September, the month of the Jewish New Year, brought Luzie what she hoped for most, the arrival of her family in the United States. They had finally made it to America, albeit their route had included a challenging eighteen months in Shanghai. Once their ship docked in San Francisco, the family faced the last leg of their journey, a cross-country train trip that likely took seven days. Their reunion was a heartwarming event. Other developments, however, brought distress rather than joy.
Cousin Dora feared that she would be losing her financial support, the allowance from her brother-in-law Leopold’s estate. When his business had been Aryanized in Nuremberg, Leopold had been fortunate enough to receive a decent price. But when he and his wife, Dora’s sister, left for Palestine, they were allowed to take only ten reichsmarks along with some money for the ship. The proceeds from his business sale stayed behind in Germany in a blocked account. In some way, perhaps because she was a close relative and had Leopold’s consent, Dora had been able to withdraw small sums from his bank account in Baden. These funds allowed her to scrape by. But in this letter she relayed her alarm that she was no longer able to access his account.
To: Arnold Hatch, Albany, New York
From: Dora Hecht, Baden-Baden, Germany
Date: August 24, 1940
Translated from the German
Dear Arnold!
Aunt Ida wrote me about your concern for my health. Of course, I am also aware of that from your kind letters. That is delightful and comforting to me.
One big concern has been weighing on me for the past few days. I heard that the financial support that was accorded to me from Uncle Leo’s estate until now has been terminated. I don’t know if this provision is permanent or only temporary. Leo lives in Palestine; that is a hostile country. [Palestine was under the mandate of Great Britain, a nation at war with Germany.]
For the longest time I haven’t heard anything from my loved ones. I can only continue to wish and hope that they are well.
As you can imagine, I am now living in a state of great apprehension when I think about the future, and I am addressing myself to you with the question whether it would be possible for you to assist me in this time of need. Would you be able to send me 400 marks per month, and in fact, could you send me the first installment by telephone?
It is not easy for me to express this request, but for the time being I see no other recourse. I will keep you posted with regard to my well-being going forward. But the thought that I am not totally abandoned gives me renewed strength time and time again.
I send my love to you and your whole family, also Aunt Ida and Herta, as well as Lucie from all my heart.
Your lonely Dora
Meanwhile, Cousin Martha Harf had written Arnold of her new plan for leaving Germany. She and her daughter, Ruthi, would travel by train from Germany to Moscow, where they would then take the Trans-Siberian Railroad to the Russian port of Vladivostok. If there were no problems, the train trek across Russia and Siberia would take twelve to thirteen days. At Vladivostok they would book passage on a ship to Shanghai and from there would eventually travel on to the United States.
To: Luzie Hatch, New York
From: Arnold Hatch, Albany, New York
Date: August 28, 1940
Dear Luzie:
The other day I received a cable from Martha Harf, which when translated said that I should pay immediately certain undefined sums to the American Express Company. The whole thing was so jumbled, incoherent, and impractical that I sent it down to the American Express Company in New York and asked them to advise me what all this meant, etc.
I have just received their reply which I send you herewith. Now, it is utterly impractical at this time to send two women from Cologne via Berlin, Moscow, Siberia, and Japan or even by the other overland routing to Lisbon. The steamers are packed. The journey is hazardous and uncertain, and the American Express Company in accepting the utterly impossible sum of $700.00 per person does not guarantee a thing except that they will return your money in case transportation cannot be arranged.
It appears to me that Martha, more or less naturally, is so anxious to get herself and her daughter out of Germany that she is getting hysterical about it, for which in a way you cannot blame her. However, I cannot and will not go ahead with any such vague plan as this, and I want either you or Mrs. Friedmann to write her at once, by air mail if necessary, that the plan must be dropped for the time being.
Please have someone write her not to waste her money on cables because this whole nebulous plan is out so far as I am concerned, and I will not sanction it, and that is final. You can probably see for yourself that the cost of this thing outside of the uncertainty of it is perfectly ridiculous.
All of the foregoing means that things will just have to wait until this war is over, if it ever is, and I would really much prefer not to be bothered by these wild plans in the meanwhile. Things in the world are so uncertain that I cannot get into plans as insane as the above mentioned. Just as an example of how uncertain things are, we sent through a reputable bank some money to the Rosenfelds [Dora’s family] in Palestine, which is not in the immediate war zone, back in May, and so far the bank has not been able to show delivery of this money.
I appreciate that when either you or Mrs. Friedmann [Martha’s daughter] write to Martha she will be bitterly disappointed, but there is nothing else that can be done for the time being. I did not start this war, and I cannot finish it, and I cannot change the conditions that result from it.
With much love to you, I am
Arnold
Although Luzie abided by Arnold’s instructions, she bent them slightly, suggesting to Martha a way of appealing to his personality.
To: Martha Harf, Cologne, Germany
From: Luzie Hatch, New York
Date: August 30, 1940
Translated from the German
My dear Aunt Martha:
This letter encloses a very disappointing message for you unfortunately, and I am dreadfully sorry that I must write this note.
Arnold showed me a copy of his letter to you . . . Well, you should have already received this letter and know that Arnold is against you going on the long, burdensome and expensive trip over Russia and Japan.
I want to give you a personal advice now. I have information for you. I have found out that the journey through Russia has so far often been sponsored by the “Hilfsverein” [German Jewish Aid Society]. Please contact the “Hilfsverein” immediately to work this out for you.
I strongly believe it might be easier to have Arnold do something if one could tell him that funding until Japan is ensured. I am sorry, this is the only advice I am able to give you at the moment. I know that even with the trip to Japan secured, from a financial perspective, Arnold still will not like the idea of you undertaking the long journey over Russia. But according to my feeling and opinion, it would be much easier to change his mind in that case and just make him finance the trip from Japan to here.
I want to point out, however, that this is only an assumption of mine, and I cannot promise my assumption to turn out being successful. But so far my advices were quite right, so that I suggest you do everything I proposed. Sending Arnold cables does not make sense as long as you cannot tell him that the trip to Japan will be sponsored from there [Germany]. At least he will then see that other places help as well.
In fact, do you already have your visa? I need to see an organization within the next few days anyway. I will once more discuss your case. You can count on me. I think about you and do everything in my power (you can tell due to the affidavit arrangements), but my limits are all too restricted unfortunately.
Do you happen to know any wealthy people here who can advance some money, so one is able to collect at least part of the sum? I know this question is somewhat childish, but you may think of somebody whom one could turn to.
This is all I can recommend to you today. I will remain being committed and will not forget all of you.
Luzie
As is apparent in this letter, Martha took Luzie’s advice.
To: Arnold and Stephen Hatch, Albany, New York
From: Martha Harf, Cologne, Germany
Date: September 29, 1940
Dear Cousins,
I thank you for your letter by airmail of Aug. 12th, and reply to you as short as possible as I will not take your time for long.
I have heard that you, dear Arnold and dear Stephen, have made out the affidavits for Hechts in Shanghai and that you will take care of their coming over to USA, very, very generous of you.
By my cable of Aug. 19th you learned that your sent papers for Ruth and me are considered as sufficient by the American Consulate at Stuttgart. You may imagine how awfully happy we are about this. You are right: our heart is set on coming to America and making for ourselves a new life there. If I could speak to you only half an hour and explain all our troubles, you would surely understand our impatience to leave Germany as soon as possible.
We are able to pay our journeys from here to Yokohama or Kobe by our means, so that we beg you to be kind enough to pay the passage for us from one of this ports to New-York. If you would deposit the needed amount to a bank or Shipline-Agency and I should be exceedingly thankful to you. Without any such a certificate that the amount of the passage to USA is deposed, our visas are not granted. Before we are called to the American Consulate in Stuttgart, we must send this letter there. These regulations are new, perhaps according to the war conditions.
May I also let you know that Ruth is very talented in drawing, and that it is impossible here to find a teacher for her in this subject. That is a pity as this talent may be a good profession for her future.
Don’t mind, dear Arnold, my repeating that there is no chance at all of making our living here, and it would be a very bad thing for us waiting for the end of the war. As to myself, I am still healthy enough and able to work hard. I suppose that after our coming to America we can speak about my husband’s immigration.
Looking forward to a favorable reply, I remain, dear Arnold and dear Stephen,
Yours ever so thankfully
Martha
To: Arnold Hatch, Albany, New York
From: Luzie Hatch, New York
Date: September 6, 1940
Dear Arnold:
I have received your letters of August 28th and September 3rd.
I noted what you said with regard to Aunt Martha’s trip to this country, and we have informed her accordingly. I agree with you that it is a great undertaking to have people come via Siberia, but on the other hand, I know that at present many are doing this successfully.
As far as I know the fare until Yokohama can be paid for in German currency, and the Hilfsverein (the German committee) is said to have financed several trips from Germany to Yokohama for people without means. I, too, hope that the whole world situation will adjust itself soon making such difficulties a thing of the past.
Wishing you a pleasant weekend, I am, with much love
Yours, as ever,
Luzie
Three days later Arnold informed Luzie of his decision.
To: Luzie Hatch, New York
From: Arnold Hatch, Albany, New York
Date: September 9, 1940
Dear Luzie:
I have your letter and have written you about all that I have to say for the present about Martha and her daughter. You state that the Hilfsverein assists in financing some of these trips occasionally, but my experience as shown by what has just happened in the case of your family is that they cannot be depended upon to help at all. They make a lot of promises which are not kept.
I therefore place no reliance on any help that might be expected from that German committee, and I repeat again that Martha and her daughter will have to remain in Germany until conditions clear up. I hope that you have written them to this effect and made it clear.
As regards your own family, I would suggest that you look around and get a furnished room for them, near or with you in Forest Hills. As regards any other plans for them, those should wait until they arrive here. I want to see what physical condition they are in, whether they have even a nominal command of English, and a lot of other stuff before we even look into the matter of work for them.
With much love, I am
Yours, in haste,
Arnold
Alfons remained persistent in his effort to emigrate to Latin America.
To: Luzie Hatch, New York
From: Alfons Isack, Essen, Germany
Date: September 17, 1940
Translated from the German
Dear Luzie!
Today I found time to answer your letter. I’m doing all right, and hope the same is true for you and Arnold, Herta, Edith, and Mann. I thank you, my dearest Luzie, for making these efforts in my matters, especially now that Arnold wants to help me out.
I went to the Benevolent Society and emigration is out of the question at the moment. As soon as I know where I can go, I’ll let you and Arnold know. The main point is that Arnold will support me financially, in case I leave for South America. I assure him I will repay all of his expenditures. I have also registered to come to America, and I received a high number. If I were to wait for this number to be called, I would have to stay here for years to come.
Please let Arnold read this letter. I don’t want to forget to wish you, Arnold and his family, a “Happy New Year.” Please don’t write anymore to Aunt Lina and Uncle Max. They’re saying horrible things about you, and because of that, I’ll be mad at them forever. They’ve also talked about me behind my back, and I’m done with them. In case you are writing to your parents, please give them my regards. I’ll finish writing now since I also want to write to Aunt Jula and Käte. I want to hug and kiss you and all of your loved ones,
your cousin Alfons
Please write soon.
To: Alfons Isack, Essen, Germany
From: Luzie Hatch, New York
Date: November 24, 1940
Translated from the German
Dear Alfons, my dears [other cousins]:
To you dear Alfons, I can only keep repeating that unfortunately at the moment I don’t see any possibility for you to realize your plans, as you have also written yourself. In any case, of course I will do everything I can to help you when the time comes.
In any case, I recommend that you 1) continue to keep me informed . . . 2) also write to Arnold every now and then, even when you don’t have much to report, so that you will stay fresh in his memory.
As I have already written to you many times, I see him rarely, but when I do see him once every few months, I always mention you. So, as I said, maintain the communication, and hopefully we will find a solution soon.
From the signatures below you will see that my parents and Rolf have now arrived, thank goodness. They arrived in early October and are in fairly good health.
From me personally I can tell you that I am in good health and hope to get through the winter well this time, so as not to get sick again as I was last year. I am working hard and happy to have the same position.
For the next letter you do not need to enclose reply coupons. I will answer you anyway, and you should save money.
So, my dears, I look forward to hearing from you soon. Stay healthy, and may the New Year bring you what you desire.
With all my love and kisses for you all,
Luzie
Aunt Paula Steinberg was not shy about voicing her keen disappointment in her niece. Caught in a whirlwind of torment and change, she had few to turn to for support. Her husband, Hermann, had been killed in World War I, and all three of her children had gone to Palestine. She was alone and frightened, and her anger at Luzie for not writing more often was not surprising.
To: Luzie Hatch, New York
From: Paula Steinberg, Dortmund, Germany
Date: September 18, 1940
Translated from the German
My dear devil Luzie!
I could not believe my eyes when approximately three weeks ago your letter of 08/08 arrived here! I totally gave up on you, and was no longer counting on a sign of life from you. Only perhaps it would have been your responsibility to answer my letter of 05/28 to Erna or Hilde. But as mentioned, love can’t be forced, and nor can letter writing!
Considering that, perhaps you can understand how I am feeling. There are no excuses, no matter how busy you may have been. If the situation was reversed, dear Luzie, I certainly would have acted differently, and would not have kept you waiting for so long. But all of you on the outside no longer have a real appreciation for those of us who are left behind, and I don’t think I deserved that from you!
With time one becomes bitter, dear Luzie. All that I have left, my children and my grandchildren, are far away. How often must they too think of me and worry about me! I hope they are all healthy, and I was very happy to hear that you are also in good health again and that you have returned to your former weight. Thank God I am also doing quite well so far, only so much is missing!!
Unfortunately, Uncle Max was very sick with pneumonia, and he is having so much trouble recovering. It is generally very hard for them too, and they have little chance of leaving . . .
I have gotten myself a number on the waiting list for the U.S.A. as a last resort. I have #44184, but surely I won’t put it to use, because who would be my guarantor! There is little relying on friends and relatives, dear child; one realizes that time and again. And I don’t want to be in a foreign country without my children. I will just stay here until I can join them. And if there is a God, hopefully he will grant me that blessing.
I wish you all the very best for the holiday season, how about a nice man that I wish for you in the coming year? It is about time now, my dear child, or should you not want that?
For the time being, I am not permitted to send a picture of myself. But when I am so disposed, I will have myself photographed and send one along to you at the earliest opportunity.
Farewell, and keep your word about writing!
Reply coupon enclosed. I send you my love and kisses.
Your Aunt Paula, Lots of love from Uncle Jakob
Aunt Paula, for understandable reasons, was becoming increasingly bitter and depressed. And Luzie’s cousin Dora was faring no better.