Graphical version

Wiener Library

A Jewish girl in Vienna: correspondence

IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 1556 WL 1230

Held at: Wiener Library

Title: A Jewish girl in Vienna: correspondence

Date(s): 1939-1941

Level of description: collection

Extent: 1 file

Name of creator(s): Leni | fl 1939-1941

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

Nothing is known about the provenance of these copy letters from a Jewish girl and her aunt to relatives in Great Britain. They are mirror image typescript mimeographed transcriptions, the majority of which are copy letters from Leni, the 12 year old girl. It is apparent from the content that Leni's mother and father died within a short space of time of each other in 1938, both at the relatively early age of 53. Her brother also died at Buchenwald at the age of 18.

During the period of the correspondence Leni stayed with an aunt, Martha and her young cousin, Hansi. Martha was imprisoned for 3 months for maligning the regime and it appears that Leni remained in the house during her absence. Two of the subsequent letters are from Martha in prison. In her last letter Leni mentions that her departure from Austria to the USA is immanent. Martha also expected to leave within the year. Nothing is known of their fate and without even a surname it would be impossible to find out.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of Jewish girl in Vienna, 1939-1941, comprise mirror image typescript mimeographed transcript of correspondence from a 12 year old Jewish girl in Vienna and her aunt to relatives in Great Britain describing conditions in the city.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material:

German

System of arrangement:

Chronological.

Conditions governing access:

Open

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.

Physical characteristics:

Text back to front.

Finding aids:

Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk.

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Jewish Central Information Office

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Archivist's note: Entry compiled by Howard Falksohn.