und der zug rolld aus der Halle. Wir haben uns sehr geärgert ich habe schon geglaubt es wird sehr spat sein. Dann haben wir von der 4 machte konferenz gehort. Um ½ 1 hr. nachts fahren wir weiter ich schon mit dem gedanken wenns in ordnung geht fahrst du zruck wir kamen um ½ 8 h. früh an die zeitungen brachten schon alles. Ich habe dein gesicht (Fotagrafie) angeschaut und habe gesehen dass es dich nicht genieren wird wenn wir zusammen mit unsren lieben kindern nach Amerika aus Wien fahren werden. Da es leider unmöglich war heute vor שבת nach Berlin zukommen, bin ich gezwungen hier in Konigsberg über שבת zu bleiben und komme ב"ה am Montag oder Dienstag nach house, hoffentlich werde ich das geld zur zeit bekommen. Sollest du mir schreiben wollen so eventnel zu Max Adler Berlin NW 87 File Wardenberg st 6. hier nichts … Es grusst und kusst dich dein Edwin

Hoffentlich habt ihr beim telegram Koengsberg PR (Preussen) gescriben. Was macht Fritz & Erno? Das hab ich alles der l. Schwiegermutter zu verdanken. Weil bevor ich nach Amerika fahre ich direkt von konigsberg nach Wien 1524 km fahre um mich von der l. Schwiegermutter עמו"ש zu verabschieden

Page 2
... then heard about the 4 Machte Conference ...
... I saw your face (in a photograph) and I realized 
it would not be embarrassing if we traveled together 
to America with our dear children ...

Page 3
Monday or Tuesday I should arrive in Vienna...
Your Edwin
How are Erno and Fritz?...

Page 4
I will be traveling directly from Konigsberg 
1524 Kilometers, just to say good bye 
to my mother-in-law before I leave to America