Walter Marmorek – born Hans Marmorek in Vienna in 1908 – was a Kitchener Camp architect; he drew up a long blue map of the camp, now housed in the Wiener Library for the Study of the Holocaust – extracts of which may be found throughout this website. In late April 1940, Marmorek joined the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps of the British Army.
“Mr Goodman of the Empire Cinema” was Sydney Goodman, b. 1892.
“Mr D. S. Woolf” refers to Donald Woolf, who was a member of the Central British Fund Executive Committee. According to Ungerson (2014, p.43), he was also “very involved with the Jewish Lads Brigade.
According to the 1939 Register, the Camp Quartermaster was Jack Coopersmith, born March 19303.
The men listed as ‘Nurse’ in the 1939 Register are as follows:
Leopold Schaffer, b. 1913 in Münich: usual occupation ‘Labourer’. He was interviewed in Tribunal no. 6, on 11th October, by Trevor Hunter. The records do not show that Schaffer was interned; he may have joined the AMPC.
Max Bartfeld, b. 1912 in Stanislau: usual occupation ‘Chiropodist and Masseur’. Bartfeld was deported to Canada for internment on SS Ettrick on 3rd July 1940. He was released and joined the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps at the start of January 1941.
Kurt Flink, b. 1901 in Vienna: usual occupation ‘Clerk’. Flink was deported to Canada for internment on SS Sobiecki on 4th July 1940. He was released and joined the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps in July 1941.
The ‘Agriculture Expert’ is shown in a sketch on page 5 of the August edition of the Kitchener Camp review.
The 1939 Register lists 78 men as being involved in ‘Agriculture’.
As far as we know, the Chief Accountant was Edgar Sonneberg
We know from Ungerson (2014, p. 53) that Refugee Number One was called Adolf. There are (to date) three Adolfs listed in the 1939 Register who were electricians, as follows:
Adolf Ansbacher, b. 18 June 1910 in Frankfurt am Main. Originally a 'Fitter (electricity)', he was later working as 'Clerk in Camp Office (Educational Department)'. He was later interned by the British government in Hutchinson Camp on the Isle of Man - released as a 'Special Case M/L' in June 1941. After release, Ansbacher lived in Manchester. Adolf Salzmann, b. 15 June 1898; Master of Engineering. He is later listed as an electrician. Adolf Wiessner, born 20 May 1920, is also listed as an electrician. He was also later interned and deported to Canada.
Kurt Bondy was born in Germany in 1894. He sailed from Southampton to New York in June 1939 on the SS Bremen. He is described in National Archives records as a university professor.
B. Non-transmigrants Name of ship: SS Bremen Steamship Line: Norddeutscher Lloyd Names and descriptions of ALIEN passengers embarked at the port of Southampton Date of Departure: 24th June 1939 Where bound: New York Contract ticket number: 22804 Port at which passengers have contracted to land: New York Names of passengers: Body, Kurt W. Class: Tourist Ages of passengers - Adults of 12 years and upwards Accompanied by husband or wife - Males / Females Ages of passengers - Adults of 12 years and upwards - Not accompanied by husband or wife - Males 45 / Females - Children between 1 and 12: Infants: - Last address in the United Kingdom: Kitchener Camp, Richborough, Kent Profession, Occupation, or Calling of passengers: University professor Country of last permanent residence: Foreign Countries Country of Intended Future Residence: USA Country of which Citizen or Subject: Germany
Source: National Archives: Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960.
Editor’s note: We are not allowed to reproduce National Archives (UK) images, but we are permitted to reproduce the material from them, as shown above.