As we all know, Phillipp was taken to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, where he lived his final days. For your information, the camp was located at the edge of Oranienburg, 21 miles (34 km) northwest of Berlin. He sent a postcard to Lucie Braunhart, Theo's wife.
Note; A newly discovered piece of info about Lucie - her maiden name was Cartheuser.
At the date of the postcard, Lucie was the only relative left alive that he could communicate with.
So that leaves Lucie, who was likely a Christian, although we have no evidence of that claim.
We don't know how long they had been communicating.
At any rate, below is the original postcard, followed by the translation
Note; A newly discovered piece of info about Lucie - her maiden name was Cartheuser.
At the date of the postcard, Lucie was the only relative left alive that he could communicate with.
- His mother Helene, died much earlier, in 1925.
- His father Alexander had passed just a year earlier, in 1941
- Anna, Carl, Martha, and Frieda had immigrated to New York City
- Jacob had immigrated to Delaware.
- Selma had escaped to England
- Theo had escaped to Shanghai, along with Dorka (Julius' wife) and her children Lilly and Lothar.
- The whereabouts of Moritz and his wife Clara, were unknown at that time, although likely in Leipzig.
- Julius was at Theresienstadt Concentration Camp, which is now in the Czech Republic.
- Carl's daughter Hanna was at Auschwitz.
- Cecelia was likely in Cottbus, married to Horst Eilenberg, but since she was Jewish (don't know about Horst), it is likely that she was in hiding.
So that leaves Lucie, who was likely a Christian, although we have no evidence of that claim.
We don't know how long they had been communicating.
At any rate, below is the original postcard, followed by the translation
Many thanks to Andrea for finding this wonderful source material.
And thanks to Matthias Steinke, our German translator friend, below is the translation:
stamp:
Oranienburg, 4th July 1942
written from the concentration camp Sachsenhausen
address:
Mrs.
Lucie Braunhardt
Berlin O17
Holzmarktstrasse 50a
written text:
My very beloved children, Mum and
all relatives. I am healthy and hope the
same from you. I hope that you
received my wages. If it's possible,
be so kind and send me wool socks.
Stay healthy and let hear from you soon.
Be hearty greeting by your loving father.
printed text:
Concentration camp Sachsenhausen
Oranienburg near Berlin
Excerpt of the camp regulations.
Every prisoner is allowed to receive and send
2 letters or postcards per month.
Incoming letters shall not have more than 4 pages
with not more than 15 lines each and have
to be clear and good readable. Parcels with any
content are forbidden. Sending money is only allowed
via money order addressed to the prisoner: first name and
surname, date of birth and prisoner number and no
further messages. Money, photos and pictures in letters
are forbidden. Letters that don't correspond with these rules
will be rejected. Confusing or hard readable letters will
be destroyed. In the camp can be bought everything.
National socialist newspapers are allowed, but have to be
ordered by the prisoners.
The camp commander
If you have forgotten, the reason he is not communicating with his wife Else and his three children directly, was because Philipp and Else had a "forced" divorce. Since Else was a Christian and the children were half Jewish, if they did not divorce, the children would have been taken away by the Nazis.
And thanks to Matthias Steinke, our German translator friend, below is the translation:
stamp:
Oranienburg, 4th July 1942
written from the concentration camp Sachsenhausen
address:
Mrs.
Lucie Braunhardt
Berlin O17
Holzmarktstrasse 50a
written text:
My very beloved children, Mum and
all relatives. I am healthy and hope the
same from you. I hope that you
received my wages. If it's possible,
be so kind and send me wool socks.
Stay healthy and let hear from you soon.
Be hearty greeting by your loving father.
printed text:
Concentration camp Sachsenhausen
Oranienburg near Berlin
Excerpt of the camp regulations.
Every prisoner is allowed to receive and send
2 letters or postcards per month.
Incoming letters shall not have more than 4 pages
with not more than 15 lines each and have
to be clear and good readable. Parcels with any
content are forbidden. Sending money is only allowed
via money order addressed to the prisoner: first name and
surname, date of birth and prisoner number and no
further messages. Money, photos and pictures in letters
are forbidden. Letters that don't correspond with these rules
will be rejected. Confusing or hard readable letters will
be destroyed. In the camp can be bought everything.
National socialist newspapers are allowed, but have to be
ordered by the prisoners.
The camp commander
If you have forgotten, the reason he is not communicating with his wife Else and his three children directly, was because Philipp and Else had a "forced" divorce. Since Else was a Christian and the children were half Jewish, if they did not divorce, the children would have been taken away by the Nazis.
Final comment: Please notice that the date of the postcard was July 2, 1942. Philipp stated that he was "healthy". Philipp died two days later, on July 4, 1942. His cause of death is in dispute.
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