Réponse Antwort Reply
Message à revoyer au demandeur — Mitteilung an den anfragesteller zurückusenden — Message to be returned to enquirer.
(25 mots au maximum, novelles de caractère strictement personnel et familial — (nicht über 25 Worte, nit personliche Familiennachtichten) — (not over 25 words, family news of strictly personal character).
Alle gesund, sandten zehn Pfund Friendshouse London, teilet untereinander, bestätigt Wo ist Fanni? Soll schreiben. Zum Neujahr Gottes und Segen
Markus, Sofia, Martha, Trude, Baruch Date: 3. September 1942Datum Bitte sehr deutlich schreiben. Prière d'écrire très lisiblement. Please write very clearly.
Everyone’s healthy, sent ten Pounds1 to Friends House London, share it among you. Confirm Where is Fanni2? She should write. For the New Year, May God protect and bless you
Markus, Sofia, Martha, Trude, Baruch3Notes
1. A British pound sterling in 1942 was equivalent to approximately GBP 50 today, so GBP 10.00 was about GBP 500 (USD 700). [back]
2. Fanni (Fanny) Hofmann, sister of Sofie (Hofmann) Stern who was married to Markus Stern, author of this message. [back]
3. Markus Stern was the half-brother of Moritz Mosche Stern, Beate Stern’s (Bea Karp's) father. Markus was a bank employee/director in Karlsruhe, Germany since the 1920s and fled from Karlsruhe to Palestine in 1939 (after the Kristallnacht in November 1938). Markus was married to Sofie (Hofmann) Stern. Their children were Martha, Trude, and Baruch. This message was in response to one sent on July 4, 1942 by Adolf Stern. Adolf was also a half-brother of Moritz Mosche Stern. Adolf was deported from Karlsruhe, Germany to Gurs Internment Camp, France on October 22, 1940. He and his wife Clara/Klara remained at Gurs when Moritz, Rosa, Beate and Suse were transferred to Camp de Rivesaltes near the Mediterranean Coast. The recorded date of Adolf Stern’s death at Auschwitz is August 12, 1942. [back]
