Born: Vienna, Austria, 2 June 1905
Profession in country of origin: Wholesale business supplying motor car parts
Arrived in Britain as a refugee from Austria on 24 July 1939
Documents
Documents submitted by Eric Elias for his father Eduard Elias
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Camp / arrival number 2488
Arrived in Britain on 24 July 1939
Interned in Canada, Refugee Camp H
Letters
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Dachau
18 November 1938
Dear Mother,
I share with you that I am healthy and in good spirit. Hope you are likewise. My address is:- Eduard Elias, Dachau 3k. Born 2-6-1905 Block 24 Bunk 4. For postal sendings , this address must also be on the reverse of the item (Senders address). I can receive money each week. All correspondence should be written in ink. Only sealed envelopes should be used. Card for card. Letter for letter.
Regards, Edi
6 December 1938
Dearest Mother,
I received your card. As I am unabe to undertake the preparations for the journey, please ask dear Uncle to carry these out. Possibly through Dr. Heins.
The documents (birth certificates) are in the safe. Keys [illegible]. Duplicate shoud be in the [illegible]. Write immediately by airmail to Harry, Freddy [illegible]. If you need money, go to the Manager. Did you go to tenant No.25. Call Arpad regarding his matter as we remember. Contact Lily and give her the things. As for the Envelope, the things are equally with H Stein. In my box, tidy up so that there are no problems. My locker had the word ‘Monopol’. You will find details on the statements. Please also have the Uncle, if possible, do something about double use of Room 39. He should ensure my German names are on record. I have money in the Postal Savings book for all current invoices, Lansberger can organise stamps. Does Ms Weiss have everything in order? Deal urgently with out interests. I cannot receive any Christmas packages. Money is contrarywise OK. Regarding the [ilegible] it may be necessary that the Company at Gargart is sent in. Write immediately.
Kisses, Eli
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Dachau. 19 December 1938.
Dearest Mother,
Letter received. Also RM15. Write regard matters to Mathy, Fv jimggrau, Stockl Mahgasten 37 in trying Cuba. Hans Weis will give you [illegible].
If you write to Hans, you can offer a few days rend him seasonal greetings. I am concerned that you have not done anything concrete regarding leaving. Do everything you can urgently and write thoroughly. Thank the Uncle for his efforts. Regards to all.
Kisses from your Edi
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Dachau, 31 December 1938
Dearest Mother,
For the New Year, I wish you and all relatives everything Good and hope that all wishes will be fulfilled.
Have you organised the personal liquidation of your business with all the relevant parties? As the voyage to America will more than likely drag itself out, everything possible shoud be done to make provisional travel plans to other destinations. Who is looking after the visas for London. Find all items from [illegible] Seidengasse including my work coat. You must organise a new Passport. The old one I return. Prior to that you must go to Seidengasse. Write thoroughly.
Kisses, Edi
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Dachau Concentration Camp Headquarters Dachau 3 K 5 January 1939 Mrs Bertha Elias Vienna 11 Konigsegg Lane The two powers of attorney and five passport pictures will be handed back after completion of the signature by Eduard Elias. At the same time the Reichspass No. 644533.1 and five interest coupons will be transmitted. In addition, a forwarding authority and five passport pictures will be returned after completion of the signature by Hans Friedrich Elias. An enclosed envelope will be sent. You should accompany this with a cover letter to the authorities in question. Camp Commandant
Translated by a Kitchener descendant
Engineer Otto Altmann Auto-material Telephone number U-13-207 Vienna 14 January 1939 Reisner Street 16 Memo: Subject: I hereby confirm that Mr Eduard Elias was born in Vienna on June 2, 1905, that he has lived in Vienna and I have known him since his earliest youth. He is the son of the respected merchant, Max Elias, who died five years ago. After graduating from the Commercial Academy he worked for Alpine Machinery A.G. in Augsburg and then worked with much success in his father’s business. Mr. Eduard Elias enjoys the best reputation and one can have full confidence in him. Engineer Otto Altmann
Translated by a Kitchener descendant
Dachau. 15 January 1938.
Dearest Mother,
I just received your dear card which I had urgently awaited so that I could respond. Please reply promptly next time. Please do a photocopy of the business certificate. It is in the cash register. Likewise the other documents. The 1937 tax return is in the cash register or on my writing desk. Obtain also the various other tax papers. Grabuer lives in a single story house on Zollergasse 26. The house management [illegible] strasse/corner Hirschgasse.
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Vienna Makkabi
Jewish Gymnastic and Sport Club
February 5, 1939
We confirm that Eduard Elias, born June 2, 1905, a member of our organization, is currently in protective custody. For that reason we strongly urge that he leave for a foreign country with haste.
With greetings of Zion
Makkabi Gymnastic and Sport Club
Translation to English by a Kitchener descendant
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"The envelope above was sent from a cousin, Alfred Luftschitz, PO Box 61 Nicosia Cyprus, which was another transit camp for those who were part of the Palestine story" Editor's note: From Wikipedia - "During World War II and the Holocaust, Cyprus played a major role for the Jewish communities of Europe. After the rise of Nazism in 1933, hundreds of Jews escaped to Cyprus. Following the liquidation of the concentration camps of Europe, the British set up a detention camp in Cyprus for Holocaust survivors illegally trying to enter Palestine. From 1946 until the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the British confined 50,000 Jewish refugees on the island. Once the State of Israel was created, most of the refugees moved to Israel. About 2,000 babies were born on the island as they waited to enter Israel."
All items and translations (except where otherwise noted) have been submitted by Eric Elias for his father Eduard Elias.
Photographs
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Recognised in the photograph by family, Hans Einziger, third from the left, wearing spectacles
Eduard Elias’s family would very much like to hear from other descendants whose fathers or other relatives were in Hut 36. Please get in touch.