Letter from Ernst Adler to Mortimer Michael, November 30, 1955

Mrs. Flora Schmidt, the guardian for (her niece) Susan Stern, has turned over to me your (undated) letter.

I had originally suggested and initiated that Mrs. Schmidt be appointed guardian for Susan Stern, for the following reason:

Susan Stern was a victim of Nazi persecution. In her earliest youth her parents and she were forcefully transported out of Germany and kept in camps. Her parents finally perished in a Nazi Extermination Camp.

I have filed for her with the proper German authorities her claim for indemnification. In order to do so, it was necessary that she was properly represented by a guardian since she was not of age.

So far no award has been made and therefore no monies were forthcoming. The German law provides that older people have first priority.

Obviously Mrs. Schmidt felt that no accounting was to be made since no monies were received.

Simultaneously, I will write to the Clerk of the Surrogate's Court in order to obtain the necessary forms and I will see to it that they will be filed in due time.

Will you therefore please be patient because the omission on Mrs. Schmidt's part was certainly not intentional nor meant to be disrespectful.