With her immediate family out of Berlin, Luzie could turn her attention to other family members. Among those looking for an exit from Germany was Aunt Paula Steinberg, the sister of Luzie’s deceased mother, Johanna. Her children, Erna, Walter, and Hilde, had emigrated to Palestine, leaving Paula quite alone. In her letter, Luzie apologizes to her aunt, who was angry at her for not writing sooner, and she shares with her what life in New York was like.
To: Paula Steinberg, Dortmund, Germany
From: Luzie Hatch, New York
Date: May 1, 1939
Translated from the German
My dear, beloved Aunt Paula!
I heard from my father that you are very angry with me, which on the one hand I can completely empathize with. On the other hand, I hope that after reading this letter, you will have found a little understanding for me and for my silence.
After all the initial turmoil, I have finally come into my own somewhat and am beginning to lead an ordered life, so that from now on—I give you my word of honor—I will be in touch with you regularly.
Before I tell you about myself, I would like to enquire about you. First of all, how is your health? When can you start thinking about achieving your plans? If there is any way that I can be helpful and obliging to you, I beg you with all my heart to let me know immediately. You know that I will do my utmost and take care of everything I possibly can. Now, it is not at all clear to me to what extent your ideas can be accomplished—perhaps you would be interested in coming here at some point. Although these prospects are also very bleak, perhaps we should try to see if there are any possibilities—of course always under the assumption that everything else works out. Please share your views on this with me.
Aunt Martha married again three weeks ago; she needed some support. I hope that she chose the right man. I hear very little from all the other relatives. I also haven’t written to anyone so far, because it has been absolutely impossible for me.
The crossing took a big toll on me. I was constantly seasick, and after my arrival I felt like the hotel where I spent the first night was rocking back and forth. My cousin once removed (my father’s cousin) picked me up, along with several old friends who have been here for a while.
My cousin is a very kind man, a typical American. He does not speak a word of German, and I was just happy that I had no difficulties in communicating right from the start. Generally I understood almost everyone right away, and was myself able to communicate quite well. In the meantime, of course, my English is making progress every day, and I have already learned a lot of new things.
The day after my arrival, my cousin drove back to the city where he lives (approximately two hours from here). Now, I am really no country girl, but at first I was so disoriented by the incredible commotion that I thought I would never find my way, to the point that I fell into desperation.
Besides, I had such a dreadfully bad room that I was also very sad about that. I was at a loss. If my best friend, who is also here, and an old colleague hadn’t taken pity on me, I don’t know what I would have done.
First off, they arranged for me to get a reasonably nice room. I rented it for only a few weeks because it was too expensive. And then finally I moved for the third time. I went to my cousin Edith’s house—Aunt Martha’s married stepdaughter, who arrived four weeks before me. I feel very comfortable with her. I eat at her place every so often. It tastes better than a restaurant and she charges me a low rate for meals.
Of course, all of this sounds a lot easier than it really was. First of all, it took weeks before I could finally unpack my things and have some peace and quiet. Then, the change in climate was so strenuous that I was constantly incredibly sleepy. I could never get enough sleep, and yet I was always tired. The weather here changes with an abruptness that is indescribable. For that reason, the climate is so taxing that it takes everyone a certain amount of time to get used to—some people never acclimate to it.
After the first two weeks I went to look for employment, and was running around in the city all day. Berlin is a big metropolis and has enough commotion, but nevertheless, nothing there was nearly as strenuous as here. The distances are much farther, and day in and day out there is such an entanglement of people—that alone is enough to befuddle you. The only way to get anywhere is by subway; it takes an eternity to reach your destination with any other mode of transportation. Many car owners don’t even use their cars in the city because it takes so long to get anywhere.
The big department stores are fantastically decorated, and in general there are the most wonderful stores here. Every day the skyscrapers impress you anew and offer a different view for every type of weather. Thousands of people work in these gigantic buildings, sometimes more than the entire population of a midsized city. There are an enormous number of cinemas, and all seat a vast number of people. Most of them play all day long; there are always two films.
In the middle of the city is a wonderful park that stretches out for hours. There are little lakes that you can take a rowboat out on in the summer, and in the winter you go ice-skating . . . Bridle paths, big playgrounds, restaurants, etc. Apart from Central Park, as it is called, there are other wonderful parks in every corner, so that sometimes one barely has the feeling of being in this mammoth metropolis. Meanwhile, when you go into the business district—which I crisscrossed back to front during my job search—you are astounded at the scale and the large number of businesses.
Despite many good recommendations, I could only find temporary work every once in a while for the first few weeks. Every evening I would come home exhausted from all the running around and totally depressed if once again I had not succeeded. Finally now, just when I bitterly needed it, I have managed to find a job in an office. I have only been hired for a few months on a special project, but hope that I will be kept on after it ends. My supervisors and my colleagues are all very well educated and nice, which makes working together much easier.
Nicest is that I only need to work five days, and then I can always take a nice rest Saturday and Sunday. The first weeks I spent these two days off almost only in bed, because I was so exhausted. But now my body has slowly adapted to the new way of life, and I feel much fresher, so fresh that I am actually happy to be able to chat with you at length after such a long time.
Now it is beginning to be spring; the temperature is tolerable. In a few weeks it’s supposed to get so hot—as happens every year—that moving anywhere is exhausting. And due to the high level of humidity in the air, you are perpetually drenched in sweat. Now . . . we must wait for what is to come. This time will also pass, as everything does.
I am now almost 27 years old—most of these years were not too joyful. Let’s hope that some more pleasant ones will follow. For the time being, it doesn’t seem that way; my head is still too full with so many worries.
Let me know as soon as possible how you are doing. I am so interested to hear.
Best, best wishes and lots and lots of love and kisses
from your
Luzie
To: Luzie Hatch, New York
From: Paula Steinberg, Dortmund, Germany
Date: May 10, 1939
Translated from the German
My dear Lützken!
Your letter arrived approximately one hour ago, and you will receive an answer right away! You certainly don’t deserve it, because dear Luzie, you can believe me, never in my life have I been as disappointed as I was that you couldn’t write to me sooner than half a year later. I couldn’t and didn’t want to believe that you could be so disloyal. It really hurt me, but in the end I had to accept it.
There are no excuses. A short card while in transit or upon arrival would have sufficed to make your aunt happy. And that is also why, when your father sent me greetings from you and apologized on your behalf, I wrote to him that I no longer attach great importance to your correspondence.
It is also two months now since Erna and Gustav [Paula’s daughter and son-in-law] arrived in Palestine with the children and so you can imagine my loneliness. They are living in Haifa—Achusa Maon L’Olim for the time being. Maon L’Olim is an immigrant house. Hilde welcomed them at the port and stayed with them for a week.
But now, first to you, dear Luzie! First of all, I wish you a very, very happy birthday and all the best. Above all, stay healthy and continue to be courageous, and send us your engagement announcement to the millionaire soon. Then maybe you can have me come over, because otherwise, dear Luzie, we will surely never see each other again in this lifetime.
Your letter interested me greatly. I can imagine all the misery you have put behind you, and I am very happy that your body has adapted to the climate there. After all, you already have all sorts of trials behind you, but ultimately it strengthens both the body and the nerves. I also see that in Erna, who wasn’t always the strongest either.
Yesterday Dan turned one. Erna and Gustav are living in one room in Maon L’Olim until they get to the settlement. Now they must first do hachsharah [agricultural training program]. You can imagine how hard they are all working to bring me there. Willi gave them a guarantee for £1,000; otherwise they would still be sitting here today. Now, as soon as they are legalized, that guarantee will be written over to me, and so I hope to get there as well.
I, too, have been living in a furnished apartment here at Kaiserstr. 14 since 02/01, as Falks sold their house and immigrated to Palestine. Unfortunately, Mr. Falk died of a heart attack before the immigration, so Mrs. F. had to travel alone with her children. All doom and tragedy that one used to only read about in novels.
I eat at a boardinghouse with Uncle Jakob and a few other friends. Also the Levis from Lünen live here with me; they too are waiting for their certificate so they can join their children in P [Palestine]. Uncle Jakob also wants to leave. While he has a high number for the U.S., he has no guarantee to go to P [Palestine]. It is very difficult for him, too. Other decisions will have to be made later.
Now dear Luzie, this will have to be enough for today. I wonder if I will hear from you soon!
With lots of love and a heartfelt birthday kiss from
Your Aunt Paula
A letter from Muhme showed that the situation at L. S. Mayer was continuing to deteriorate.
To: Luzie Hatch, New York
From: Muhme, Berlin
Date: May 5, 1939
Translated from the German
My dear Lützken!
Your kind wishes for my birthday arrived April 14th. I was very happy because you were the only one of all the Ellesem colleagues who thought of me.
I’m sitting here in Fräulein Jepp’s office, who I am replacing for a few days as she is away on business in Breslau. Since I don’t have much to do, I am taking the opportunity to chat with you and to practice a little at the typewriter. As you can see for yourself, I’m still sputtering around a lot, but with time it will work out! Rome wasn’t built in a day either! Unfortunately, I don’t have your letter at hand, so I can’t respond to everything, but that barely matters. I can tell you a good deal all the same.
I still haven’t started to look around for a new position, and healthwise I’m still not ready for it, because this L.S.M. affair has worked my poor heart over quite a bit. I want to relax for a few more months and maybe see to it that I find employment by the fall. For the time being I still want to file an application with the Reich insurance company. But I can only do this after July 1st when the two-year qualifying period is over. In the meantime, I’m living off my nest egg, which will soon be all depleted if nothing more comes in.
So, now I want to tell you about the fate of the L.S.M. Company, as well as its employees. I don’t know if I already told you that the company first initiated insolvency proceedings and suspended payments. The hearing was April 21st. I surely already wrote to you that we, Miss E., Miss N., Mrs. W., and Mr. B. sued the company for payment of the so-called loyalty premium; for me that represents a year’s salary. For that reason we already had our second hearing on April 29th. At the latter one, the settlement trustee and business manager was also present, and notified us that the settlement proceedings fell through because the business was supposed to continue operating.
The administrative office allocated funding, and now they are looking for a buyer to run the export business. The financial statement showed that there is only 300,000 in negative equity. The dismissed employees are supposed to receive something but, of course, not as much as originally determined in the agreement. A hearing has been scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, on the premises of the Labor Front, and there they will negotiate how high the individual compensation will be. The judge at the labor court tells us there is no law for loyalty premiums and that if we receive anything, it will be thanks to the Labor Front. That’s one way of seeing it! “After 42 1/2 years of service!” But there’s nothing you can do! Be it as it may!
I will be happy when the L.S.M. story is taken care of and I can have my peace and quiet, because otherwise you just get upset all the time. Glaserfeld’s father was requisitioned to Bolivia as a doctor, and he’s taking his family along with him. But he can’t leave until September 1st because all the steamboats are booked. That’s some consolation!
B. Basch is also still here. I don’t see any possibility for him to leave either, since unfortunately he has no one outside. I hear very little from Miss Land . . . Miss Emde also has a new position as of April 1st, I believe at a textile wholesaler in the Brüderstrasse. At the beginning, she didn’t want to return after the first day. We cajoled her a little, and now she likes it quite a bit, although not as much as L.S.M.
Now, everyone is pretty much taken care of, except for Tina and myself. Tina is very down with her heart, and in my opinion the woman can’t do any hard work. It is a pity that she has the burden with her daughter. You see, dear Lützken, everyone is taken care of somehow.
I won’t send out this letter yet today, but instead I will wait for the hearing at the Labor Front so that I can tell you right away how it came out.
Muhme
Just now all of us signed below are coming back from the settlement proceedings at the Labor Front. I will let them speak!
Dear Lützken!
We just read your letter, and I’m happy that you are doing reasonably well, and that you have [illegible] settled in. So I wish you much success going forward and take care, and very best regards from
Erna
Dear Lucie,
Your foster mama sends you her love . . . but I can imagine the [illegible] . . . that our little Lützken is very brave.
Filchen
Dear Luzielein [little Lucie]!
Many thanks for your kind regards, because the letter was addressed to all of us. I’m happy that you have settled in somewhat, and that you are doing well. Is someone there to mother you, my dear? So, my little dear, wishing you all the best going forward.
Luise
Dear Lucie,
I read your letter with interest and consider you a role model. And keep your head high even when it’s hard, because there’s no doubt that it’s much more difficult for you in the big city. With all my heart I hope that you will see your Papa again soon and that things will work out well for you otherwise. First and foremost, stay healthy and keep up your good spirits. Very, very best wishes and lots of love, your
Erna E.
Dear Luzie, I wish you all the best for your future and that you will soon become a real American. Love
[illegible]
Information from Shanghai was slow in arriving, a fact that Luzie needed to explain to her cousin in Albany, a successful businessman accustomed to having his questions answered promptly and his instructions carried out immediately.
To: Arnold Hatch, Albany, New York
From: Luzie Hatch, New York
Date: June 12, 1939
Dear Cousin Arnold:
Please accept my apologies for not having answered your letter earlier. But as I understood from your letter that I first should find out more details about the situation of my parents, I decided to wait for those informations. On the very day when I received your letter, I wrote to my parents asking them to give me full details.
Please consider that it always takes four weeks one way and another four weeks the other way, that means eight weeks, until I can have the reply. As the postage for airmail always costs at least 70 cents, it is impossible for me to write this way. Only last week I had to send my parents an air-mail letter. I got a short card from them telling me that my father had a break-down because he doesn’t dare to eat enough in order to save the money still left to them. Furthermore they informed me that there was a scarlet fever epidemic. I didn’t want to frighten you with these bad news, but wanted first to have the answer to my letter.
I spoke to many persons in order to help my parents. I was lucky enough to be introduced to a physician just arrived in America after having been five years in Shanghai. He gave me three letters of introduction for my parents, one to an American family (where he thinks they at least would be invited for dinner what also would be a good help in their situation), and the two others to two physicians. I at once sent these letters by air-mail to Shanghai.
After the card I didn’t have any further news from my family, so that I really don’t know whether father or Rolf found some work in the meantime. As a matter of fact they were not employed when they wrote me the card.
I hope that you don’t misunderstand that I didn’t write you before, but I always think there are so many things you have to care for, that I really don’t want to bother you with our troubles—unless there is no other way out.
I would be very happy if there will be soon an opportunity to see or at least hear you as I didn’t see you now for such a long time and as I like to be in your company. Should it happen that during your next visit in New York your time will be so limited that you only could call me, I give you my telephone number of the office: Murray Hill 3–6702 Ext. 35.
What do you think about my English? Am I improving? As I work in the Committee for a German lady and as I don’t have many American acquaintances, and as I live with Germans, I am sorry to confess that I don’t have any occasion to speak English. It is really too bad, because I have the feeling that I don’t make progress.
I am with much love,
Yours, as ever,
Luzie
To: Luzie Hatch, New York
From: Arnold Hatch, Albany, New York
Date: June 13, 1939
Dear Luzie:
I have your letter of June 12th, and of course I understood that it would take quite a few weeks for you to get a response from your parents. However, I thought that it might not have been out of place for you to acknowledge receipt of my letter written early last month and say that you would try to get me the information wanted. I still think, without meaning to be too critical, that you might have done that.
I imagine that your parents need some money, and you might let me know. If so, we shall send them some more money very promptly.
I am glad that you are well, and in my opinion your English is improving very rapidly. This last letter before me now is infinitely superior to some written earlier this year, and I am certain that with the foundation you have and your ambition to improve that you will speak and write English fluently before long. As it is, you are doing very well now.
Business has not called me to New York in many weeks, but I am due there either the latter part of this week or probably next week, and will endeavor to see you then, or at the very least talk to you over the phone.
With much love to you, and Herta, and the two tantes [aunts], I am
Yours, as ever,
Arnold
At the start of the summer, Luzie had the chance to write to her former business associate Stefan Pauson in England.
To: Stefan Pauson, England
From: Luzie Hatch, New York
Date: June 28, 1939
Translated from the German
Dear Mr. Pauson:
Naturally, I am happy about every piece of mail that I receive here from old friends and acquaintances. But I have to mention in particular that your nice note of March 24th made me exceptionally happy. In my thoughts I have already answered you countless times—e.g., during my daily underground travels in the beautiful New York subway, or in the evenings before I fall asleep, exhausted from the day’s “heave and toil.” But (and I am embarrassed to admit this) my energy never sufficed for me to actually sit down in front of the typewriter. Because I wanted to answer you in detail—and this evening I feel fresh and rested enough to do so. And I hope that after this long outpouring . . . you won’t resent my long silence.
Most of all, I am happy that you have managed to safely escape from our “pleasant” fatherland—although it was with great regret that I read that you were in Dachau until December 10th. I hope you didn’t fare too badly there. Unfortunately I am very well informed about life in those hells through my current job, and congratulate anyone who doesn’t have to stay there too long. That I attempted to provide assistance, to the extent that it was in my genuinely meager power, as soon as I was on the boat is self-understood. I would have given a lot to spare you those four weeks or to shorten them for you, but unfortunately one had—and still—has to watch helplessly as those beasts martyrize and torture innocent people to death.
I can only hope that you will forget all those things as quickly as possible, and that you will soon once again become the basket manufacturer in “Wiggan,” and make me the head of sales for New York and the surrounding villages and make my father the chief sales agent!
Please return the greetings from your busy manager brother—I wish that he, or even better, both of you could come soon to the New York “Fair,” and that I could spend as lovely an evening with you again as during the Leipzig “Fair”!
Yes, New York, that is a chapter unto itself. You know me of course, and you know after all that I am not an inexperienced little country girl—but that’s exactly how I felt getting to know this giant city. At first I thought that I would never find my way in this hustle and bustle. To defend my reputation, I must quickly add that in the meantime I already no longer see anything special about life. But now I really have spoken enough about myself.
It probably isn’t nice that I am also writing on the back of this sheet of paper. But since I also wanted to enclose a letter for Hella—and I would ask you to be so kind as to forward it to her—I am concerned about the excess weight, which is why I did not use a third sheet.
I also wanted to tell you that in the meantime my parents have arrived in Shanghai. Thank God my local relatives sent them money, so that at least at the beginning they had some financial support. The reports that I receive from them are so disagreeable that I don’t want to burden you with that. In any case, there are virtually no job opportunities there, and I don’t know how my father will manage until he is able to immigrate here.
Should you by chance happen to have some connections in Shanghai or know a few people there, I would be extremely grateful to you if you could help my father out somewhat with recommendations. He seems to be terribly down, and I would be terribly happy for him if you could write him a few lines, in case you should find the time, so that he can see that he is not forgotten. I have the feeling that would have a good effect on him psychologically. The address is: 83 Broadway, Room 2, Shanghai—Hongkew.
As it really makes me so happy to hear from you, I hope that you will honor me with a few lines again soon.
Sending my best wishes to you and your wife (although I don’t know her), I remain
Your Luzie,
born Hecht!
To: Paula Steinberg, Dortmund, Germany
From: Luzie Hatch, New York
Date: June 29, 1939
Translated from the German
My dear, beloved Aunt Paula:
As soon as I am a millionaire, I will write to you with the Clipper [air transport]1 that plies regularly every Saturday and brings the mail to Europe in two days. But since the cost is six times that of a standard letter, I must continue to deny myself this mode of communication for the time being.
You cannot even imagine how very happy I was at your lovely, detailed letter—and what was nicest is that your birthday wishes arrived promptly on May 19th. All the other congratulations came either earlier or later, so you take the cake!
How are you living actually? As comfortably and nicely as at the Falks? I still think so often of the beautiful turnip greens that you put on my plate. Are those actually cultivated in P. [Palestine] as well? If not, I will come visit you there when I finally have all the millions that I always dream of at night.
I don’t know if you have already heard that the World’s Fair is currently taking place in New York. Last week I was invited to attend. It is a wonderful, giant exhibit. One needs days, weeks, and months if one wants to see all the offerings properly. In the evenings, when it is all illuminated, you feel like you are in a fairy-tale paradise. I could tell you about it for hours, but I see now that the page is almost full, and my ribbon won’t suffice for a third page. I hope you are satisfied with this letter and are now good to talk to me.
All the best, 10,000 greetings and kisses,
Luzie
To: Luzie Hatch, New York
From: Paula Steinberg, Dortmund, Germany
Date: July 22, 1939
Translated from the German
My dear little Luzie,
You don’t need to put the Clipper to use, because if you always keep in touch so punctually, I will have no reason to be angry with you—and we don’t want to be angry from now on.
Last week my trunk was packed and sent off [to Palestine], and will also be there soon, God willing. Now only I am missing, and that is the biggest problem because if I can’t get away now, which is very doubtful, it will take me at least another year, as the Oct.–March schedule has been closed. So you see that there is little hope for me, and I don’t want to go to a transitional country somewhere, because then I will feel even more lonesome.
You, dear child, have had fabulous luck in all of this. And I am very happy that you are also in good health. You know I was always very worried about that.
As for news, I can tell you that Hilde and Alex have ordered themselves a second baby. They didn’t want to fall behind Erna and Gustav and felt obligated, can you believe that! Nurith will turn three next month, and is a true Palestinian child. Walter has arrived near Haifa, so he has gotten closer to Erna and Gustav.
Uncle Jakob, the poor fellow, has no idea where to go.
Now this should be enough for today again. I have been writing all day and am tired now. Hopefully you will write to me again soon. Stay healthy, and also send my love and heartfelt wishes to Edith.
I give you a kiss!
Your Aunt Paula
While Aunt Paula hoped to go to Palestine, Luzie’s cousin Alfons’s desire lay in another direction, Latin America. Alfons Isack was both Luzie’s cousin and her counterpart. The two had been born weeks apart in May 1912. They also shared yet another turn of fate, a most unfortunate one. Alfons’s father, a German soldier in the Great War, had died when Alfons was only five, close to the time Luzie’s mother, Johanna, died. But whereas Luzie suffered the loss of one parent, Alfons would lose both. At the age of nineteen, just when he was beginning to make his way as a salesman, his mother died.
Within Luzie’s correspondence there is no indication that she was aware that Alfons Isack had been among the thousands arrested during the “terrible days.” His Gestapo file reveals that the police arrived at his apartment on November 11, 1938, supposedly to search for “edged weapons, thrust weapons, and firearms.”2 They found no weapons, but rather than clearing him of the charge, they deemed the search “inconclusive.” Alfons was admitted to the police prison at 4:30 p.m., where he signed the following statement:
I am a Jew and a citizen of the German Reich. My father died from a battlefield injury in Süchteln/Rhein 1918. My mother died 10/15/31 in Essen. I live here, with my uncle Siegmund Isack. Since 5/2/38, I have worked for the painter Widow Wertheim . . . Before that I worked as a salesman for the Karsch company in Gelsenkirchen. I do not have cash in my possession. As soon as I have sufficient money in my possession to cover travel expenses, I intend to immigrate to Colombia. I am not aware of any criminal action on my part.3
He spent ten days in prison before being released on November 21, 1938. Most likely, the Nazis released Alfons believing that he would make good on his promise to emigrate. Given his circumstances, it would be a difficult goal to achieve.
With one Jewish business after another folding, Alfons was forced out of the sales world and into employment on an excavation site. Whether he was working for a private company or as forced labor on a Nazi construction project is unknown. What is certain is that it would be nearly impossible for him to earn the necessary funds for passage to Colombia. Desperate for a solution, he begged Luzie to get help from Arnold.
To: Luzie Hatch, New York
From: Alfons Isack, Essen, Germany
Date: July 10, 1939
Translated from the German
Dear Luzie and dear Herta!
After many long weeks I am answering your kind letter. Many thanks for the birthday wishes. I have been working in excavation for some time now. At first it was very hard for me, but one adapts to everything.
Now I would like to ask you again, please get back in touch with dear Arnold. As of today he still has not answered me, and now I have written to him again. Dear Arnold absolutely must help me. If he does not, I will have no chance of ever leaving.
Of course, dear Arnold will get the money back from the Colombian bank in two years. This is only meant to serve as “Vorzeigegeld” [money required for Columbian entry permit] for the government; I will not receive any of it in my hands.
I already knew that you, dear Luzie, are living with dear Edith and you are in good hands there. What else have you been up to?
Hoping that you will be successful in granting my request, I remain with many greetings and kisses
Your
Alfons
To: Alfons Isack, Essen, Germany
From: Luzie Hatch, New York
Date: July 31, 1939
Translated from the German
Dear Alfons,
Although it is already 11 o’clock in the evening and I am dead tired, I do not want to let the Europa leave tomorrow without sending news to you with her.
I was very happy to receive your letter of July 10th, the content of which I have thoroughly noted. Herta, who has left with the aunts to get some rest, spoke with Arnold on the way to the resort. I asked her immediately whether your request came up as well.
She told me that Arnold had read your letter, and that she had the feeling Arnold wanted to help. Upon learning that, I decided not to approach Arnold again. Rather, I am asking you to let me know as soon as possible whether you have received an answer from Albany and if so, what it was. In case you should not have heard anything, I recommend that you go ahead and contact Arnold again—but only in English, since he cannot read German, and that would just create another delay.
I am just so sorry for you that you always assumed that we and the other relatives only wanted the worst for you. If you had trusted us a little more, things would surely have been better. But of course, now is not the time to discuss that; at any rate, I will do what is in my power for you. I am glad that at least you are in good health again, and I hope that it will stay that way.
Unfortunately my father in Sh. [Shanghai] is not doing so well. I have all sorts of worries about him, and unfortunately I am unable to help him at all at the moment.
It is very fortunate that I still have my job and at least earn enough that I’m not a burden on anyone. That alone is more than enough to be content with.
So, my dears, I wish you well, to the extent that it is possible, and I look forward to hearing from you more often. And from you, dear Alfons, I expect a prompt response with hopefully favorable news.
With many greetings and kisses from
Luzie
Family members such as Alfons Isack and Aunt Paula Steinberg were not the only ones to hear from Luzie. In the summer of 1939 she began to correspond with Hans Hirschfeld, a colleague from L. S. Mayer. They had once been quite close.
When L. S. Mayer had suddenly lost its Canadian sales representative, Hirschfeld, who was fluent in English, wasted no time in stepping forward to fill this position. As an L. S. Mayer sales representative, he set off for Canada and never returned to Germany. “He was,” in the words of his wife, Florence, “one very lucky kid.”
When last together in Germany, Hans and Luzie had not parted on good terms. In another time they might have remained estranged, but with all of them going through so much turmoil, there was probably a greater readiness to put such things aside. And for all the hustle and bustle, which kept Luzie quite busy, she must have still felt somewhat lonely in New York. Whatever the reason, she decided to renew their friendship.
To: Hans Hirschfeld, Toronto
From: Luzie Hatch, New York
Date: July 27, 1939
Dear Hirschfeld:
I happened to notice in one of my notebooks that your birthday was last week, so I am taking this opportunity to send you my somewhat belated, but nevertheless sincere, good wishes. I am able to do this because I could get your address from Mr. Silbermann4 for whom I did some correspondence.
So far as I can remember, when we last saw each other some years ago in Frankfurt, we parted after a slight disagreement. But since I am good-natured, I am writing you—I thought it would interest you to learn that I am in America.
I left Germany during the pogrom days on November 16, 1938. Up to this time I was still employed by L. S. Mayer.
My parents went to Shanghai in February of this year. You can imagine what that means to me. Miss Dembski was very helpful to my father and to me during the terrible days in November; I am still in contact with her, and I get always very detailed letters from her.
I have had already several jobs which were not satisfactory. For the last five months I have been working in the “American Jewish Committee” as secretary to the former editor of the C.V.-Zeitung in Berlin. I am very glad to have this work, although I still would prefer a position in our former line.
At the end of August I get a week’s vacation, and it is possible that I shall go to Canada because everybody tells me how interesting and beautiful it is. Do you think such a trip worthwhile?
What are your parents doing, and how are you? I would like to hear from you and am,
With kindest regards,
(Known to you as L. Hecht).
To: Luzie Hatch, New York
From: Hans Hirschfeld, Toronto
Date: July 29, 1939
Dear Luzie:
I was very pleased to hear from you and greatly appreciated your thoughtfulness to remember my birthday. What the hell did you have to change your name for though? Wasn’t Hecht good enough for you? I looked up “Hatch” in the dictionary and found my suspicion confirmed that it means “produce young from eggs.” Forget it . . .
All joking aside, I am happy for you that you are in the States. I can well imagine what it means to have your parents in Shanghai, and only hope that you will find ways and means to bring them to New York too. I know how hard it is, and that the American public is not as sympathetic and susceptible as it used to be to refugees’ troubles. Yet I cross fingers that you succeed.
My parents are fortunate enough to be in England: Leeds, to be exact, since April or so. My kid brother has worked there since spring 1938 in a factory, and now they live together and are comparatively happy.
What can I tell you about me? My latest achievement is evident from this letterhead [his business, Sky-line Gifts]. I am utterly happy to live here, since this country, and this city of Toronto in particular, are swell places, quite independent of any comparisons or the so-called refugee angle.
A trip to Canada during for your vacation is a good idea. You may be sure of a cordial welcome.
With kindest regards,
Hans
As the summer of 1939 crept to a close, Luzie feared that her work days at the American Jewish Committee, where she had been hired to work on the White Book, might be nearing an end. It would have been bad enough if this loss of income affected only Luzie, but her family, stranded in Shanghai, was depending on her.
She had received a letter suggesting that she had been made a permanent member of the AJC staff only to have her heart sink the next week when she opened a letter that suggested just the opposite. Everything was uncertain.
The oppressive heat of that summer, accompanied by dreadfully high humidity, had at least one advantage: it had probably tampered her emotions a bit. Who had energy to panic? “Torrid Wave Scorches City Area; 4 Dead, 4 Prostrated” was a front page New York Times story. In any event, once again she needed to inform her cousin of her unfortunate circumstances.
To: Arnold Hatch, Albany, New York
From: Luzie Hatch, New York
Date: August 10, 1939
Dear Cousin Arnold:
I have received your letter of August 4th, for which I thank you very much.
This week brought some troubles to me. You will remember that I was engaged by the American Jewish Committee for a special work, namely to write the manuscript for a so-called White Book. I always hoped that the Committee would have another occupation for me after the completion of this job. Last Friday I get the enclosed letter according to which I believed that I now belonged to the regular staff. But this was an error.
On Monday the enclosed letter was handed over to me, which speaks for itself. I showed this letter to our office manager, who told me that he didn’t know anything about it and that it was a shock for him. He spoke at once to the new Director, Mr. Newman, in my behalf.
The next day I was informed by the secretary of Mr. Newman that he wanted to let me know that they were just in the middle of the reorganization and that he couldn’t make any decision before all the new plans would be worked out, but there might be a possibility to place me elsewhere. So I don’t know whether I still have my job after August 31st.
Dear Arnold, please don’t think that I am discouraged. Of course I would be only too glad to stay. But if that should not be possible, I have the confidence that I will be able to earn my living.
Yesterday we had the most awful day of the season. But in spite of this, I am glad to be here, because, according to the last letter I got from my parents, it must be worst in Shanghai. Father is under the supervision of a physician because he has got too many white blood corpuscles. He is being treated with liver injections.
The house they lived in has been bought by a Japanese; for this reason they have to move out and are compelled to look for another room which wouldn’t be so easy.
I hope that this finds you well and not suffering from the heat.
With much love,
Yours, Luzie
To: Luzie Hatch, New York
From: Arnold Hatch, Albany, New York
Date: August 11, 1939
Dear Luzie:
I have your letter of August 10th, and I am very sorry indeed to learn that you have received notice of dismissal from your position. This is too bad. However, in the first place, there seems to be from what you write a chance that they might find some other place for you. In any event, I know you have plenty of courage and ability, so that you need not worry over this.
If the worst comes to the worst, and you are without a job for a few weeks, you know that I will always see that you do not come to grief or want for anything. So just keep your chin up, and if the notice of dismissal is final, look around for something else.
My family arrives home tonight after four weeks in the White Mountains, and to tell you the truth, I shall be glad to have them home again as the house is very often lonely. The heat has bothered me a lot too this summer, but one gets used to everything.
Now, let me know as it gets along toward the end of this month how things are developing about your work.
With much love, I am,
Yours, as ever,
Arnold
As it was, things developed quite well for Luzie. She was, in her own words, a “lucky girl.” Perhaps it had been more than luck. Luzie appealed directly to AJC’s general secretary Morris D. Waldman, explaining, “I denied two chances of getting an employment in other branches of business because I like to work in this organization.” While acknowledging that she had been hired for a temporary project, she had believed and hoped that on its completion there would be additional work for her. Never shy, Luzie closed with a request for a meeting. “I would be very much obliged for granting me a personal interview so that you may have a personal impression of my abilities.”
Whether it was good fortune or the force of her personality, within her own personal New York universe, ill fortune had been avoided. She was reinstated at the American Jewish Committee as a regular full-time employee. But for those on the Continent, as the days of summer drew to a close, catastrophe would not be averted.